The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-02-09
w. F. Sanders Comes That Near Yes
terday to Capturing the
Senatorship.
Representative TierneY, OF Meagher
County, Democrat, Votes for
tho Warhorse.
Refuses to Give Any Reason for tho Change
Hut intimate That
County Influenced Him.

All Yesterday morning there were rumors
that somebody was going to spring q sur
rise ON the Joint assembly. There have
been 40 many rumors of that kind in the
psst few weeks that those who heard She
latest were a little inoredulous. But the
surp, Use came, nevertheless. when Repre-
sentative Tierney. of Meagher county. q
democratic member Of the house. and who
has been standing by w. A. Clark since the
balloting began, got up in the joint assem-
bly, and voted for w. +. Sanders, the repub-
then it was thought he had done SO merely
to relieve the monotony, and that he would
ehanQe his vote before the result was an
nouncsd. But he didn't. and the records OF
the third legislative assembly Will show
w. L. Tierney. democrat, voted for Wilbur
F. Sanders. republican. for United
States senator. and placed that
candidate within two votes of All election.
The ballot stood Sanders 81, Clark q. Dixon
y; a total of "a. making thirty-three
necessary to elect. This change OF front
for nobody believes il q change of politics.
on Mr.. Tie! ney's part. naturally gavo rise
TO VARIOUS 10 ~ "a S"s
was that il was intended to scare the demo-
Gratis into uniting on one man.. and to snow
them what might happen If about two more
of their number. or the same nnmher OF
populists, should decide to go to . repuoii-
can in order to elect somebody. The true
canse. however, was known to most all the
members OF the house. MIR. Tierney is the
author Of the bill to create Broadwater
county out of parts of Mesgher and Jetfer-
sop, Ths committee on towns, counties
and highways, to whom the bill was re-
ferred, decided to report il unfavorably.
This WAS lone at a meeting held
Tuesday night, at which eight out
of the nine members were pres
emit. The absentee was Representative
Bonner. Those present were Representa-
tivss Smalley, Wahle, Tierney, Loring, Van
Cleve, Lewis, Burns and Babcock. Out of
the eight only one-Mr. Van Cleve-voted
with Mr.. Tierney to report the bill favor
ably. Mr.. Tierney thought his Broadwater
county bill u good measure. and felt that he
had not been fairly treated by the commit
tee, Hence he decided to show his dis
pleasure in the joint assembly by voting for
4 republican. When seen during the noon
recess of the house he refused to state why
he had taken this step. "lf had wanted
to give any reasons" he said, Il should
have lone 80 when l voted" He said ne
was not owned by anybody and had q per-
feet right to vote for whoever he pleased.
He added that he had received as many
votes from republicans ns from democrats.
Further than that he would not talk.
An analysis of the vote of the COM
mittee which knocked out the Broadwater
county bill shows that three republicans,
two Clark men and one Dixon man voted
against it, and one republican stood by Mr..
Tiernev in support of il. Those vino are
posted on the matter say that neither NY.
Clark nor MI. Dixon could have had any
more influence with the democrats who
voted against the bill, than Mr.. Sanders
could have had with the three republicans
who voted the same way. For that reason
they could see no reason for voting against
Clark or Dixon that would not apply equally
to Sanders. 1t is reported that the Tierney
incident will have some further effect on
the ballot today. One of the Dixon popu-
lists is said to be considering the matter of
u CAaukS, III ~ Ac AAA oo aNS w OAAS
of the other members yesterday afternoon,
though it may have been meant only as a
joke. In connection with the senatorial
question, it may be stated that Representa-
tive Metzell of Madison county has been
receiving letters every day from his republi-
can constituents. Tney have all pointed ont
to him the imposslbilisy of e~lecting q re-
publican senator. and have advised him to
vote for a democrat and end the agony.
He has been saving them mp, and after yes
terday's incident wrote to one of his cor
respondents to the effect that he was a re
publican and meant to keep on voting for
republican, and asking the recipient of tn.
letter to so state 10 Smith. Brown, Jones
Thompson aud all the others of his advis
ers.
After the adjournment of tho joint session
during the afternoon and in the Hotel Hell
enn lobby last night the Tieruey vote wal
discussed i'll ell its phases. AS a rule hi
change was attributed to feeling on til,
Broadwater county bill, and the creates
speculation was as to what he would do to
day. The gain made by the republican,
put the friends Of Sanders in a vely pleas
ant frame of mind, and while they di'
not admit that it meant his election
by democratic votea, they nevertheless
expressed the opinion that their man ha
a better chance for election than he ha
had since the ballotinR began. They AZ
counting confidently on the vote of one an
possibly two Of the populists. Though til
event WAS the most sensational that he
occurred in the senatorial fight, it did nc
create more than passing interest anon
those outside of active political life. The
dismissed 1t with the comment: 81 woade
what it means?" and then went about the
accustomed occupations.
lierney's vote was a great surprise
both the Clark and Dixon men. Friends
the former gentleman talking Of it la
night said they had no idea Mr.. Iiernt
would change from Mr.. Clark and certain
not to Sanders. They knew of no reasc
why he should do so save in ~connectic
with the Broadwater county bill, and out
pique. The Dixon people, while expressi1
their surprise, were entirely noncomnit.a
n could advance no other reason for Nj
Iierney's vote than tho Clark people.
THE SENATE.