The Daily Missoulian., 1912-06-30

In the awful grandeur Of the on Mount Sinai when
God gave to the Law, declared the doctrine of
dv'dua and civic righteousness which has been the guide
OF mankind since recognized dviney given accept
ed as the word of God.
Thou shalt not"-ths the barrier which God placed
between His people and sim He gave amid the thunder Of
Sna the universal creed His people received the
has endured through the ages effective now as
! it was when first proclaimed in the Wilderness
OF the Ten Commandments the Eighth has been given
prominence this month has been forged upon the aten
ton OF the world through its vioaton-a violation all the
more agran because it involved the theft Of the rights of
great people, the despcabe because tramped in
the dust the heritage OF great nation. Thou shalt
steal was hundered forth from the lghtnngs Sinai the
voice OF Jehovah commanding the people Of the world that
the rights of their neghbors to be respected always
and that the property Of others should be held sacred
from the touch of evl-mnded persons
Thou shalt steal has been incorporated into every
code OF laws that the world has known that day. there
nation which does recognize this law there is no
country where the theft of anothers property pun
ished.
Thou shalt not steal is the prohibition under which the
thief punished who robs bank who loots store who
filches horse who pliers TILL And the world applauds
gresson of this law 1t is the worlds safeguard against
evil designs 1t is the protection under which the house
holder goes to bed at night and sleeps soundy.
But what shall we say and what shall do when the
sacred rights OF great people taken? Does make
any difference 1t the thieves in high standing in
the counryexcept that the ofense is all the greater on
that account? Is not the theft Of the will Of the people and
its prostitution to base ends more terrible Oense than
the picking of pocket?
Yet, pounce upon the pckpocket and hustle him to
Jail as an enemy OF society His ofense however differs
only in its eness from the stealing of convention by
organized band of political thugs We demand the
severest punishment for the hghwayman who waylays the
hometarer at night, beats him and robs him. Yet the
masked bandit is trflng offender in comparison with the
organized band OF robbers who deprive nations people of
their rights at the polls.
The nomination of William Howard Taft at Chicago was
trauduent-t was theft. The who participated in
the steal basely criminal as is the man who pries
open money and away with its contents The
great newspapers OF the east those which had avo
Gated the nomination of Mr. Taft admit that the action of
the republican committees and convention was nothing but
theft
great majority Of the republican voters of the country
had expressed their will through regularly conducted and
properly organized elections. They had Chicago
their delegates instructed tor certain purpose They had
expected that their will would be executed But their rights
were denied them they robbed Of their electoral prv
legs; .,u.., "a,
jobbery and theft known American politics. The
rotten methods OF the corrupt city never
perpeated greater robbery than this. 1t is not to be
wondered at that the nation holds its breath and wonders
1t is amazing that such open and defiant acts can be car
ried out in country like this.
Montana had eight in the republican national con-
venon and these eight named through jobbery
and injustice When they got to Chicago these eight men
acted with the who had dictated their nomination at
home They became part Of the crowd which denied to
the people OF the country the right to elect their rep
resentatves they joined their voice in the Reputation of
the constitutional privilege of every American citizen they
declared against primary elections they affirmed their allie
glance to the arrogant interests Their names should never
be forgotten by the people Of Montana They should be
branded with the odum which place upon any thief
They should be made realize that the people of this state
will not tolerate such conduct and will not stand for the
methods OF the thug and the thief in politics.
Thou shalt not steal The theft of peoples rights is
the greatest theft that be committed And these men
have robbed the American people Of the priceless heritage
Of citizenship. ,
I,
The