Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-10-10
THE JOINT DEBATE


joint debate on the issues of the
campaign in public meetings to be
held in some of the principal cities
of the state. Mr.. Riddick declines
the proposal but offers to enter in
to debate in articles published in
the newspapers of equal length.
For very good reasons MI. Wheel
or declines the substitute on the
ground that it would not serve the
purpose he had in mind, and that
was to let the public who heard
the debate judge for themselves as
to which candidate for the United
States senate possessed the quail
ties which would best represent
them in the United States senate.
A. written debate published in the
newspapers might only decide the
question of which candidate could
hire the most clever lawyer to ar
range his case for him in a written
brief. AS the cleverest advocates
usually charge the highest prices,
this debate might only indicate
which candidate had the most mon
ey to spend, and in that contest
Carl Riddick withfthe national re-
publican congressional committee
behind him, with pockets bursting
from the contributions of benefi-
Charles of the highest tariff bill
ever passed by an American con-
gress, would have a decided advan-
tage.
There is good precedent for the
proposal for a joint debate be-
tween c%ontending candidates for a
United States senatorship. Abra-
Lincoln debated this question with
Stephen A. Douglas all over the
state of Illinois. He lost the SEN
ators ship but gained the presidency
of the republic by these debates.
He did not, however, suggest that
Stephen A. Douglas and himself
submit printed briefs of their re-
spective cases to be printed in
the newspapers of Illinois. Mr..
Douglas was a famous orator, a
man we'll practiced in public de-
bate, and also a man of imposing
presence on the platform. AT the
time of these public joint debates
Mr.. Douglas in many respects had
the advantage over the plain and
honely lawyer, Abraham Lincoln.
His friends generally thought he
made a political mistake in match
ing himself against the polished
orator, Stephen A. Douglas. but
Honest Abe Lincoln was confident
of the truth of his argument and
he met Douglas in the principal
cities of Illinois. 1t was the judg-
ment of his supporters that he
held up his end of the debate by
the truth and power of his logic
and his statements of fact. 1t is
the verdict of history that as al
effect of these debates he made
himself the logical candidate for
the republican presidential nomi-
nation at the next election.
We are not suggesting that Carl
Riddick by declining to follow the
example of Abraham Lincoln has
lost a chance to make himself pres
ident of the United States in 1924.
Far be it from US to suggest so
absurd an idea. But it may occur
to Carl Riddick. We would not put
it past him after reading some OF
the publicity stuff he issued about
himself, as chairman of the repub-
lican national publicity campaign,
Here is a sample of some of the
publicity sent out by MI. Riddick's
committee, and which came to Mon,
tana by the thousands during the
present year 1t is printed in The
National Tribune of Washington
and bears every a mark Of palc
publicity. This article distributed
by Riddick's committee to Mon
tana voters says:
"Fate has insisted on making
Carl w. Riddick a congressman, al
though he did his best to run away
from that position of honor ant
trust. When they tried to send hin
to congress from Indiana agains'
his will, Carl Riddick sold out hi:
flourishing newspaper and fine
horne and buried himself on a gov
eminent homestead, 80 miles from
anywhere in Montana. He wanted
to enjoy life with his family, bu'
the personality, the internal com
bustion, the zeal to see justice
done among his fellow men, hi:
drive for good citizenship, couldn't
be suppressed. He is today chair
man of the publicity committee oi