The Philipsburg mail., 1899-01-13
KETTLE CALLS THE POT BLACK.

1t is becoming customary in Mon
tana that whenever a Democratic legis-
lature is elec ed the people of the state
can hold themselves in readiness for sem
sations of various natures. Ever since
the election of last November has the
general public been prepared to learn of
charges of bribery, special grand jury
Investigations, infamous acts of boodlers,
corruption, and perhaps murder to cap
the climax. The lection of the special
detective and chief purifier, Whitesides,
from F!athead county, was disgrace
to the state to begin with, and the gen.
eral feeling became at once apparent
that his disgusting methods of two
years ago when he posed as chief re-
former in the capital commits
sion investigation, would be continued
during the session. A man who will
deliberately conspire against his fellow
man, as did Mr. Whitesltes, is prompted
by no clean motive and his very make
up bristles with corruption, W hile others,
like, like Congressman elect Campbell
and Senator Clark of Madison county,
or Myers of Ravalll, who knowingly per-
mitted their names to be dragged into
this contemplate piece of conspiracy,
are no better than Chief Detective
Whitesides and are deserving of the su-
preme contempt of the entire population
OF the state A man who deliberately
encourages co ruption is corrupt himself
and unfit to pose as lawmaker for this
state or any other.
If there has been bribery and corrup-
tion in the senatorial contes', the guilty
parties should be severely punished, and
Senator Whitesides and his associate
"detectiyes' are equally guilty and
should suffer the penalty prescribed by
law. 1t is not the intention of this paper
to assist in the defense of any one who
may be accused of attempting to bribe
others or to condemn al innocent party;
but bribery is a serious charge, and the
very parties who so willingly accepted
brides and seemingly encouraged this
corrupt practice for the purpose of i'm
plicating others, should be subjected to
the closest investigation. A suspicion
of guilt surrounds their very presence,
and if it can be proven that they en-
tered this conspiracy for the purpose of
injuring the candidacy of any particular
senatorial aspirant or advancing the po-
litical interests of another, no punish
ment prescribed in our statutes is too
severe for them. The investigation
should be most thorough and complete,
and then let justice be done; the guilty
parties should receive their just deserts
and those wrongfuly accused should be
promptly exonerated.
The suspicion which surrounds this
entire mess IS augmented by the fact
that the innocent chaps who complain
of having been "appgoached" are all
antl- Clark men and the columns of the
Standard have been filed with charges
of corrupt practice every supporter of
w. A. Clark being branded as a boodler.
No living man is without his friends and
it is very unfair assertion for the
Standard to make Mr.. Clark, no doubt,
has some bitter enemies; but he also has
some friends, and it is hardly probable
that every one of his supporters is
stained with bribery and corruption.
The Mail is not in the least rterested in
the result of the senatorial contest. and
if it were left for this paper to decide
neither Mr.. Clark or Mr.. DAILY should
represent Montana in Washington, either
in person or by proxy, but is prompted
by desire to lend its aid toward putting
an end to this business which has been
lnaugurated by the Democrats of the
state-heaping insult upon disgrace