The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-10-20
Montana's Name Not SuIIied.

good name taxes pleasure IN tnS
vulgar tattle heard all over the
state about the lavish use OF w. A.
Clark's money In the politics OF Butte.
II Is a stencil. II does the state an
injustice. 1t leaves with a very large
public an impression radically wrong
respecting the citizens of Butte. their
rectitude OF conduct. their sense OF
what Is honorable. or dishonorable, in
politics.
The outside public foes not realize
how small the local circle is within
which the corrupting influence Of this
Clark money is felt or how insignif-
cant in numbers and in real influence
the aggregation Is which these noisy
heelers make up Butte is not by any
means 50 black as any man who is a
stranger to the city might be led to in
fer when he hears or reads the pocket
borough talk. Yet IL Is a tact that Mr..
Clark's corruption money is the cam
paign's ribald jest.
The immediate political friends and
hackers of Mr.. Clark are themselves
responsible for this moneybag gable.
They started it. Weeks ago they
helped TO spread the word that Mr..
Clark proposed to start out for the SEN
atorship and that, this year. he GER
tainly would not spare expense. The
Standard says this not as idle. reckless.
irresponsible campaign talk; Butte's
business and political circles include
many individuals who know. of per-
sonal knowledge that what the STAN
dard says Is true. Indeed. the cold
blooded announcement caused compar-
atively little surprise. because the fact
that in a former year Mr.. Clark at
tempted to buy the Montana senator
ship is one of the recognized truths
In the history OF the state. The pur-
chases he Maidstone Of them-waIk
Montana streets to-day.
1t Is the Standards opinion that. up
to this hour. there Is less OF Clark
money in the hands of The heelers than
the popular estimates account for. II
Is not In harmony with the traditions
In Mr.. Clsrk's personal politics that
there should be so much already out.
Besides. those of them who are beating
the tom-toms Ioudest are men whom
all Butte knows to be cheap hands
they do not come high. With them at
his service. Mr.. Clark. like Saml of
Posen. can 'make a great deal OF show
for a ieetle money As for what the
future In the campaign nay bring
forth. the Standard ventures no proph-
estes. We do know, however. all Butte
knows, that. on the testimony OF men
who are understood to do the inside po-
litical talking for Mr.. Clark. there is
to be no limit TO the money which Is
to be placed in the attempt to purchase
a federal senatorship for Mr.. Clark.
This attempt will fail: IL surely will
fail. IL money could buy that high Of
nce. Mr.. Clark would have possessed
the senatorship long ago-he has spent
the best years OF his life In the vain
effort to acquire II. So notorious have
these efforts become that. as we firmly
believe. II. next January. the Montana
legislature were TO elect Mr.. Clark by
an absolutely honest vote. you never
could persuade the members OF the cir
Gle in the senate chamber or the men
who figure in politics at Washington
that il was a chaste transaction at
Helena.
The Standard will be sorry IL these
words are misunderstood as to their
spirit or mlsconstrued as to their mo-
tive. We are insinuating nothing. we
are not inventing campaign actions.
Mr.. Clark has a right which Is beyond
successful denying to be a candidate
for the senate: the Standard can
ave no right to challenge his liberty
of action In the matter. That. however.
does not change a whit the fact that.
during a series Of years. his pursuit OF
the office h In experience which II
without a parallel in this country's his
tory: that does not alter the truth.
given wide currency, we insist. by the
gentleman's close associates In politics,