Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-05-26
BRING " 10 C

~ OUt"V - ~ SOSVos E
SNhile no one can with absolute GER
Ninty foreshadow the action of a body
Which is a law unto itself, there are many
Rasons for the belief that the Clark case
will "go over to the December session
of the senate, and d~isintegrate and so to
pieces of it's own volition.
The appointment of Maginnis by Gov
ernor Smith had this end in view, when
it was feared h the course pursued
by Acting Governor Spriggs might give
Mr.. Clark a few months of additional
life in the senate. 8
Granting. however, that the matter,
goes over, as contemplated, it can be
pressed to a conclusion Immediately
upon the assembling of the senate in De-
cember, for the man elected by the sew
| enth general assembly of this state will
not. take his seat until the 4th OF next
March.
The relative claims of Mr.. Clark and
Mr.. Maginnis will arise like Banquo's.
ghost at the reconvention OF congress-
%
to be fought out on their merits. =
If this contest should drag through the
month of December without a settlement,
it might be, after the Inauguration of
Governor Smiths republican successor
in January, that the names of both Clark
and Maginnis would be withdrawn and
a republican substituted for the winter
term, retiring March 4th for the legisla-
tive choice.
SO the hold over proposition is not
without it's drawbacks, when looked at
, from a democratic standpoint.
Moreover, if the senate does not act
~affirmatively on the report of the COM
mittee on privileges and elections, and
the sixth general assembly was purely
/ imaginary, instead of being impurely
real, Mr.. Clark's democratic enemies will
1 feel that somehow the record is incom-
e plete.
The refusal of the senate to adopt Mr.
Chambers report will show a lack OF
, sympathy in that body with the recon.
mendations which it contains, if not {
positive disbelief in the honesty Of tn,
conclusions reached.
The public is bound to place such
construction upon the matter, unless
the senate makes some satisfactory Off
cial disposition of the report.
AS the enate unquestionably has tn
power, and will be periodically accredit
ed with the desire to do the right thing
whether it be for or against the inter
: ests of Mi. Clark. action of some kin
on the report made by the committee O.
privileges and elections will be regarde
= as imperative by the American public
To evade action will be equivalent t
III saying HI the report does not meri
a. consideration, which in turn would be
- confession of it's inherent weakness.
= Unless the senate is willing that sue
- an impression should go forth, it wi
Ae not permit Mr.. Chambers report to G
over to the next session when every
" thing in the relates directl
to the present session.
AS matters now stand, officially speal
% ing, Mr.. Clark resigned his chair wit
a clean record, and is entitled to all tt
rights and privileges inherent in a du
" authorized appointment to fill a vacane
legally created.
Before his new credentials can be a
=. tackled on the grounds of his personalit
. it will be necessary for the senate
'er
make the record of the mmitt {
privileges and election it's own, wher
upon it can then urge his ineligibility
the grounds of the alleged moral TURF
tude of the man.
In default of this, the senate must Sc
him, unless precedents are overturn,
:, with a wanton hand.
1t will thus be seen that action of son
:. kind should be taken at this session,
matters have shaped themselves, both
" Justice to Mr.. Clark and the senate
Ae self, to say nothing of the state of Mo
~ tana, which has as much right to a co
~ clusion as it had to a hearing in an ISIS
of public concern.
zen
the CONC AND COMING.