Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1900-04-26
A CAUSTIC REPORT
ELECTION OF CLARK NULL AND
VOID BECAUSE or BRIBERIEs.
MONTANA IN BAD REPUTE
Formal Report Of Commute Says Sem
ate Should Give That State An
Early Opportunity TO Recover Its
Good Name. Some Of the Findings
Of the Committee.


Washington, April "a, Senator
Chandler, from the Senate committee
on privileges and elections, today sub
mitted TO the senate the report Of that
committee in the case of Senator Clark
| of Montana, The report simply pre-
sents the findings of the committee
| and its reasons for its course. The
finding Of the committee is stated as
| follows
The finding of the committee is that
| the election TO the senate of William
| 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 w. A. Clark was not
duly and legally elected to seat in
the senate of the United States by the
legislature of the state of Montana
The report concludes with a strong
recommendation for an early consider
alton of the case as follows
The senate should, as a duty to It.
self and to the country, demonstrate
by its action in this case that seats in
| the United States senate procured as
| Senator Clark's has been procured
cannot be retained by the deliberate
judgment of the senate. The senate
! also owes duty to the people of Mon
tana, who conscious of the bad repute
into which the state had fallen by rea-
son of vast expenditures of money in
connection with its elections. mani
| tested such a public sentiment that the
legislature of 1895 passed a statute
| which, if obeyed would have redeemed
| the state from its bad name.
! For the direct and gross violations
Of that statute and the consequent dis
credit which continues 10 rest upon
the state, Montana has a right to ex.
pect prompt and decisive remedy
from the action OF the senate upon the
| report Of this committee
The committee states that its find
ing is made in view of certain admit
ted or undisputed facts. with their
attendant circumstances, appearing In
the testimony taken by the committee
| and tboaa mo cp,t,,, a,,, "a ,,,l,,. Grtn,,,
headings some being as follows
The expenditures in the contest Of
1895 as testified to by Senator Clark
and Gov Hauser
Section two quotes the law Of 1895
relative to crimes against the elective
| franchise which limited in purpose
and amount the political expenditures
which could be made in any election
either by a political committee or
candidate especially naming candi-
date for United States senator who
could not give more than $l,l TO any
| one committee in the county ard could
not pay more than $1,000 for his per
| sonal expenses In lawful ways spccl-
! fed
Section three asserts that Senator
Clark has been constantly candidate
for Office and gives his record in that
respect and notes the organization OF
a committee in his interest In the
summer of 1898 after the consultation
with his friends in Butte 70 this
committee he gave unlimited authority
to spend money which he agreed TO
furnish; an estimate, however being
made that a least $4,000 would be
necessary TO secure the state conyen-
ton and that $4,000 might be needed
to secure the state legislature.
Section four says In the canvass
which ensuc3 the advances and pay.
ments made by Senator Clark TO his
committee and agents, as admitted by
him, amounted to about $4,000. Sen
ator Clark also paid 5000 to Mcper-
mott, one Of his agents. $4,000 to
Welcome his attorney, ana $4,000 10
f. G. Day a member OF the Legislature.
Section FIVE says none Of the mem
bers Of his committee or their assist
ants made the sworn returns required
by law, nor did Senator Clark himself
make any return
MANY MTZs,ON iDtLrG gpThLs