The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1900-04-27
Tia Senate Committee on Privileges
and Elections Present IL
to the Senate.
IT'S INTENDED 10 OEcAPITArt CLARK.
D~cla res that WtIlssns 4. CLARK Ma
Not Duly and Legally Elected 90
- seat iW the senate NJ the Uatsea
states bs the Legislature 81 the
state Of Nomsaaa-The Rrasons.

Chandler. from the senate committee
On privileges and elections. submitted
t. the senate the report of that COM
mittee in the case of Senator Clark. Of
Montana. The report is comparative
~ brief, covering only about fifteen
pages of printed matter. 1t does not
rehsarse the testimony, but simply
presents the findings of the COMMITTEES
and its reasons for its course The
fnding Of the committee is stated As
follows:
The finding oft he committee is that the
election to the senate OF VIM. A. Clark 81
Montana, Is null and void on account OF
briberies. attempted briberies ana corrupt
practices by his agents. and OF violation
OF the laws OF Montana defining and pun
fishing crimes against the elective iran
chise.
In view OF this finding the committee
reports and unanimously recommends the
adoption by the senate of the Following
resolutions
Resolved That william A. Clark was
not duly and legally elected 10 seat In
4 the senate Of the United States BY the leg
islature OF the state OF Montana
The report concludes with strong
recommendation for early considera-
tor of the case. as follows:
The senate should. as a duty TO itself.
I ana TO the country. demonstrate by Us
action in this that seats in the Iniie1
! States senate procured as Senator clarks
has been procured. can not be retained ~
the deliberate judgment OF the senate
4 The senate also owes duty 20 the people
F, OF Montana. who conscious Of the bad re-
! pute into which the senate had fallen ~
4 reason of vast expenditures OF money IN
Z connection with Its elections mAnftests%i
: such a public sentiment that the legisla-
| ture of 1895 passed statute which. II OBJ
5. rived. would have redeemed the state
/ from its bad name.
/ For the direct and gross violations II
that statute and the consequent diScredt
which continues To rest upon the stale,
Montana has right 10 expect prompt
and decisive remedy from the action q.
the senate upon the report OF this commits
tee.
made In view Of certain admitted or un-
disputed facts. with their attendant cir
\ cumstances appearing in the testimony
taken by the committee. and these are
enumerated under Is headings as follows:
l. The expenditure in the contest OF 1870
Z as testified TO by Senator Clark and Gov
1 Hauser.
| crimes against the elective franchise.
which limited In purpose and amount the
political expenditures which could PC
| made in any election. either 10y a polite u
] com mitteee or candidate. especially
naming candidate for United States SEN
ator who could not give more than Wv
( to any one committee in a county ana
! could not pay more than 81. e" for his per-
sonal expenses IN lawful ways specified.
/ 3 Asserts that Senator Clark has been
| constantly a candidate for office. and gives
| his record in that respect. and notes the
! organization of committee In his inter-
est in the summer OF ISIS after the consult
| tation with his friends In Butte.
ITO this committee" the report says.
| ..he gave unlimited authority to spend
! money. which he agreed TO furnish. an es-
innate. however, being made that A. ieast
| $1,000 would be necessary TO secure the
! state convention and that SIS, 600 might be
needed to secure the state Legislature.
T. In the canvas which ensued. the APP
prcxsmate expenditures admitted by vari-
Gus members of his committee. and their
assistants were as follows. BY Charles
w Clark. $500. by McDermott, sz2.eeo:
by Davidson. agent. $500. by WELCOME.
s2s.c by Steele. 81. 600. by corbett 5000.
by Whitmore. 1900. by Cooper. no,
mainly furnished by Charles W. Clark.
Senator Clark himself paid to his son
The advances and payments made by SEN
ator Clark 10 his committee and agents.
as admitted 10y him. amounted to about
s1ss 900. Of which sum Charles W. Clark re-
ceived from him on August Il. lsss. So
100. october Il. $1,000; November 2. 80 :
addition TO this siss. VpO Senator Clark paid
Gety TO McDermotf. one of his agents
s. O0c 10 Welcome. his attorney. AVID $500
10 T. G. Day. a member OF the legislature.
J. None Of the members of his commit
tee or their assistants made the sworn
returns required by law. nor did Senator
I Clark himself make any return.
Sections TO Il deal with the business
transactions Of Mr. Clark and his repre-
sentatives with members of the legisiA-
ture including the purchase u Repre-
sentative Mclaughlins property. the ter
der of 5000 TO Representative Woods 70
raise the mortgage on his ranch and the
subsequent sale of the ranch. the estab-
lishment 81 a bank after the adjournment
OF the Legislature largely through the ef-
forts of Senator Turney and Representa-
tives Eversole and SheyIin OF Broadwater
county; the sale 81 lots and other proper
OF Mr. Clark. by Senator Warner. the
Esasley and Bywater and the present of
$500 TO Representative Day after the ad-
jcurnment OF the Legislature.
After detailing these circumstances
the committee says:
While the findings Of the commit ae
are justified by the foregoing admitted
and undsputed facts. with their attendant
circumstances standing alone. these facts
are strengthened by additional facts IN
Guiding various unsuccessful attempts ia
secure votes by offers Of money which. al
though denied. are found by the ma joritv
OF the committee, To be sustained by the
| piepcnderance Of the testimony
The committee also dwells quite SEE
,erely on those republicans who final
t. voted for Clark. thus breaking the
deadlock and making his election pos
sible.