The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-05-16
ENDS THE FEUD.
Clark's appointment a Good Thing
for the State.


A gentleman recently from Montana
who is perfectly familiar with the
situation in that state last evening
discussed the Clark appointment at
some length. He declared that he was
not identified with either the Clark or
the DAILY faction, but declined to per
nit the use Of his name.
"CIarks appointment" said he. "wiU
tend t0+a reorganization of party lines
10 some extent. 1t will make Clark the
undispUted leader of the state Dem
ocracy and drive a coed many of the
so-cailed DAILY Democrats into the Re
publican camp. Had an election been
held in Montana the day the senate
committee filed its report against
Clark, and had the issue -en purely
personal as between Clark and DAILY
and within the Democratic lines. Clark
would have won by a three fourths
majority. But DAILY has always had
control Of the Democratic party ma
chinery and outsiders have been led to
suppose that Clark had no friends
Two weeks ago, for instance. the DAILY
faction called the state committee to-
gether and made a new appointment
for the state~ convention on a basis
which gives the DAILY side sixty-three
additional votes in two counties alone
which DAILY absolutely controls The
plan was to make it appear that the
sentiment of the people as expressed in
the convention was overwhelmingly
against Clark. Under the old appor-
CiOnment, however. Clark would have
carried both conventions. When no
money was used Clark. was always the
choice of his party. He has been the
caucus nominee of his party in every
Democratic legislature in the state, he
was president of both state cOnstitu-
tiOnal conventions, and was delegate
to several national conventions He
has always been a Democrat, regard
less of election results, though a fire.
quent sufferer from the Democratic
knife. His reward apparently came
last winter a year ago. In a contest
in which both factions confess to "a
somewhat liberal expenditure of money
he was elected by legislature having
Democratic majority of fifty or
sixty votes, though Daily succeeded in
holding out over a score of Democrats
who supported a man named Conrad
It was a battle of the giants and Daily
was beaten at his own game. The peO-
pie Of Montana who love a fighter
thought that DAILY should have con-
graduated Clark and dropped out, but
instead of that he carried the war to
Washington and thc rest is history.
But is not Governor Smith a Daily
Democrat?" inquired the reporter.
Certainly. but Governor Smith
happens to be in California and Lieu
tenant Governor Spriggs, who was
elected as a fUsionist on Democratic
POpulist ticket. is evidently of the
opinion that the people CT both these
parties are favorable to Clark. SO he
has appointed Clark, who I firmly be
lieve viii be seated. BY resigning just
as he did there can be no dispute as to
the power of the governor to appoint.
The act Of the lieutenant governor will
greatly strengthen the Montana Dem
Ocracy because Clark's friends Will
work with redoubled vigor and Daily
cannot draw out without confessing
that his previous zeal has been based
wholly on desire to keep Clark cut
IL the cold. If they both pull for the
party next fall the Republicans whose
success is always contingent on Dem
ocratic division. viii have a hard
game. The action of Spriggs will be a
good thing for the state, as it viii
strengthen party lines and make party
issues clear. Any other action would
simply have meant a perpetuation of
the old fight between the Clark Demo
Gratis and Republicans on one side and
the DAILY Democrats and Republicans
on the other. Most of the Republicans
OF the state would rather have Spriggs
appoint Clark for the interim than for