The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-04-11
MARCUS DAILY
WILL SUCCEED
Clark's Scalp bangles at His
Immaculate Belt.
THE REPORT UNANIMOUS
Senate Committee Finds That Montana Leg
isIatOn Received Too High a Price
for Their yOtes..The Senator
Has Nothing 10 Say.

WASHINGTON. April lO.--The SEN
ate committee on privileges and elec-
tlons today decided by unanimous
vote 10 recommend an option resolu-
tion declaring that Honorable w. A.
Clark, OF Montana, X not entitled 10
occupy his seat as Senator from Mon
tana. The decision was reached after
a two-hours' sitting. at which all men,
bers OF the committee were present ex-
cept one. The absentee was Senator
canery. and ne wired his vote in op-
position to Clark.
A ballot was not taken until all the
members present had expressed them
selves upon the question, some Of
them speaking at some length and all
expressing different shades Of opinion.
Harris indicated the most pronounced
leaning toward leniency for Clark. He
did not express any doubt that there
had been a lavish expenditure Of mon
ey Ia Clark's behalf, and while con-
ducting this course. he spoke in terms
Of strong condemnation OF the tactics
pursued by some Of Clarks opponents.
referring especially to Congressman
Campbell and ex-senator Whiteside.
He said that whatever Clark's offenses.
they were but little worse than the
methods pursued by Campbell and
Whl;eside in their efforts to expose
the senator. and he insisted that II the
report was to be antagonistic to Clark.
II should at the same time relate in
full detail the course pursued by the
two principal witnesses against him.
Pettus practically agreed with Harris.
The two senators also expressed some
doubt as to the jurisdiction of the
conclusion drawn by the majority Of
the committee that Clark's candidacy
for the senate began in August. 1895,
when he returned from Butte TO New
York. The effect of this conclusion
was to charge up the entire Sl39,OO0
which Clark confessed TO have ex-
pended. to his campaign for the SEN
ate, while the contention which was
made in Clark's behalf was that he did
not become candidate until after the
state election. thus eliminating from the
campaign In his individual behalf the
amount spent in the general contest.
McComas was among the senators who
expressed himself as convinced that
the senatorial seat was in view from
the beginning. McComas, however.
united with other senators in condemn
ing the methods pursued in prosecuting
the case.
The concensus of opinion Of the COM
mittee appeared unfavorable to ae-
cepting any one special feature against
Clark as the basis for report against
him, the general opinion being that it
was the cumulative character OF the
testimony that should be considered
rather than any special detail, Harris
raised the point in Clark's behalf that
the cumulative effect OF the testimony
could not properly be considered, but
he was overruled in his position. If
prominence was given TO any one line
Of testimony more than to another, it
was dealing with transactions appar-
emily of ergular business nature
between Clark or His agents and
,,,a,,, haesy Of the laurfclaf,tfa
The purchase of property from Sem
ator Warren and Representative Nc
Laughlin and the money rendered Rep
resentative Wood TO lift a mortgage
from his ranch. were considered as
bearing directly on the case. OF these
matters, the Wood case received spec
ial attention. Payment Of money to
Representative Day after Clark's elec-
ton also had weight. The opinion
was expressed that no one Of these
facts was a sufficient basis for an ad-
verse report. but all agreed that all
the facts, many of them admitted, to-
gether With other occurrences connect
ed with the campaign, were sufficient
to justify positive position against
the senator continuing to hold his
place.
The fact that Clark and his repre-
sentatives had failed to make their re-
ports to the state authorities of Mon
tana as required by the state law was
also urged against him in the discus
sion in the committee, as was the fact
that he and his representatives had
destroyed all their vouchers, showing
where money had been used and to
whom paid. When attention was call
ed to the fact that this course was
usual with the campaign managers,
the statement was met with the con-
tenuon that while the plan might be
more commonly adopted than it should
be. still there could be no reasonable
excuse for 1t after the Whiteside ex-
posure. II was then known there
would be contest and the argument
was made that every scrap Of paper
bearing upon the election should have