Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-02-19
SENATOR cLARx'S TESTIMONY.

AS might have been expected from a
gentleman of wide business experience
and excellent mental training in the
varied affairs of a busy life, Senator
Clark's testimony before the investi-
eating committee Saturday was given in
a straightforward and unhesitating man.
ner. 1t is evident from the text of the
reported testimony that every point
touched upon was brought out by the
witness without confusion, n in a
manner we'll calculated to impress the
defendant. But while it is conceded that
Mr.. Clark made a good witness, from
the standpoint of the defense, and failed
to be caught in the tolls which had been
adroitly woven into a mesh by the ever
vigilant and active prosecution, the
actual value of his testimony is a matter
of conjecture alone.
1t is undoubtedly true that his ag-
gressive leadership was demanded by
those democrats who were not in sympa-
thetic touch with the Anaconda wing of
that party. They looked to him as the
only available Moses who could prevent
the affairs of the commonwealth, as we'll
as their own political future, from going
to the demnition bowwows under the
pressure of what they have been pleased
to term 1.-The one man power" 1t would
seem from a careful analysis OF Mr..
Clark's testimony that many Of his
friends wanted to do ava with the
man power into good working order. Be
this as it may, it appears that the aid
which Mr.. Clark rendered the political
situation in Montana was not of a char
acter to effect the most substantial re-
forms which the circumstances made
possible.
He says that in 1898 he contributed
$685. 900 as a starter in the work of pre-
venting a fusion of the silver parties in
this state, though he favored that sort
of an amalgamation in 1896 as best calcu-
lated to bring about good political re-
suits! It will strike the average student
of Montana politics that Mr.. Clark's ex-
pensive efforts to prevent the fusion OF
the silver parties in 1898 aided rather
than injured "the one man power to
which he refers. It enabled the Ana
conda wing of the democracy to acquire
a footing in this state which would have
been impossible under a cooperative
policy. Had fusion prevailed the methods
by which the Anaconda faction of Mr..
Clark's party carried the county of Silver
Bow would not have been possible, for
their objectivity would nave been lost
merged, as it were, into a unity of pur-
pose, rather than segregated into a per-
soma fight. In contributing $35, 900 to the
prevention of fusion, Mr.. Clark played
into the hands of his party enemies. BY
forcing the silver republicans and popu-
lists to Ego it alone he made possible a
three-cornered fight which gave to the
Anaconda democracy the legislative dele
cation from this county, and, for that
matter, from other sections of the state.
AS a practical proposition, therefore, it
would seem that Mr.. Clark's desire to
break "the one man power in 1898, in
behalf Of a suffering public, was less ap-
parent than his desire to secure a legis-
lature which would send him to the sen.
ate. AS Mr.. Clark carried out his pur.
poses as to fusion, wen bringing the
opposition faction Ct his party to it's
knees en- that proposition, it is interest.
ing to note the political expenditures Of
the democracy in the campaign of thai
year. According to Mr.. Clark's testi.
mony he contributed $780, 900 in October
and November, for campaign urposes
in addition to the $35. 900 expended befor,
that time to prevent fusion. It is wei
known that the chairman of the demo,
cratic state committee returned to Mr.
Clark a check for $500. which was con
tributed to the treasury Of the party
alleging hat no contributions would b
received from him.. Thus 1t appears tina
the $4,000 referred to was spent outsid