The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-24

A resolution declaring that William A
Clark was not duly and legally elecied to
a seat in the Senate of the United States
by the Legislature of the State Of Mon
tana was introduced in the Senate yester-
day by Mr.. Chandler, Chairman o. ire
Committee on Privileges and Elections, IN
behalf of that committee. Accompanying
the resolution was report presenting the
findings Of the committee and its reasons
for the course it had adopted This report
does not rehearse the testimony, which,
however. was presented in connection with
It, comprising three large volumes contain
ing a total of nearly 5000 printed pages.
MIR. Pettus, one of the members of the
Committee on Privileges and Elections,
said that some of its members, without
in any way dissenting from the resolution
offered by the Chairman, desired to sab
NIT some remarks as to the conduct CT
the case.
Does the Senator desire to make his
statement at this time" asked the Presi-
dent pro ten. (Mr. Frye.
NO. not at ALL responded Mr.. Pettus.
"A minority of the committee disagree
with portions of this report and they de-
sire TO submit their views in writing. with
out in any way dissenting from the con-
clusions."
The resolution was then placed on the
calendar and the report accompanying it
was ordered to be printed.
The statement of the minority, which
will be presented in few days, will be
signed by Messrs. Pettus and Harris, and
will differ from the majority report in the
manner Of reaching the conclusions lead
ing up to the resolution. 1t will state
that in the opinion of the two Senators
by whom it is to be drawn, Senator Clark
was not directly implicated in the alleged
briberies, but that it was carried on en-
tirely by his friends. The methods en-
ployed by several Of those engaged in
prosecuting the case will be more sharply
criticised than has been done in the re-
port, and a fuller statement will be made
regarding the amount of testimony that
these members of the committee utterly
disregarded because OF its irrelevancy, or
of its manifest unreliability.
The Committees Finding
The report opens with brief history
ment that the committee began its con-
sideration on January 5, 1900, and that on
April 10 finding was made 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
violations of the laws of Montana defining
and Furnishing crimes against the elective
franchise"
The report concludes as follows:
The Senate should, as a duty to itself
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 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 connection with its elections, mani
Tested such public sentiment that the
Legislature OF 1895 passed 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 discredit which continues to
rest upon the State, Montana has a right
to expect prompt and decisive remedy
from the action of the Senate upon the
report of this committee.
The committee report and unanimously
recommend the adoption by the Senate of
the following resolution:
Resolved, That William A. Clark was not duly
and legally elected TO scat in the Senate OF
the United States by the Legislature Of the
State Of Montana.
The Facts Adduced.
The finding, the report says is made in
view of certain admitted or undisputed
facts, with their attendant circumstances,
in the testimony taken by the
committee as follows:
Prior to 1895 the elections in Montana
were accompanied by enormous expendi-
lures of money, unquestionably involving
widespread belief that extensive corruption
was resorted to in all elections. Former
Governor Hauser. a witness called by Sem
ator Clark in his defence, testified that at
the first State election the Big Four, So
called, consisting of Senator w. A. Clark,
Mr.. Broadwater Mr.. Marcus DAILY and
himself as first contributions gave $4,000
each, and he also estimated that the ex-
penditures made in connection with the
contest to determine whether Anaconda or
Helena should be the capital of the State
were upward Of 81. 000. 000. Senator Clark
said he spent over Sl00, coo in that contest
ION February %. 1895, Montana under
took to protest herself against corruption
in elections. and passed law relatives 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 COM
mittee or candidate, especially naming a
candidate for United States Senator, who
could not give more than 81 900 TO any one
committee in one county and could not pay
more than 81 GOO for his personal expenses
in lawful ways specified, and provided that
every political committee should make a
public return of its expenditures, stating
from whom every dollar was received and
10 whom every dollar was paid and that
every person acting otherwise than under
political committee should make a similar
public return. and further provided a fine
and Imprisonment against persons emitting
to make the return required by law.
Senator Clark has been constantly
candidate for office. He was a candidate
for Congress in 1883 and defeated. In 1890
there we're two Legislatures in Montana.
He was elected United States Senator by
the Democratic Legislature, but was not
seated. He was again a candidate for the
Senate in 1893 but there was no election.
In 1895 he was voted for as the Democratic
candidate, but Senator Carter was elected.
In the summer Of 1898, after he had
consulted with Governor Hauser and other
supporters, including at that time Mr..
A. j. Campbell. a committee Of his friends
was created outside the State committee
of the Democratic party, which was in the
hands Of persons not favorable to him;
this, his committee, being organized for
the purpose of controlling the politics OF
the State and securing the Legislature to
meet in January. 1899. This committee
consisted of his son, Charles W. Clark,
William MeDermott, and A. J. Davidson,
agent. Charles w. Clark was made treas
urer, and the assistants of the committee
were John z. Welcome, Walter NJ. Bick-
I'll.
Z. Corbett. Z. L. Whitmore, and Walter
Cooper To this committee Senator CLARK