Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-01-22
7WO IMPORTANT WITNESSES.

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There is a growing sentiment in favor
of placing both Mr.. DAILY and Mr.. Clerk
on the witness stand, and subjecting
each to a thorough and impartial exam
nation. While the latter has evidently
felt that he was not justified in making
a formal denial of the charges preferred
against him by the Anaconda Standard, !
which is a professional defamer Of char
acter whenever an incentive Of any kind
presents itself, it is now in order for him
to take the witness stand and explain
or fail to explain his position before the
he should feel that the opportunity to
make a personal defense is a privilege
which he should avail himself of at the
proper time. Failure to take the witness
stand will subject Mr.. Clark to the i'm
putation of fear as to the character of
the story he might tell. n prejudice his
case before the American public.
If Mr.. Clark is the victim of a con-
spiracy no one knows it better than him.
self, and few could give a more compre-
hensive account of the democratic quar-
rel which step by step led up to the pres
ent political entanglements in this state
resulting in the present embarrassment
of the senator-than that gentleman him.
self. 1t is therefore clear that Mr.. Clark
not only yves it to himself, but to the
Montana public as we'll, to take the wit
ness stand and unbosom himself fully as
to the political affairs in this state, in
sofar as he has personal knowledge
concerning them.
1t is equally the duty Of Mr.. Daily to
appear before the senate committee and
tell his side of the story. By keeping in
the background, and directing the prose-
cution of Mr.. Clark under cover in New
York. and pretending through the edi-
torial olulnns of his official newspaper
in this state to have nothing whatever
to DO with the case, the leader of the
Anaconda democracy is unquestionably
weakening himself and his cause. An
ostrich might as we'll try to hide himself
from observation, by ramming his head
into the sand, as for so distinguished a
parsonage as Mr.. Daily to assume an in
difference to a controversy in which he
has been for years and is now a most
conspicuous leader.
There is not IN intelligent man in the
state of Montana who does not fully UNI
dcrstand the political relations of Mr..
Daily and Mr.. Clark, and in a general
way the situation is understood by the
American public. The attempts Of the
Standard to make it appear that Mr..
Daily is a disinterested observer are pos
itively silly, n have made tina news
paper ridiculous all over the country.
No one doubts that the fight against Mr..
Clark in the legislature last winter was
directed by Mr.. DAILY, and tina the latte,
expected the senatorial lightning to flash
his way at a certain point in the political
deny that Mr.. Clark is at the head OF
the Clark wing of the democracy, with
all that implies, as to say that Mr.. DAILY
is not at the head Of the anti Clark fac
ton of the democracy. Each has always
occupied that position of political prom.
inence, regardless of the work which
both may have entrusted to their politi.
cal l~ieutenants from time to time. as tn.
fortunes of the democratic fight havt
ebbed and flowed.
1t necessarily follows, that while tn,
circumstances make it the duty OF Mr.
Clark to testify before the senate com
mittee. it is likewise the duty of Mr.
DAILY to take the stand and contribut,
his knowledge of Montana affairs to tn,
enlightenment of the public. Instead O
directing his lieutenants to place befor
the committee men who have confessed,
perjured themselves, and whose privat
characters are not above reproach Il
some instances, Mr.. DAILY should see tina
his side of the case is strengthened an
digniied by the evidence which he alon
Is competent to give. No man is NOR
Intimately acquainted with the politics
methods of Mr.. Clark thar he. No on