Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-04-24
CASE BEFORE THE SENATE.
THE COMMITTEE FINDS THAT THE
MONTANA ELECTION WAS NULL
AND VOID
The State Laws Vfolated-The rlnd-
ing of the Committee is Based on
violence of Bribery,
and Other Corrupt Prac-
tees.

WASHINGTON, April Ex-senator
Chandler, from the Senate Committee
on Privileges and Elections, to-day
submitted to the Senate the report OF
that committee in the case OF Senator
Clark. of Montana. The report is COM
paratively brief, covering only ABOUT
fifteen pages of printed matter. 1t e
not rehearse the testimony, but simply
presents the findings of the committee
and it's reasons for its course. The
finding of the committee is stated as
follows:
1.-The finding of the committee is
that he election to the Senate OF Will
ian A. Clark, of Montana, is null and
void on account of briberies, attempted
briberies and corrupt practices by his
agents. and of violation of the laws
of Montana defining and Furnishing
crimes against the elective franchise"
In view of this finding the commit
tee reports and unanimously recon-
mends the adoption by the Senate OF
the following resolution:
Resolved, That William A. clark
was not duly and unanimously elected
to a seat in the Senate of the United
States by the Legislature OF the state
of Montana"
The report concludes with a strong
recommendation for early considera-
ton OF the case, as follows:
1.-THE Senate should, as a duty to IL
self and to the country, demonstrate
by it's action in the case that seats IN
the United States Senate procured as
Senator Clark's has been procured, can
not be retained by the deliberate Judg-
ment of the Senate. The Senate also
owes a duty to the people OF Montana,
who. conscious of the bad repute into
which the State had fallen by reason
of vast expenditures OF money IN con-
nection with it's elections, manifested
such a public sentiment that the Legs
lature of 1895 passed a statute whlch,
if obeyed, would have redeemed the
State from it's bad name. For the dr.
est and gross violations of that statute
and the consequent discred1t winch
continues to rest upon the State, Mon
tana had a right to expect a prompt
and decisive remedy from the action
of the Senate upon the report OF tnls
committee"
The committee states that its finding
is made in view of certain admitted or
undisputed facts, with their attended
circumstances. appearing in the tes-
timony taken by the committee, ana
these are enumerated under fifteen
headings, as follows:
First-The expenditures IN the con-
test of 1895, as testified TO by senator
Clark and Gov. Hauser.
Second-Quotes the law OF 1895 rel
alive to crimes against the elective
franchise. which admitted in purpose
n amount the political expenditures
which could be made in any election
either. by a political committee or a
candidate, especially naming a candi-
date for United States Senator. who
could not give more than $1,000 to
n one committee in one county, and
could not pay more than $1,000 for his
personal expenses in lawful ways spec
flied.
Third-Asserts that Senatar Clark
has been constantly a candidate for Of
fee and gives his record in that respect
and notes the organization OF a com
mittee in his interest in the summer
of 1898. after the consultation with his
friends in Butte. ITO this commit
tee" the report says, "he gave unlim-
tied authority to spend money which
he agreed to furnish, an estimate,
however, made that at least $685. OQ
would be necessary to secure the State
convention, and that $4,000 might be
needed to secure the State legislature.
Fourth-In the canvass which en-
sued the approximate expenditures ad-
mitted by the various members of his
committee, and their assistants, were
as follows: By Chas. w. Clark, $685.
300; by McDermott, $22, 900; by David
son, agent, $22, 800; by Welcome, $25,-
900; by Steele. $1,000; by Corbett,
$1,000; by Whitmore, $4,000; by Coop
err, $4,000, mainly furnished by Chas.
W. Clark, and the amount of these ex-
penditures Senator Clark himself paid
to his son. The advances and pay
ments made by Senator Clark to his
committee and agents as admitted by
him amounted to about $4,000, of
which sum Chas. w. Clark received
from him on August u, 1898, $4,000;
October II, $780, 900; November %, $40,-
900, and February Is, 1900, $20.592,
and in addition to this $139, 600, Sem
ator Clark paid 5 $4,000 to McDermott,
n OF his agents; $1,000 to Welcome,