1HLTIKBH MBDUTAIH Issued Every Evening. Except Si INTER MOUNTAIN PUBLISHING CO. Address all mail to Inter Mountain Publishing: Company. M. A. BERGER, Manager. 26 West Grarflte street. Butte City. Mont. ..$7.50 .. .75 SUBSCRIPTION RATES. Per year, by mall, in advance... By carrier, j)t-r month........... Semi-Weekly, per year, in advance 2.00 Subscriber"! who do not receive the paper reg'larly are requested to notify this office. Official Paper of Silver Bow County. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1899. HUNTING FOR AN ISSUE. j In 1896 the democratic party found it self without an issue upon which to wage] aggressive war in the then forthcoming] campaign. The protective tariff had be come the settled policy of the nation; and four yeaijs of democratic rule, culmi nating in disasters of the greatest mag hi tilde, had placed that political organi zation in public contempt. So great had become the reaction against the brood of public plunderers and philosophical misfits that characterized the reign of Cleveland, that as a matter of self-pro tection the democratic party was com pelled to reorganize 'in 1896. and call itself the "new" democracy. True, the "reorganized" party was Composed wholly of men who had stood jby Cleveland in 1892, and made his elec tion possible: but by repudiating their Own work, and pronouncing it a mis take, they hoped to convince the public that they were above further possibil ity of error in judgment in the selection of a candidate. With a 'new" democracy )a new issue Was imperative, hence 'the grasping of the manifesto in favor of free ^Coinage previously enunciated by the ! people's party. Had it not been for that I providential question, the democracy l-Nvouid have been in dire straits for a dt-ampaign issue, inasmuch as i'ts own ad |ministration had placed it squarely on yt'he defensive. ^Y ith the experiences of 1896 behind it, lit its passing strange that the democracy jffid. not prurlentlally provide for the campaign of 1900, and not again be Caught floundering around like a short sighted pollywo'g in a dry mud-hole. Had remained loyal to the silver cause, "Which it espoused as a last resort in 1896, ibnd worked unitedly toward the un iff old m-ant of its financial advantages in Othe affairs of the nation, it could have ^Sustained the dignity and importance of [the issue a,r.id made it paramount in 1900. Other questions could have been taken up as matters of minor importance and discussed on their mertis, but free coin age would have remained the end and j iObject of the democracy. Through such a. course, consistently maintained from kl896 to the close of the next presidential Campaign, 'the democratic party could Slave established itself as the champion Of free coinage and inspired the confi dence of silver men. But it has chosen rather to surrender Ihe paramount issue of 1896, before ab solutely certain of having secured a firm hold on a new question that promises to yield greater political results at the pdlls. In the turbulent sea of politics, is-abandoned its free silver float and started out for a long swim to overtake the poorly spilced raft of anti-imperial ism. Whether it will be able to reach its destination, and ride with greater se curity on that issue, remains to he seen. At present, the democratic party is i floundering around in the debris of 1896, ! •with little prosfpect of squaring itself for tup regetta of ,1900. Th? moral of this is, let well enough alone. Had (ho party staid with free coinage, ift might have preserved both litt reputation and its strength. As it Is. another ''new" democracy, with old materials worked over, seems to be im pt native. __ PREVENTION OF CRIME. One cannot. Study criminology without reaching tthc» ootncl-uision'—horrifying (though it may be to tlhe average mind— that as a rule 'the best men confined in the penitentiary are the murderers. With •the cold-blood i ll class of assassins very (largely eliminated by the rope, those •murderers whq find thdir way behind the (walls of the state's prison are men who have committed crime under great provo cation, in the healt of passion, who have Sacrificed their] manhood on the ignoble altar of strong drink, or who have taken ((life in wihat they may have conscien tiously beli-evetj to have been self-defense. Tire natural instilncts of men. of this (kind may be gi)od, even though distorted •through bad system's of mental volition «.ltd thought. With the passing away Ot the conditions under which the crime j j j was committed, they not infrequently show many excellent traits of character which mog.ht -have blossomed into better results had they been more favorably en vironed. A man of the highest motives in life, with a sense of honor and self respect, but with an ungovernable temper, and a distorted idea of protect ing ihis manhood, may become a murderer if environed by circumstances which sud denly excite him into activity. Thus it happens that among those who have been incarcerated for life are men who have the natural qualities of good citizenship—-men who have been ruined by unfortunate environment rather than by instincts essentially bad. How to protect men of this type from tlie commission of crime is the problem of the ages. v A great deal has been written relative to the reformation of criminals of an other class—the fellows who prey on the -chattels of their fellow mein; but the thief, the burglar, the forger, are essen tially bad. Such crimes are seldom due to sudden impulses brought out by ■environment, but are the unfoldments of a depravity born in the blood and work ed out through the bones. There is little of manhood to be looked for in such 'men. The criminal instinct is seldom eliminated from their hearts. * * * j In crime, as in everything else, an I ounce of prevention is worth a pound of j cure. If safeguards should be thrown around property to prevent the thief and j the burglar from exercising the instinct to plunder, why should not safeguards be thrown around human life, to prevent the shedding of blood? When the condi tions are ripe for a murder—if such an expression may be permitted—there is seldom anything in the way to prevent its accomplishment. The ever-ready re re vo Ivor is drawn and the fatal shot is fired. The absence of facilities would pre vent the commission of a very large pro portion of crime. A bloody nose or a black eye, at most, would serve as a safety valve for temper, and very often appease wounded dignity, if the deadly weapon was not within easy reach. Aside from the carefully planmed assas ■sination. there are few m-urderers who do not regret the hasty action which placed the brand of a felon on their brow. There is but one way to lessen the per centage of murders growing out of tem per, and a hasty (impulse to act when the hot blood mounts to the excited brain. The sale of revolvers and dirks should be prohibited. It is not enough to place an inhibition upon carrying concealed weapons. The state might as weill at tempt to prevent suicide by prohibiting the carrying of laudanum in one's pocket, while permitted the unrestricted sale of such poisons. Inability to secure the fatal drug that enables the partaker to sleep away the fancied trials of life to awake to the lurid reality of hell, has prevented many a would-be suicide from •acting on the impulse of the moment. If the purchase of fire-anms was made an impossibility, except under the proper restrictions, and dealers were not per mitted to sell them to all who desired to carry them, a wholesome check would be placed upon crime. A's a rule, re forms -start at the wrong end of the pro gramme. Temperance reformers, for ■instance, make war on the saloon-keeper, instead of trying to undermine the in ternal revenue law on whiskey, where they ought to begin if they expect to achieve substantial results. In crimi nal matters, they seek to protect society by converting the murderer, and making him feel sorry after the crime has been, committed, instead of putting a stop to the indiscriminate sale of deadly weapons, which is re sponsible for nine ty-five per cent of -the crimes of that type. __ It has been said that "a green Christ mas makes a fat graveyard." As if atoning for the lovely autumn weather of yesterday, nature disgorged itself of a snow storm today, and puts an end to the fears of the superstitious. In lower altitudes, where decaying vegetation is not properly frozen by Christmas time, there is a suggestion of epidemics; but in Butte no danger need be apprehended from winter weather that is warm enough to sprout bananas. Vegetation in Butte may petrify, but it will never decay. December seems to be month of cala mities. First, came th-e Carbondale mine disaster, in the state of Washington, with forty victims; then, the Quincy ehild bu-rning, the Brussels drowning, and the Italian landslide. These disasters were fallowed by the Pennsylvania mine hor ror and the earthquake in southern Cali fornia—to say nothing of innumerable calastrophies of lesser note. It is rumored in Helena that Rev. War ren, chaplain of the house of representa tives, has confessed himself a religious misfit, and intends to abandon" the ser vice of God. Armour & Co., have been working night and- day to fill rush orders for canned meats for the British army. Now is the time to revive the "canned meat" scan dal. THE PUNISHMENT OF AGUINALDO. John E. Watkins. Jr., in St. Loui-s Globe-Democrat: W'hat to do with Agui naldo after capturing him is a problem which is beginning to perplex Uncle Sam and one sure to inspire no end of cpntroversy within a short time. Those considering the legal aspects of the case are of the opinion that the only tribunal which can lawfully try the insurgent leader is a military commis sion, rather than a court-martial, or civil court. Such a commission would probably consist of seven well-known officers appointed either by the president as (.oniman'der-in-chief of the army or by General Otis on recommendation of the president. They would sit at Manila and their jurisdiction would be in dependent of the articles of war—the United States statutes which prescribe punishment for cases tried by courts-martial. The jurisdiction of a court marual is confined to men in our military service or those connected With it, v hile that of a commission includes offenses in a territory under our military law committed by the enemy and his sympathizers. The military commission trying Aguinaldo would conform to the rules and pr . a K l » s a ooiH't-tnarlial. In other words, the officer of highest rank—very probably a major-general—would preside, a commissined officer would serve as judge-advocate corresponding to«jdi? prosecuting attorney in a civil trial— while Aguinaldo would be allowed'counsel c-hosen by himself. The commission might devise any humane punishment for the insurgent leader which it saw fit. It rriight sentence him to death, to imprisonment for life or for any length of term or to deportation to some military post on this continent. Except in the case of spy, whose sentence must, uijder the law. be death and nothing less, the discretion of a military comrfiissioii in imposing sentence is not legally re stricted or defined as is that of a court-martial. The president, however, would have power to disapprove of its'findings, and, after all, the fate of the rebel chieftain would rest with him. Aguinaldo's sentence by military commission would, of course, depend upon the character of the charges brought against him. Discussing this point with an authority on military law. I was shown, in a volume of "The Military Laws of the United States." this ominyus paragraph: "Treating in the field the rebellious enemy of war has never prevented the legitimate government from trying the leaders n r the rebellion,or chief rebels for high treason and from treating them accordingly, unles's they are included in a general amnesty." In other words, had President McKinley issued a proclamation offering general with firmness if need be, but without severity so far at it may be possible." Ihe proclamation of the Philippine corn-mission, issued in April, warned Fili pinos resisting our supremacy that they "can accomplish no end other than their own ruin." If brought before a military commission. Aguinaldo might be charged with hugh treason, as well as with * inciting rebellion. Risley, in his "Law of War." says: "Strictly, rebels -are liable to be treated as traitors and criminals." Ac cording to this authority, those who took part in Monmouth's rebellion in Eng land in 169-> the event which inspired Dr. Doyle's "Mi-ah Clarke"—were trait ors and rebels legally subject to the death penalty, although many circum stances combined to enlist sympathy in their favor. Had our govern-mant ever recognized the Filipinos as belligerents the dis posal of Ag-uitialdio would be a simple matter. Until his revolt should be come entirely stamped out he could be subjected only to sufficient restraint ™t,'o prevent his e-sc-aoe.. He would be disarmed and interned in same fortress or vamp, under military discipline, away from the seat of whr. He could be punish,.vd only for disobedience oir attempt to escape. We would provide h.ltn food and clothing and in return -he might be compelled to do work suit able to his- rank and position, but could not be legally required to take part ■directly_ or Indirectly in any -further operatio.ns against the insurgents. While attempting to escape from his con fine meint before that time he -might be lawfully shot, but if.re,capture unlhurt could he punished only by reiimpriaon tn. nt. He would be allowed to go free at the close of the year and that would -have to 'be the end of our dealings against (him. The government, however, has never dream, .1 of recognizing or his followers as belligerents. By doing so it would permit them to receive suplies from foreign ' eoun'trieis. Were Aguinaldo to wage naval warfare and endanger th? maritime interests of for eign nations, they might offer him belligerent rights for their self-protection without officially Insulting us. but not a single one hias had cause t-o so recog nize him. Even -should they do so, he would not be any the less a rebel in our eyes. • Tihat Preis i-d-en-t McKinley would ever approve a sentence for the execution of Aguinaldo is highly improbable. Neither is it likely that the insurgent leader would be allowed to remain among his own people—at least not for a n-umber of years. His- treachery in selling out to Spain and afterward leading an open revolt against that country was am unlucky feather in his cap, one for which he is likely to repent during -many a direary year. 'That Aguinaldo w-ill be deported .to this continent and perhaps detained for -some time- In prison, seem-s most probable to many officials competent to opine. Uncle Sam now has no regular military prison which could be used for the purpose. Th? former military prison at Forth Leavenworth, turned over 'to the civil authorities a feiw yeans ago. is now a United States- penitentiary. Only such soldiers as commit panite-ptlary offense-s, a-s did Captain Carter, can be confined there. If brought to this o-ontin-ent for imprisonment, Aguinaldo would probably languish ait Alcatraz Island. San Francisco, or at Castle Wil liam, Governor's Island, New York, the two military stations best adapted for long terms of imprisonment. At Alcatraz Island there are cells and dungeons aind about tlhe safest military prison equipment remaining in the country. An interesting proposition Is that,in disposing of the rebel chieftain -the government should not regard him as it would an enlightened (traitor ,but should derive its precedents from the treatment of Indians or other primitive people who baye risen in revolt against,their parent states. One -authority ventured the opinion that Agulrtakfo-is less to be trusted than Genonimo or Sitting Bull. The former, whijs-a tafbe terrified the white man almost from the time of his advent into the country, was taken to Fort Marion, St. Augus tine, Fla., aftewards to Mount Vernon barra-ek®, Ala., and finally to Fort Sill. Okla. Sitting 'Bull, after surrendering to our troops, refused to be taken, and was shot dead by our Indian police. Chief Joseph, of the Nez Perces was con fined for awhile at Fort Leavenwor-th^af ter ward detained in Indian Territory, and when finally reconciled was"returned to his old country. The leaders of the Mod-cc war of 1872-2 were hanged -and their followers were removed to Indian Territory. Thus it will be seen that our treatment of rebellious In dians would offer a variety of precedents. That Aguinaldo should be by all means deported, is advised by a,n ethno logist. who -says that the famous Filipino's hold upon his followers is a com bination of hero-worship, and that veneration for -the shaman or medicine man which civilized mien can little appreciate. The policy of the Mexican governimeint, this authority added, in its punishment of Indian rebels, is to deport them to distant parts of Mexico and keep tihem under surveillance until they' are -thoroughly reconciled to their new surroundings. The Seris, the alleged cannibal Indians of Mexico, who killed the -traveler Robinson a few years ago, on Tibuiron Island, were deported so far away from tiheir old homes that they never could return. European powers prefer deportation of thir rebellious colonial subjects to ■hanging them as traitors. The French, for -ins tance, after deposing the rebel lious native Queen of Madagascar, in 1897, deported her to the Island of Re union. Two thousand participants in the native uprising in British Bechua.na lanid, South Africa, were deported by England, in 1897. to Cape Colony, and in dentured to farmers for a period of -five years. Similarly, in Samoa, Malietoa, after having been deposed by the German government, in 1887, was deported first to German New Guinea, afterward to the Cameroon®, in Africa, and finally, in 1888, to Hamburg, before being restored to bis kingship the following year. 'Should Agufinaldo, after be-in g allowed to return to the Philippines, and after the establishment of a civil government there, renewed his attempt to in cite rebellion, his case would 'be disposed of before a civil court. Sucih a tribunal would, in passing sentience, be governed by the act of 1862, which pro vides that treason aga- n.s-t the United States should be punishable by death, imprisonment for not less than five years or a fine of not less than $10,000, and ■that it should render the guilty person incapable of holding public office under our govarn-m-ent. Under this law would be punished any rebellious subject in any of our new possessions, or upon the continent, unde tlhe civil government. Aaron Burr, who figured in the first notable treason trial held In our civil courts, when tried for attempting to separate states from the union, was brought to justice while the old act of 1790 held good. This act -made death the sole punishment far treason. Military commissions, not governed by -statute, but organized under war power, were first brought into vogue by General Scott, during the Mexican war. During the civil war they -tried a great variety of charges, including "inciting rebellion," and "publicly exprettfeil hostility to the United -States government and sympathy with the en-emyjp* The most famous military (fcffnmlsslon which ever sat in this country was -that which tried th-e conspirators against President I.vnc-oln. Jefferson Davis, it will be remembered, was never tried. After having been Imprisoned for two -years without trial, he was set at liberty. THE JOURNAL S CRITICISM. - . r democrat has seen fit to f While no introduce a free coinage bill in'either house of congress, and there is nb like lihood that the party will agree upon any measure of that character, there has been plenty of bourbon oratory ini behalf of "anti-imperialism." A number of resolutions, outlining the policy of the democratic party relative to the reten tion of the Philippines, have been Intro duced, all going to show that while that political organization is determined to be against the existing order of things, it is preparing to do a great deal of aimless floundering throughout the next campaign. The New York Journal, the leading newspaper organ of the Bryan democ racy in 1896, is squarely at loggerheads with its party on this question. Atten tion is called to a vigorous editorial from its columns, which will be found on this page of the Inter Mountain. It show's the demagogical character of the propo sition made by Representative Williams of Mississippi, and the position before the people in which it would place its party in the next campaign. The Journal begged its democratic friends to desist from antagonizing the government in the Philippine contro versy, long before the late fall elections, insisting that such a course would lose to the democracy the state of Ohio, not withstanding the vigorous campaign made by Candidate McLean. Its predic tions were correct, and it is fair to as sume that it handles with no less intel ligence the effort of its party to formu late a ridiculous and non-progressive policy in the present congress. It reads the national democracy a les son which it will do well to heed. With out hesitation it points to the proposed policy of its party as a scheme of black mail, wholly unworthy the leadership of a great political organization. Had such expressions come from a republican newspaper, the protest would have been long and deep; but emanallng from a leading democratic organ, which kept alive the Bryan sentiment in the east in 1896, it is received in silence by the bourbon press of the west. Not one of them dare take issue with the Journal's pointed charge of hypocrisy and insin cerity, and a desire to be too sharp in politics, on the part of the democratic leaders. IN PARK COUNTY. The Park County Republican is a new candidate for public favor which came into being on the eve of Christmas. As its name implies, it is a thorough repub lican newspaper. Its editorial columns show marked ability, being under the ! able direction of Mr. A. M. Williams, a 1 newspaper man of wide experience and ! unequalled vigor as a writer. j The republicans of Tark county, re- ] gaidless of political differences in the past, should accord the new publication their undivided support. Through a piece of manipulation that was anything but creditable to the parties engaged in the scheme, the Enterprise of Livingston —a republican newspaper—was secured by the Anaconda wing of the democracy, and will be used in the next campaign to further its interests. It is dancing to a democratic tune, with a silver republican mask on, but it is doing business on false pretences. Under its new management it represents nothing but a scheme of political chi canery which ought to disgust every honorable and self-respecting man in Park" county. By giving their support to the Republican, the voters of that county can register their protest against the attempt of a wealthy trust to rob j them of honest legislative representation j next year. i , democrat on the reputation of Abraham Lincoln, his newspaper organs j ire trying to prove that Aguinaldo right, by liberal quotations from Senator Hoar. Jackson, who, like Lincoln, was a patriot; and Jefferson, who, unlike Hoar, was an expansionist, are seldom quoted 1 by the "new" democracy. i While Bryan is trying to do business i Th-e Helena Independent handles the Wellcome verdict with great editorial skill. It says nothing. The Anaconda Standard seems to re gaird the-Wellcome verdien as its Christ-j rr.a-s present from the supreme court. Stock Taking Price Reduction Sale. We Mention an Item or two worthy of your con sideration. BARGAINS Men's Underwear. Odd lots and most all sizes. BARGAINS Men's Pants—One or two of a kind,and most all sizes. hPRIGEj/J All that's left of our Christ mas toys—Dolls, Books and Novelties—on sale at One=Half Price Everything marked in plain figures, and you pay Just ONE HALF the price that each ar ticle is ticketed. Plenty of use ful New Year's gifts in this lot. BARGAINS Men's Outing Flan nel Night Robes. BARGAINS Boys' Knee Pants Suits. ;• If if g é if g T If If if 1: T $ ^ I For the First I Time in Butte... if if] t % (f fj If !«• (f: If if if; GENUINE COPLEY AND DURER PRINTS t; Now on Exhibition in I SCHATZLEIN'S : West Show Window. I 14 W. BROADWAY * if % A\V/ING ZJ Under State Supervision. ; }j Pays 5 per cent, on savings depos- ß s. interest compounded quarterly, jjj Pays 7 per cent, on time certifl- ß not subject to h. iff: If: lo cates of deposit, check. Issues savings certificates on build ing and loan plan with definite time of maturity and definite payments. Loans on real estate to be repaid in monthly installments running from One to Tea Years, to suit bor rower.