The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-04
SATURDAY. MARCH 4. 1899.
TWELVE PAGES.
BY Way of Contrast.

rHERE are different kinds of
greetings, there are various
styles of receptions. There was
one held in Butte a few weeks ago
when w. A Clark ratified his own cleo
ton as United States senator. Another
was held in Butte yesterday when the
Silver Bow members of the legislature
came back to their friends accompanied
by others in the legislature who We're
loyal and true. What a contrast be-
tween the two receptions. All the fab
ulous wealth of w. A. Clark couldn't
buy from him the sincerity, the warm
ness, the admiration expressed in the
reception given to the legislators.
So far as has ever been learned there
was no company of citizens to greet
Senator Elect Clark at the depot when
he arrived at his home town after his
triumphant election in Helena. There
was no band, no demonstration. He
drove alone to his home. A few days
afterward 1t was announced that there
would be a reception at the auditorium
in Mr.. Clark's honor. The auditorium
was engaged by foreman of one of
Mr.. Clark's mines who said that the
bill would be paid at the bank if pre-
scented there. Employees of the bank
decorated the hall and hired the band.
Scarcely a half dozen citizens not in the
employ of Mr.. Clark occupied the plat
form. There was not a speech of greet
4ng to Mr.. Clark. Not word was
spoken in ratification of his election or
in rejoicing over it. The chairman in
troduced Mr.. Clark without compliment
and Mr.. Clark spoke for half an hour
Not a man could be induced in spite of
the pleadings of the chairman to make
another speech or even say one word to
express the satisfaction of the audience.
Not man prominent in politics. in bus
3ness or in society, was there to greet
Mr.. Clark That was the sort of a re-
ception Mr.. Clark obtained in Butte
after he had bought the senatorship.
Strange it is but true that all the
money Clark possesses could not pur-
chase such a welcome as was accorded
yesterday to the members Of the legis-
1ature who brought their honor back
with them. A number of them arrived
in Butte with scarcely a dollar They
might have brought back with them a
few thousand dollar bills but had they
done so they would not have been the
recipients of so many hearty grasps OF
the hand, there would not have been so
many friends Fastening to congratulate
them and they would not have had the
ability to look their friends in the eye
without the finch of dishonesty.
The banquet held at the McDermott
last evening was in honor of men who
are honorable. Many of Butte's best
citizens in all grades of life were pre-
sent. The governor and other state
officials, the mayor of Butte and various
city and county officials together with
many citizens prominent in business life
were there to honor their guests.
The members of the legislature who
are the guests of Butte citizens are
well deserving of the honors accorded
them. They form the redeeming feature
of the Montana legislature. They stood
between the state and dishOnor. They
did not succeed in saving the state from
being put up al auction and sold on the
block but they demonstrated that there
is a quality of manhood in Montana
which is not for sale And it is a great
deal to establish that fact.