Year: 1868

with them, as thus far, they have been
merly experimental Have faith in
Democracy and down with Republicans
ism. The new Legislators will make all
needful improvements" By this sense
less twaddle the party that has thrust
this load of oppression upon the Terri
tory is now endeavoring TO cajole the
people into the belief that the past Leg
islation of the Territory has been hon~
est, aud that the future will provide a
remedy for its incurable defects. This,
in our view, is a greater iniquity than
the crime already committed. What
apology can be offered 10 a people who
have been betrayed, oppressed, ground
down, literally swindled by their rulersg
Can their taxes be reduced,
Ur their conveniences multi
piled by itg Can the bitter con


viction that they have been humbugged,
cajoled, be allayed2 ? Can the ever pres
ent Consciousness, thar their confidence
has been violated, be oblitsrated? /? No
nothing but change, radical change
change in everything, can give any hope
of relief for the present or reform for
the future. The hollow, insincere pro-
fession OF penitence in one paragraph,
and defiance in the next, coupled With
empty charges of dishonesty against
Republicanism, cannot blind the eyes of
the people To the evils which are so viz
idly portrayed, in their own ex perience,
and in the experience of our depressed
Territory.


We are burdened with heavy debt.
which is daily accumulating We are
paving heavy taxes. which are yearly
increasing. We are cursed with reck-
less, unprincipled legislation. from
which there is no immediate escape.
These facts are indisputable. All the
logic in the world will rot change them.
We are told by way of consolation, that
we had better bear these evils, and trust
to the policy which brought tkem upon
Us, than change our rulers or trust To
any other system of government To
the people of Montana, we do not ask
you to-consider US, or the party to which
we belong. We make no promises to
you in the name of that party. But
read what we have written. Is it true
Is il fairly statedg III so. we ask you,
in all candOr. is not reform necessary,
and necessary at once 2 What is To be
the future of this great Territory with-
out REFORM What can you expect
without it If we are wrong, expose
us-show wherein, and tell US how
Montana can ever be prosperous, or its
people satisfied, under a continuance of
the policy which thus far has only dis
graced both Territory and peoplel We
anticipate that an effort will be made
10 have this Territory admitted into the
Union. OF course we have no prospect of
its accomplishment, but if il were add
mitted, in its present condition, that
would be the end of t. Government
now pays from fifty TO eighty thousand
dollars per year, in the way of various
Territorial expenses, which would fall
upon us, in addition to our present in
debtedness, were we a State. Our taxes.
now go burdensome, would be trebly in
creased, and our officers, already so nu-
merous, would be doubled. The leaders
of the party now in power care not for
this so that their ambitious schemes
for political preterment are carried into
effect. We are not TO day in as favorn-
bic a condition for State government as
we were on the day we became Terri
tory. a State government would run
US into shameless repudiation in less
than two years, and every interest in the
Territory would suffer. Let US go TO
work and repair the wrongs already in.
hicted, retreneh our expenses, pay up
our debts, reduce taxation, and the great
resources of the Territory, now our only
hope. will do all the rest, and regain for
us the good name We have lost, and give
US standing, proportioned to our merits,
among other civilized communities.