The evening times., 1900-05-16
senator Clark. Vice Clark. Resigned

senator Clark. Vice Clark. Resigned.
The country is gleeful today over the
neat and effective manner in which Sen
ator Clark of Montana has turned on his
enemies. prosecutors, and sIanderers. The
latter do not Join in the general merri-
ment, but are snarling like wolves with
their paws in a trap.
The hand of fate is plainly to be seen in
the Montana round up. The Governor Of
Montana, Smith by name. is a bitter enemy
Of Senator Clark, but the Lieutenant Gov
ernor. Sprigg5. is his friend. In the abseaee
from the State of both these officials. the
President pro TEN. of the Senate becomes
acting Governor, under the State Consti-
tuition. 1t happened recently thss he
DAILY Governor was called to California to
look after a mining deal The Lieutenant
Governor was obliged to go East to attend
the Sioux Falls Convention. The Prssi-
dent pro TEN. OF the Senate was put in
charge with the understanding that he was
to do nothing in the Clark case and that
Spriggs could not get home as quickly as
Smith could.
This arrangement was prudent and
statesmanlike. but it had two unsupported
blOwholes in its structure In the first
place it was not believed in Montana that
Senator Clark would resign In the sec
ond. it was not conceived that SpriEgs
would effect a brilliant diversion bJ get
ting back in time to do what he did yes
terday. to the rage. confusion, and total
rout Of the anti-Clark faction. But he did.
and by so doing utterly defeated the DAILY
combination.
As far as the Washington end OF the per-
secution is concerned. the trouble is not
yet quite over. There will be a desperate
and more or less ingenious effort 10 keep
Senator Clark out of the seat to which he
has been regularly appointed on the fol-
lowing untenable ground: His opponents
viii try to establish the contention that,
since a committee Of the Senate has re-
ported that the election OF Senator Clark
by the Montana Legislature was irregular.
null and void. therefore. in fact. the Leg
islature failed TO elect. and. legally spelS-
Ing, a vacancy was created in the repre-
seutation OF the State. but not such a va
cancy as could be filed by executive ap-
pOintment under the Constitution. as in
terpreted in the Quay and other cases.
1t viii therefore be the attempt OF Sena-
tor ClaTks enemies to secure a decision by
the Senate that the vacancy now filled by
the appointment OF Acting Governor
Spriggs. must be held to date back to the
alleged failure OF the Legislature 10 elect:
in which event the case OF Clark would be
put on all-fOurs with that of Colonel Qusv-
and the former could be excluded.
This is a shrewd game. but it is barred.
When Senator Clark yesterday announced
his resignation, the President Of the SEN
ate, Senator Frye, following precedents
which have been unbroken since 1915, or
dered his name to be erased from the rolls
1t was at once erased, and the retiring
Senator ceased TO have any connect o.
with the body. On the succeeding roll
call his name was ignored
The acting Governor of Montana has a
perfect right to appoint a Senator to sue
ceed Mr.. Clark. resigned. and he has done
so.
The DAILY crusade against Senator
Clark has gone far enough. Senators
who are still inclined TO countepapee
its continuation will discover that what has
happened often before in the political his
tory of the country has happened again.
Inveterate pursuit and persecution of a cit
izen by his private and business rivals and
enemies has excited widespread public SYM
pathy for him The American people are
at heart and in action always champions Of
fair play They have been watching the
cool assumption Of excessive virtue by
notorious corruptionists and vote buyers in
the Clark case with indignation ard con-
tempt. Their voice will now be heard by
Senators generally calling a halt. Senator
Clark viii be given his seat. as a matter
of course.