The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-23
OUTLOOK BRIGHT FOR CLARK.
1T HAS NOT BEEN SHOWN THAT HE
BRIBED ANYBODY.

Nor Has Ii Been Made Apparent That
His Agents Directly Paid Any
Brtbe NoneS-It Is Said Those
Facts Would Have To he shown
Corruption Money Was, No Doubt,
Used, But 1t Has Not Been Traced
TO the Principals.
Washington, March Ex-senator Clark
of Montana will retain his seat in the
Senate unless the committee decides that
he bribed one or more members of the
Montana Legislature to vote for him, or
that his agents employed corrupt means
in changing the vote of the Legislature
which resulted in his election.
AT the conclusion of the taking of testi-
monX by the Senate Committee on Priv
ileges and Elections two weeks ago 1t was
decided that the argument In the case
should be submitted on Tuesday March
q, Each side is to have six hours. For
mer Senator George f. Edmunds appears
for the prosecution, and former Senator
Charles Faulkner of West Virginia for
Senator Clark. In view of the fact that
Senator Pritchard of North Carolina. a
Republican member of the committee. ex-
poets to be absent from Washington on
that date, It has been decided to defer the
argument in the Clark case until Wednes-
day, March IS
1t Is impossible to anticipate what the
decision of the committee will be finally
although at the time of the hearing the
impression prevailed in the committee
room THAI majority of the members of
the committee were inclined 10 the opinion
that in view of the acknowledged crooked
ness resorted to by the Clark as well as
the DAILY faction in Montana that the seat
should be declared vacant
Was Beneficial to Clark
The testimony given by Congressman
Campbell in the closing hours of the ex-
animation as the leading representative
of the Marcus DAILY faction, undoubtedly
helped the case from a Clark standpoint
His admissions on accumulation were
of a damaging character to the prosecu-
ton, and he was unable TO fix the charge
of bribery upon Senator CT ark
A Republican member of the committee
In discussing the probable report OF the
committee to-day, said:
i have not the slightest idea how my
colleagues will finally vote on the Clark
case, but after listening to the conflcting
evidence on both sides, am unable TO see
where the charge of bribery was directly
liked upon Senator Clark, There is no
doubt to my mind whatever but what there
were some questionable financial transac-
tons in connection with the senatorial
contest In Montana. Some of the witnesses
seemed TO have an utter diregard for facts
and allowed their personal prejudices to
hn str nnIatg
before the committee.
Must Prove Clark Guilty.
my understanding of the law govern
ing this case is that first, before we de-
clare Senator Clark's seat vacant, 1t must
be proven beyond question that Senator
Clark directly bribed or attempted to
bride one or more members of the Legfs-
lature In my judgment that was not
proven by the testimony submitted In
the second place, 10 declare the seat vacant
1t must be proven that one or more
members of the Legislature was corrupt
ed by the use of money or other valuable
consideration by the authorized agent OF
Senator Clark with the latters knowledge
and consent. In my judgement that was
not directly proven although as l said be-
fore | believe there was crookedness on
both sides. but the prosecution was un-
able to trace an act of bribery directly 10
Senator Clark or his authorized agents.
l do not know how the other members of
the committee regard the testimony and
II is impossible to anticipate what in
huence the arguments by counsel may
have upon majority Of the committee
In the Senate sentiment appears to be
drifting in a direction favorable to Sena-
tor Clark for notwithstanding the sensa-
tonal developments during the investiga-
ton and the general belief that an inn
mense amount of money was expended in
the Montana contest yet the failure CT the
prosecution to established the charge of
bribery and fasten IL directly upon Sena-
tor Clarke is working to his advantage.
The hearing will occupy two or three days
after which the committee may take sew
eral weeks to reach q conclusion and SUBJ
nit its report to the Senate
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