The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-19

secured more cheaply. John Doodle
| welcome stated to one of his retansrs
mat republicans were worth half as
| much as democrats and no more. Thus
was the local fighting force organized
and thus did the battle open. 1t was
to be fight of reason and decency
against millions of money. The issue
was clearly defined. There were some
who thought that money could not win
unless backed by some logical argu-
ment, but they had never seen money
| used in such volume as it was in the
| opening week of January.
V.
The Clark forces had their work
clearly cut out for them. There was no
doubt as to what they had to do and
there was but one way by which it
| could be done. They had made several
attempts to invade the ranks of those
who were elected on the issue at stake.
Senator Myers of Ravali county could
tell something of the details of the
methods of the Clark forces. He had in
his possession a letter from the son of
the millionaire aspirant for the federal
senate, in which he was offered money
for vote. Others had been ap-
preached in a manner that left no room
for doubt as to the intentions of the
men who had enlisted ito buy a whole
legislature. Their secret was no longer
secret and they had but one plan that
could possibly prove successful. They
must do the work boldly and SO boldly
that they would sweep everything be-
fore them. They must make their fight
so fierce and aggressive that they would
have a majority so strong that 1t would
be irresistible This being their only
hope of success, the forces marshalled
under the leadership of Mr. Welcome
proceeded to the wholesale purchase of
as many of the 81 members of the leg
islature as they could secure. Price was
no object. Votes were what was needed
and there was money to burn. One by
one the weaker of the lawmakers yield
ed to the influence of unlimited money.
One by one. new men came down the
elevator of the Helena hotel, ashamed
to look their associates in the face. 1t
was easy to tell when a man went over
to the Doodle ranks. His whole APP
pearance showed it.
More than that. each new convert was
constantly herded by some of the men
in the $40 day ranks. Woods of Ra-
valli was never without an escort.
There were Wright and Hill to watch
him. McLaughlin's former friends and
aSSotidlGS ildu never all 10
speak ito him, McDermott or Jack Nc
Laughlin or Hogan was always at his
elbow. So it was with the rest. They
were not allowed to get away. Senator
Cullen, who had made pledges to the
contrary, was soon in line and passed
the men who had helped him, with head
bowed down. These are but illustIa-
tons. The list might be made of great
length. Then, too, there was the man
W n a hsnr, oh To
to come to Helena who suddenly ap-
peared with plenty of cash. Senator
Warner, SO he said, had sold some real
estate in jefferson county at a good
figure. Investigation showed that the
purchaser was one of the Clark shadows
and that the price was four times the
value of the property. There was
Whiteside, who had been won over"
so Mr.. Clark's leutenants said OF
course there were some disappoint-
ments. There was not vote in sight
from Silver Bow county. Ben Fine had
promised to deliver Dick Watson, but
the returns do not show that he made
much progress at it. There was Jerry
Clifford, too, who had been counted
upon as a sure thing. He was, but not
in the list that the boodlers had placed
MIN. There were others who felt the
keen pangs of disappointment. These
were the ones who sold out early in the
game and who found out later that
their prices had been much below the
ruling figure. Some of these tried to
raise. but the deal had been closed and
they were confronted by their original
agreement.
SO the days passed till the opening of
the session. There was then one week
more before the baIloting would begin
for United States senator. The effor IS
of the boodlers were not relaxed. 1t
was anything to get votes, no matter
what. Promises, cash, contingent re-
tainerS-all these We're given freely. |
Still there was no break in the ranks Of
Silver Bow and Deer Lodge and still
county stood pat with one ex-
ception already noted. The Clark forces
had made desperate effort to elect |
Day as speaker over Stiff, and were |
much chagrined over their failure. The
opening days of the session were full
Of suppressed excitement, which cul-
minated on Monday afternoon, the day
the first ballot for senator. |
On Sunday night the Clark forces had |
counted up "a votes that were theirs, |
either by purchase or otherwise mostly |
by purchase. They declared that their |
man would be elected on the first ballot |
and they were jubilant There was q
jolly dinner that night at the Capital |
restaurant, at which were present Tom
Miller, John Welcome, Ben Fine, T.. c. |
Day and others of the forces that were
to sweep everything before them with
in two days. Everything was all right
and doodle was king. But on Monday
there was appointed by each branch of
the legislature committee to invest- |
gate the wholesale charges of bribery
that had been made, Even then the |
Clark forces did not worry. They had
things too solid. Their "a votes had |
been purchased at a figure that did not
admit of any doubt Of their remaining
loyal to the purchaser. In the senate
the committee had been appointed with
out any dissenting voice. In the house
the Clark forces had opposed the reso-
luton authorizing the appointments of
the committee, but had been beaten By |
q vote of 43 to 26. The committee was |
then named by the speaker and the |
house and senate adjourned. Then there |
was some lively rustling. The suffering |
that some of the purchased men went |
through on that night was painful to |