Daily inter mountain., 1900-01-04
CLARK AND THE AMaLCAMA7ED.

For some time there have been rumors
af1oat that a business proposition OF
great magnitude would cut'an important
figure in the disposition of the Clark
case in the senate of the United States.
Today the advices of the Inter Noun
tain from Washington indicate that
prominent capitalists who are interested
in the copper situation, and who are sup
posed to have great influence in the
senate, are likely to take an active hand
in the fight This gives color to the
undercurrent of talk that business
pressure is to be brought to bear on
Clark by the Amalgamated Copper COM
pany to force him into the combination
with his vast copper interests, as the
price Of his seat in the senate.
1t would be worth millions to that COM
pany to corner the Clark properties, and
thus remove all opposition of any mo-
ment to the consummation of it's plans.
With Clark in the combination, the COM
earth. without an exception. It's power
to control the copper situation the world
over would be undisputed. But with
Clark and his copper output in posi-
tion of rivalry, the efforts of the COM
pany to bring the users of the red metal
to its feet will prove to great extent
unayailing.
In it's artificial efforts to maintain the
price Of copper, and the crop Of suckers,
it is in hourly danger of stock shrinkage
of infinite magnitude and of far-reach-
ing Importance. It's position in short, is
one of insecurity for the vast amount
of capital invested in the marketable
stock issued by the trust. Such is the
situation with the Clark properties on
the outside Of the great combination. To
force Clark into the trust would be to
make the Amalgamated Copper company
the most powerful combination of capital
in business way that the world has
ever known. In an age when the red
metal is in growing demand, it would
enable the trust to dictate the price of
every pound produced.
The senatorial situation seems to afford
an opportunity to bring about result
which has heretofore been an impossl-
bility. If the rumor be true that in
point of political influence the ANAL
gamated Copper company holds the bal
ance of power in the senate, Clark may
be given the option of uniting with the
trust, and retaining his seat, or refusing
to unite with the trust and step down
and out with the public disgrace thereby
implied. 1t would seem that with all his
shreWdness in business affairs, and the
inability of the wise heads behind the
copper trust to entrap him into their
combination, Clark has at last been
pretty effectually cornered.
1t remains to be seen whether he will
courageously meet the issue that NAV
be presented, and refuse to be coerced
In business way, or gladly accept the
proffered means of escape from threat
ened political ruin. Many are inclined
to believe that the announcement will
be made in the near future that Clark
has pooled his interests with the ANAL
gamated, and that it has been impossi-
BILE to connect him in any way with the
crime of bribery in the state of Mon
tana. Should this happen to be the case,
1t will mean that the financial powers
behind the throne have dropped DAILY
like hot potato, together with his fight
on Clark. 1t will mean the placing of
Clark with his millions of capital into a
place Of commanding influence and
power in the company, and forever set
at rest the question of his political lead
ership of the democratic party in this
state.
1t may prove temptation which Clark
cannot resist Think of him living to
see the day when the Anaconda Stand
ard comes out with flaring headlines de-
claring that Clark has been vindicated
and that its former charges were all a
mistake! oh, how it would slobber over
the new king bee Of the Amalgamated-
should 1t all happen!
It may be. however, that Clark vii,
prefer to protect his individual holdings