Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-11-07
FORMER MONTANA ELECTIONS.

The Ft. Benton River Press, in ID
recent issue, gave the result Of past
elections in Montana from 1864 up to
1906. 1t shows not only the gradual
growth OF the state in population, but
also the gains in Republican strength
on the whole. leaving no doubt that
the state in few years will be safely
anchored in the Republican column, al
thong the vote of the state has shift
ed about considerable in the past ten
years. The showing OF the Press in the
following will be interesting in COM
pairing the present election with those
in the past:
The election of two years ago show
ed very peculiar distribution of the
Montana vote. The Republican presi-
dental electors had plurality of over
1900; Hon. Joseph M. Dixon, Repub-
lican candidate for congress. had a
plurality of about $500; while Hon.
Joseph X. Toole, Democratic candidate
for governor. had plurality of S,4O0.
Hon. Edwin c.. Norris, Democratic
candidate for lieutenant-governor, won
out with a plurality of some 1900
votes.
In the congressional election of four
years ago the Republican candidate,
Joseph M. Dixon. received 24,626 votes;
John M. Evans, Democrat, 1860;
Martin Dee, the labor party candidate,
6,005 and George w. Sproule, Social
list, 1881. Mr.. Dixon was elected by a
plurality of 5000 but the combined
vote of his opponents was 2S,696.
Turning back to the early political
history of Montana, it is found that
the first election for delegate to con-
gress was held on October 25, 1864,
and when the returns were counted
they gave Sam Mclean, Democrat 81
$50, W. F. Sanders, Republican, g.
Goa total vote of little over s.
500. A feature of the election returns
was the result in Chouteau county
where Colonel Sanders received SO
vots, while his opponent failed to ge,
q single ballot in his favor.
The territory was Democratic il
1867 and 1869, but in 1871 w. H. Clag
gett, Republican, was elected delegate
to congress by a majority Of about 4O(
in a total vote of little over 10000
Beginning with 1872, Martin Magin
mis- was elected delegate to congress-
for six consecutive terms, and in 1884,
Joseph X. Toole (Democrat) had ma
jority of about 200 over Judge
Knowles (Republican) in a total VOTE
of nearly $4,000. In the election Of
1896, Mr.. Toole was again elected b.
a majority of about 1900 over Colone
Sanders.
In 1888, the opposing candidates
for delegate to congress were Thomas
H. Carter (Republican) and w. A
Clark. The returns gave Carter %,
224; Clark, II, 1872 In 1889 the contes
tants were Carter and Maginnis, the
former winning out by nearly 1.7Oi
majority. At the next election w. w
Dixon was the Democratic nominee fol
congress and ran against Mr.. Carter
and the returns We're: Dixon, 15,411
Carter 1928.
In 1892, Hartman was the Republi
can candidate for congress, and was
elected over Dixon (Democrat) by {
plurality of about 200. Two years lat
er he again ran as a Republican, AMI
secured a plurality of some 5000 ovel
Robert B. Smith, Populist, the Demo
cratic candidate, Hal s. Corbett, being
the third on the list. Hartman wal
elected as fusion candidate in 1896
and two years later A. ]. Campbell
(DemocraD received 23.351, while T
c. Marshall (Republican) polled II.
1928 votes, the former securing . pin
rality Of some $500. In the election o