The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-30

impossible He got them, and the sus-
picious character of their action, to
say nothing of the evidence against
some of them, was distinctly recog-
nized by the supreme court in its re-
cent decision disbarring Welcome, and
two out of three of the judges are
themselves republicans.
The situation Is simply this: Mr.
Clark is charged specifically and d.
rectIy with securing his election by
bribery. He and his friends deny the
charge, and make the counter charge
of conspiracy" to defeat his election
But strangely enough, those who make
the charge of conspiracy have, IN every
possible way, avoided investigation,
and sought to hush the matter UP, out
of pretended regard for the honor
of the state" Zounds! Who ever
heard of such a course being pursued
by honest men before?
Mr.. Clark, in so many words, de-
clares that there Is a vile conspiracy
to charge him with bribery. "Conspir-
acy" to falsely accuse another of crime
Is worse crime than the one charged.
1t is felony of high degree. And yet
Mr.. Clark and his 'coadjutors are per-
fectly willing to virtually compound
the felony" if he may only be permit
ted to hold his seat in the United
States Senate. We may be sure that
a man who Is willing and anxious to
compound a heinous felony will not
hesitate to buy votes in order to reach
the goal OF his political ambition.
Mr.. Clark's friends and newspapers
claim that a public man cannot afford
to notice every charge that is made
against him. That is true; but it Is
equally true that there are some
charges which every consideration, both
of duty and self-respect, should
prompt him to meet and repel. Bribery
by a senator in securing his election,
and conspiracy falsely to charge brib-
cry are both crimes that deeply con-
Germ the whole people. Those who
charge the bribery are seeking every
opportunity to prove it, as it Is their
duty to do. Mr. Clark equally owes to
the public the solemn Cuty of exposing
the conspiracy If he knows of one. In
stead of doing so, he shrinks under
cover in every judicial investigation,
and refuses to answer almost every
question that has the slightest ten
dency to show what he actually did
for the purpose of securing votes, CIV
ing as the stereotyped reason that 1t
has nothing to do with the case"
Every circumstance connected with
the election Of Mr.. Clark is dark with
SUSPICION, and his own actions since
have deepened the darkness into the
blackness of midnight. Possibly Mr
| Clark can explain away all of these
circumstances, and also completely re-
! flute the direct evidence of bribery. II
SO, he is almost criminal in not hav-
| ing done it sooner. The general public
will curiously note the character of his
defense before the senate committee
! If he makes a good one, the people o.
Montana, viii find themselves wonder
ing why he permitted his fides acates
John B. Welcome, 70 be sacrificed
without offering d word in his de
| Tense.
Rumor has it that his defense will b'
ignorance of any bribery; that If, i
was done, 1t was without his knowl
edge. But if such a defense is at
,tenpted-which would be a very ques
tionable one at the best-what will be
come of the conspiracy plea with whicl
he has been flooding the newspapers
How will a defense based upon the ide;
that he was ignorant Of his agents
acts tally with his oft-repeated charg
that the whole thing is simply con
splfacy on the part Of the "Dal'
gang?
We don't know what the senate vii
do. We do know what it ought to dc
It should make Mr.. Clark prove tn
conspiracy or lose his seat. In tn
meantime, we rejoice to know that
supreme court that has no connectio
with any party faction, In which boz.
political parties are represented, Ia
aIready taken step that goes far &C
ward redeeming the honor of the statt
The people will do the rest.