The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1900-11-24

fore the committee that he had spent
large sum of money to capture the
legislature which elected him to the
senate. There were other circum.
stances attached to these inyestiga.
tions which placed stain upon the
character of Clark that no amount of
whitewashing or indulgence can re.
move.
Senator Chandler chairman of the
senate committee on privileges and
elections, who conducted the Clark
investigation, is stickler for sena-
torial propriety and consistency. His
republican associates on the commit
tee, including the venerable Hoar of
Massachusetts, are staunch defenders
of senatorial dignity, and have been
jealous in keeping the standard of
the senate upon a high plane. In
the body of the senate there are
other members who, at various times.
expressed themselves in tones OF ro.
gret that the senate of today was re-
Progressing and does not command
the respect it did in the old days,
when giants ruled there and the pro-
ceedings were carried on in a man
ner which preserved not alone it's
dignity, but cast mediocre talent or
undesirable members into such bold
relief that it became unbearable for
the latter and their misguided CON
stituents.
In commenting on this phase a Wis
iting senator belonging to the Cuban
session here, said:
The time has come when atten-
tion should be called to the degree
of dignity which was maintained in
former days and of which only a SEM
blance is to be observed these days
in the attitude of such men as Hoar
of Massachusetts, Teller of Colorado.
Cockrill, of Missouri, Cullom of Him
ois, Davis of Minnesota, Spooner Of
Wisconsin, Hale of Maine, and a mum.
Der of others who have proper con
ception of what the senate stands for
as forum Of craftsmanship in the
eyes of the nation. Such men as
Pettigrew of South Dakota, yelling
ton Of Maryland, Jones of Arkansas
and democratic filibusterers have not
contributed to the contemporary fame
of the United States senate 1t was not
only the personal attack upon Hanna
which Pettigrew made, but his gen
eral demoralizing influence in the
senate as a calm deliberative assem-
bly,, which animated the valiant chair
man of the republican national COM
mittee to don his war paint and help
defeat Pettigrew for reelection from
his state. The disappearance of
Pettigrew by the Mckinley landslide
will contribute materially to the re-
storation Of the traditional reserve
and courtesy which distinguished the
senate peculiarly from any other as
sembly in this land.
Several other disturbing factors
republicans, succeeded in inveigling
democratic side. At the last session,
they, in common with the handful of
republicans, succeeded in inveighling
the undignified in recriminations and
controversies which found their way
into public print. But these occa
sions were few, inasmuch as eagle
eyed correspondents in the press gal
leries seemed to be on the lookout
for such encounters. But there will
be no political superheated antagon-
ism in the senate for several years
to come at least, and that insures a
cleaner record for the coming ses-
siOns. On this account | should like
to see W. A. Clark barred, and un-
less there are legal objections, l shall
vote in favor of any committee report
which declares that Clark is not en-
titled to his seat on account of the
odium attached to his name and the
necessity for keeping the senate clear
of any such demoralizing factors as
his presence would be-"
Says Senator Chandler in regard to
Clark's admission:
There is no precedent upon which
to base the rejection of Clark, if he
presents his certificate the second
time on the ground that he has been
found guilty of committing bribery
and corrupting legislatures. The SEN
ate committee found that he was
guilty of bribery and that he was not
ignorant of the fact, but l cannot say
off hand if this is enough to qualify
the senate legally in barring him
second time. 1t is question which
involves many fine points.
Mr.. Clark has maintained stand
ing corps of agents in this city and
wherever his interests found them
necessary to further his senatorial
ambitions. With him it is partly
-