The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-11

ital commission. there was not Lead
ing man or newspaper in this state
who dared to take up the fight for hon
esty and integrity-to the eternal
shame and disgrace of this state, there
was not one. And when these leading
men spoke ITO me in approval of my
course, they spoke in a whisper.
say to hell with such honesty. Give me
a scoundrel unqualified, or an honest
man.
Ny friends, you are sowing the wind
to reap the whirlwnd for the founda-
ton of this republic is the confidence
which the people have in the purity CT
their government. When that is gone
your government becomes a rope CT
sand, to fall to pieces of its own weight
and where then will be the security for
the lives and the property of these lead
ing citizens? 1t was this same kind of
corruption inflicted upon long suffer-
ing people by a corrupt and titled aris-
tocracy, which caused the streets Of
Paris to run red with blood of the revo-
no. My God, have the people of this
state gone mad, or is it I who am in
sane? What new code of morals or
of ethics have been discovered which
makes of bribery virtue and condones
the crime of man because he is rich?
AS l have often stated, / am one of
those who believe that the man who
wears broadcloth and a silk hat, should
be punished and sent to the peniten-
tiary for a crime just as readily as the
man who wears overalls, and those
were not idle words, and my request
for this committee was not an idle one,
for l had in my possession and l have
since turned over to your committee
100000 in bribery money, which came
from W. A. Clark to purchase the votes
of members in this body for himself for
United States senator
In what has been known as the Clark
and Daily fight, I have taken no inter-
est and have had no sympathy for eth
er side. While I respect these men for
their business ability and honor them
for the good they have done in the
development of this state, beyond this
l care not the snap of my finger for
either of them. In my Judgment they
are no better before the law than the
humblest citizen, and if either of them
commits a crime against the laws Of
this state he will go to the penitentiary
if | can send him there
Fair Means or Foul
/ know there is a sentiment in this
community which favors the election
of w. A. Clark to the United States
senate by fair means or foul l know
that the course which | have pursued
will not be popular with many of the
leading citizens of this community, but
/ do not care if there is not another
man in the state who will stand with
me, so long as there is breath in my
body, I propose to fight the scoundrels
who have placed the whitening curse of
bribery upon this state.
l have been told that I had better
take no part in this fight lest l lose
my seat in the senate to the man who
has IlbN d tOHleSI. But l. say 10 YOU
that I do not want a seat in that body
if l must sit with men who are known
to be corrupt. I had rather go back to
the carpenters bench, where I learned
my trade, and spend the rest of my
days in toll and obscurity and be able
to hold my head erect and look the
world in the face. And for the man
who gives way to this temptation, !
have no harsh words
/ know what it is to be poor and
harrassed by debts; to have my prop
erty mortgaged and be pinched for
money. l know there are perhaps men
in this body whose families have some
times been in want, and know that 1t
| is a temptation for such a man to be
| offered ease, affiuence, besides success.
| comfort for his family and education
| for his children; especially when such
| offers are backed by the most adroit
and cunning arguments and the most
| subtle and powerful influences. But,