Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-05-01
THE WHITESlDE SUIT.

The damage suit for $780, 900 brought
against the Butte Miner by Mr.. Fred
late legislative troubles, is Of public in
terest at this time chiefly because it in
dicates that the controversy between the
two wings of the democratic party in this
state is to be kept alive indefinitely. The
action itself will excite little surprise.
The wonder is that both the Miner n
overwhelmed with damage suits growing
out Of the Incorporate language used in
their column when discussing. or trying
to discuss, matters pertaining to the sixth
legislative assembly.
In the experiences of a lifetime no man
may again witness such a spectacle as
was presented in this state by our es-
teemed contemporaries, during the ex-
element incident to the election of a
senator. They apparently We'd with each
other in making allegations that reflected
upon the character Of the men who took
part, on one side or the other, in that
memorable affair. ~Figuratively speaking,
they would knock down and drag out a
dozen men every morning before break
fast, eat their liver and smack their chops
for more blood. That such newspaper
work was carried to a disgusting extreme
by the representatives of each wing OF
the democratic party no candid. level
headed man will at this time deny. The
character of the fight, and the bad blood
engendered, furnished some excuse per-
haps for the ferocious war of words that
inflicted more damage upon the state as
a whole than upon any individual citizen
within it; but in it's entirety the sit'ta-
ton was a deplorable one, and invited all
sorts of future trouble to the contending
parties.
AS Montana's great political vendetta
has had it's day-several of them-fn the
legislature. and been fully tried and each
side found guilty in the columns OF the
newspaper it is now about to be merged
into the courts. In that forum the wheat
may be sifted from the chaf and the
! merits of the allegations pro and con
brought out in the shape of testimony,
creditable or otherwise. If the democratic
controversy absorbs as much of the time
and attention Of the courts, when both
sides get fully warmed up again, as 1t did
| of the sixth legislative assembly, the tax
payers of Montana may groan with
anguish and wonder when the rest of the
. people may have an opportunity to ride
| around on the cog-wheels of the ma
chinery of state.
The action commenced by Mr.. White
/ side will presumably lead up to that spirit
of reciprocity for which both factions OF
| the democratic party is noted, and the
| filing Of other suits later on. In any event,
| the proceedings in court will be awaited
with, interest as additional chapters in
the great political drama which the de-
mocracy of this state a placed upon
the boards in the theater of Montana his
tory.
That the outcome Of the action insti-
tuted by Mr.. Whiteside will have a strong
bearing on the grand finale to be played
in the senate of the United States no one
| will for a moment doubt. If Mr.. White
! side scores a winning, the evidence upon
! which his triumph will have been based
will be a dangerous weapon in the hands
of the anti-Clark men; il he is unable to
| sustain his action, Mr.. Clark's friends in
the senate will look upon it as in the
nature of a persecution. Interest in the
case, therefore, goes far beyond the per-
sonality of the plaintiff and the figure
he may have cut in the legislative affairs
of the state. The question of whether
Montana shall be represented by one SEN
| ator or two may be involved.
Whether Mayor Mccarthy will stand
, upon the late platform Of the demo-
, cratic city convention, when he delivers
his inaugural tonight, or merely on the
platform of the city hall, remains to be
! seen.