The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1906-10-31
MR.. PRAY SPEAKS IN HELENA.
Montana's Next Congressman Addresses
Big Audience In Capital City.

Montana's Next Congressman Addresses
Big Audience In Capital Clay.
HELENA, Oct. 24.-The spontaneous
enthusiasm that greeted Charles n.
Pray and Judge Henry G. Smith last
night at the Auditorium. VIXEN tie re.
publican state campaign vas opened
in Lewis and Clark county, has never
been exceeded here at a political meet.
ing.
Chairman Maddox, Of the state CEN
trail committee, introduced ex-senator
Lee Mantle as the chairman, who paid
his compliments to the county chair.
man, DR.. 0. NJ. Lanstrum, for the
privilege given him in presiding and
said among the many amusing fea.
lures of the democratic platform and
speeches were that Grover Cleveland
was a republican,, that President
Roosevelt was a democrat, that the re.
publicans had stolen democratic poll.
cies and that it vas necessary to send
a democrat to support the republican
party and uphold the administra alton
of Theodore Roosevelt.
He scathingly rebuked the democrats
for their Inconsistencies and the gro-
tesque presentation Of the democrats
boosting for q republican spresident,
hoping to score a democratic success,
but the people had once before been
fooled by such specious and false pre-.
lenses and never again wouldlthe peo.
pie of Montana be caught in q Cleve.
land or Clark trap.
Charlie Pray took the meeting by
storm and his ~forceful, graceful add
pungent exposition Of republican
principles and democratic follies held
the vast throng to the end of his ad.
dress, which lasted one hour and q
half. He called upon his audience to
witness the great prosperity of Mon.
tana, the era Of its greatest material
and financial development, (Which was
singularly brought about under repub.
lican plans and policies: the ever in.
creasing population, the influx of new.
comers who, from personal contact
with them, were eve extolling the su.
perior advantages of their adopted
homes and affirming and proclaiming
their sincere belief in the policies of
Roosevelt in the new making and win.
ming of the west.
He stated it as his most certain
opinion that Montana would witness
the most striking success OF the re.
publican party at the polls on the 9th
day of November next. Continuing,
he cited the absurd proposition that
the democrats would support Presi-
dent Roosevelt If returned to represent
Montana in nations al affairs, and
quoted Senator Bailey, who said that
Roosevelt had cost more to the nation
than any other president, and had &C.
complished less than any president
who had sat in the White house. He
quoted Charlie Towne, who saidelof
President Roosevelt that he vas the
greatest promiser and worst perform
err since the days Of Judas Iscariot.
Referring to the performances Of
the republicans rel a period of -
years in every great crisis and danger
of the nation, he urged the advice of
the president himself upon his hearers
that it simply would be disastrous to
change or weaken the power Of the re.
publican party in congress at this
time, which.would mean the destruc.
ton of the present orderly progress of
a carefully thought.out policy.
Mr.. Pray closed in the midst of the
greatest demonstration ever given a
public speaker in Montana.