Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-16
4 Montana Trick.


When Mr.. Clark of Montana addressed
the Senate yesterday in his own defense
and concluded his speech by announcing
that he had rendered his resignation to the
governor of his state he occupied a far bet
ter position than at any time previous in
the course of his struggle for seat in
Congress. His speech was in good temper
sufficiently warm in expression to indicate
wholesome indignation and yet not ran
corous to the point of bad taste. His resiS-
nation appeared to be an act of good faith.
intended to remove from the Senate bur
den of reproach and responsibility and to
avoid an action which would doubtless be
painful to both sides.
But its good effect Is now utterly spoiled
by the announcement that Mr.. Clark. TAX
ing advantage of the temporary absence
from the state of Governor Smith. Daily
partisan, had so timed his resignation as to
permit the lieutenant governor. a Clark
partisan, to reappont him senator on the
pretense that a vacancy had been created
by the resignation. In short, Mr.. Clark has
played a trick on the Senate which that
body Is now expected to resent and which
reflects sadly upon the political standards of
Montana's Intermittent senator.
1t is impossible to see wherein the Clark
of Messrs, Mantle. Beckwith and Allen if the
port of the committee on privileges and
elections regardless of the so-called resigna-
ton. which it has perfect right to do. and
which it should do for the sake of its dgni
ty and self-respect. The decision rendered
in those cases was that after a legislature
had failed to take advantage of an oppor-
tunity TO elect senator to fill a vacancy
the governor could not appoint pending ac-
ton by the next legislature
The Senate committee has declared that
the legislature of Montana did not elect
senator that Its action in behalf of Mr..
Clark was void because of frauds and that
therefore there was no election. If its re-
port IS adopted by the Senate it will be
tantamount to a declaration that Mr.. Clark
has never legally been a member of the
body. 1t is but a difference of detail be-
tween legislative failure to elect because
of deadlock and failure to elect because
of fraud.
Before accepting Mr.. Clarks new creden-
tails it will be incumbent upon the Senate
to decide Just when the vacancy to which
he claims TO have been appointed began.
Did it originate with the adjournment of
the Senate on the fourth of March, 1899,
when Senator Manile's term expired or
yesterday, when Lieut.. Gov. Spriggs of
Montana received Mr.. Clark's resignation?
IL order to ascertain this point it will be
necessary for the Senate to act upon the
pending resolution. which declares that the
vacancy began with the close of the last
Congress. Under this process in order to
establish that the vacancy began yesterday
and that the credentials are therefore valid
il Will be necessary for the Senate to reject
its own committees unanimous report
This scandalous result of the Montana
bribery frauds is but an additional argu-
ment In behalf of a change in the mode of
electing senators. How much longer will
the Senate of the United States submit to
such treatment? VIII it indefinitely con-
tinue to permit itself to be approached by
corruptionists. bosses. legislature manipu-
lators. deadlockers. governors proteges and
dummies. in the hope of securing seats in
the most honorable legislative body in the
world. or will it consent to the only certain
course to cure these evils and adjust the
elections machinery OF the republic to the
times?