The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-02-17
Corruption Run Mad.

The more there is disclosed OF the
greater is the disgust felt by people OF
all parties over the low condition of
public morality in that state. The
names of many prominent men have
been brought into notice during the in
vestigations and court proceedings
which have followed the election Of Mr..
Clark, and 1t seems there were few
quarters where the hands OF the I'M
scrupulous were not busy at one time
or another. Not few have had the
misfortune to be drawn into the mire
OF the controversy who have come out
clean and with their regulations unsul-
lied. But there has been abundant ev-
idence to show that corruption, powerful
and audacious, stalked about unhin-
dered and that there were those on the
scene who held that no man. high or
low, was above price.
Without asking whether the charges
Of bribery can be traced TO any man or
set of men who were to be benefited by
the corruption, it is clear that there
has never been another senatorial cleo
ton where money cut so much Of a
figure as in that which has brought
Montana into such notorety 1t was
used freely in the state election, when
law makers had assembled it seems TO
have been poured out like water 1t
mattered not what mans politics
were. If he could see his way clear to
respond when called upon he need have
no fears that he would go without his
reward in the shape of hard cash. and
when the final reckoning was made the
list of those who had shown themselves
unable to resist the impulses of greed
was fairly appalling.
Very few seem to have been able to
escape from the atmosphere so heavily
charged with dishonesty Private citi-
zens profited, legislators fell victims.
witnesses were tempered with, inferior
courts were approached, and before the
madness had run its course 1t would
seem that an effort was made to poll
lutte the highest judicial tribunal OF the
commonwealth. The briber appears to
have been everywhere active. and, while
he was repulsed by many OF the honest
men. his work leaves the impression
that the state has been thoroughly hon
cycombed with corrupting influences.
1t goes without saying that the un-
folding of this tale of venal politics has
been immensely damaging to the state
Of Montana There have been corrupt
senatorial elections elsewhere, but MOTH
ing quite so hideous as the one which
has been told in detail since the begin
ming of the Clark Investigations. 1t has
thrown the state into disrepute. and 1t
win be some years before the stigma Is
removed and the country at large will
be willing to take Montana politics and
Montana public men as seriously hon
| est No doubt this Is working a great
! injustice to the high minded and better
element Of the state. but so long as they
! have the misfortune to be associated
! in citizenship with those who have
brought the states political morality TO
! such low ebb. they must take the con-
] sequences, and show their own true
! honesty OF purpose by making an earn
| est effort TO cast out corruptionists
| and effect general publication
! If you are a Republican you can vote
/ at the primaries between the hours Of
| ( and p m.