The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-21
No Middle Ground.
achievement

N the grand jury room at Helena i'm
portant pending matters of state
are long drawn out. Here again is
a case where the public must permit its
patience to be put to the test. Grip is
the reason announced for some days
of this weeks delay--it was given out
distressing ailment At first the popu-
lar belief was that the grand jury would
make short work of the matters which
it was summoned to deal with. 1t is to
be borne in mind that. under like condi-
tions, the public is apt to be impatient
let the thing be thoroughly done. The
Standard is among the number of those
who had supposed that conclusions on
the part of the jury could be speedily
reached, but this newspaper is willing
to await the result with patience so
be it that this important judicial work
gets at the facts
When you think of it. the inquiry now
progressing must cover a good deal of
ground. The matters pending clearly in
volve one of two things-either there
We're brides passed out in the interest
Of W. A. Clark, through the hands of
John B. Welcome, or there was a con-
spiracy against Clark. If there was a
conspiracy. Senator Whiteside, Senator
Clark of Madison, Senator Meyers of
Ravalli, Congressman-elect Campbell
and other well-known citizens of Mon
tana We're in it. If Welcome is not
guilty these men are
So that, in any event, there are signi-
ficant conclusions to come out of the
jury room at Helena. One way or the
other. a heinous crime has been COM
mitted against the laws and the good
name of the state of Montana. 1t is
certain that the case will be pushed
and pushed, in tribunal after tribunal,
until the truth comes out; in matter
so significant the people Of Montana
will not rest until the guilty are hunted
down and punished.
On the one hand, the public has the
report made by Senator Anderson,
Senator Stanton, Senator Norris and
by their house associates. They listened
to the testimony which, under the
orders of a joint session of the two
houses, they were instructed to take.
They submitted the sworn statements
made by Senator Clark of Madison, SEN
ator Whiteside of Flathead, Senator
Myers of Ravalli. These three senators
declared under oath that they had re-
ceived $4,000 from w. A. Clark's agent
and that they took the money for the
purpose of exposing Clark's bribery.
These three men are not fools; either
they testify to the truth or else they are
indescribable knaves. Either Welcome
is guilty or these three are. share and
share alike, and all equally with White
side. The $4,000 is somebody's money,
The function of the grand jury is not
to try an accused man but to ascertain
whether the evidence against him war
rants trial. The bribers at Helena
started the cry. when they recovered
breath after their first exposure, that
these 100000 are Marcus Days money
so also Mr.. Clark's newspaper as
serted What the Duh1ic will oat fro,,,
the grand jury is the sworn conclusion
of its members as to whether all that
they have learned warrants an indict-
ment against Clarks agent for bribery
or an indictment against Mr.. Clark of
Madison, Mr.. Myers and Mr. White
side. There is no middle ground