Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-05-24
STOP THE FIGHT.

Without assuming to dictate a line OF
policy for the Butte Miner and the Ana
conda Standard to follow. respecting mu-
nicipal affairs, the Inter Mountain would
fraternally suggest that the quarrel over
Senator-elect Clark be transferred from
the city hall to some other gladiatorial
field more in keeping with the dignity OF
the fight. The public has had quite
enough of Clark and anti-Clark in city
hall politics. To bring as prominent a
proposition as a United States senator
ship down from it's lofty heights into city
politics, is a movement that is not credi-
table either to the men who would uphold
Mr.. Clark or to the men who would dis
credit him.
The Inter Mountain registered its oppo-
sition to the attempt of the anti-Clar1
men to drag into the city campaign. per-
sonal issues that had nothing to do with
the question Of good local government,
and when the Clark men, by way of get
ting even, sought to take the same issue
into the work of the city council we again
filed our protest against displacing mat
tiers Of local concern to our people with
the fag end of the reminescences Of a dem
ocratic quarrel. In its efforts to prevent
the democratic senatorial fight from be-
ing dragged into local matters, to exercise
an influence in either one direction or the
other that would interfere with the nor
NAL trend of affairs, the Inter Mountain
has pursued a straightforward and con-
sistent course.
The outcome of the city campaign, TAX
en- in it's entirety, was a public protest
against dragging e~Xtraneous questions
into local affairs, and the outcome of the
long drawn controversy in the city coun-
Gil is another step in the same direction.
Both events ought to teach the respec-
tive champions of the two a~ntagonistic
wings Of the democracy that the local
concerns of a great city can rise above
the personal likes and dislikes Of quar-
reling politicians, and that attempts on
the part of one side or the other to give
undue prominence to a democratic feud
in domestic politics can be rebuked when
public sentiment is given an honest hear
ing.
II is in the light Of two striking ex-
amples along this line, involving each side
to the democratic controversy, that the
Inter Mountain recommends to the re-
spective contestants an honorable retreat
from the field. 1t is unfair for the Miner
to assume that Mayor Mccarthy has
made improper appointments, when the
question of character and ability was not
raised, until the course pursued by those
gentlemen justify a criticism Of that type.
1t is unfair for it to ntimate that his hon.
or is to be controlled and manipulated by
. clique, until the future demonstrates
that such is the case. 1t is equally unfair
for the Standard to thresh over old strawin
its exultation over the confirmation of Mr..
Lamb, and to carry the idea that mis- tri-
umph was due to the course he did or did
not pursue as a member of the legislature.
He was confirmed because he was the
choice of the mayor, and because that Of
fetal had an undisputed right under the
law to name his legal adviser. No ques-
tion was raised as to Mr.. Lambs personal
character and ability, and the fight
against him did not involve any PROPOSE
ton that would tend to disqualify him
from properly attending to the duties of
city attorney. Why should he not have
been confirmed? But his occupancy of
that Office does not reopen the late over
worked senatorial fight, that took place
TO some extent In the legislative assembly
out to a much greater extent in the col
umns of the press. The Miner made a
mistake in trying to defeat Mr.. Lamb
with the resurrected thunder of a past
sto,m. and the Standard should utilize
eome other kind OF a noise in celebrating
his victory.
In short, the gentlemen of the press
recognize the fact that public sem
has eliminated the principle of per-
petual motion that operates the demo.t