New-York tribune., 1900-07-27
MONTANA POLITICAL CONTEST
MIXED Up WITH THE MINING INTERESTS
OF THE sTATE-W. A. CLARK JOINS
F. A HEINzE AGAINST ANAL
GAMATED COPPER
GAMATED COPPER

Butte Mont July 2S (speciaD.-Intense interest
IS felt by all classes Of Montana in the politi-
cal struggle that is being waged in this State
The campaign viii be fought out on new issues
those that were 10 the front in previous elec-
ti0us viii be put in the background. Former
" the personal ambitions OF Marcus DAILY and
". A. Clark held the centre Of the stage. but this
is not true in the contest now being waged. In
deed. II is doubtful if Marcus Daily ever again will
take much part Montana affairs. either in busi-
ness or in politics His health is said TO be broken
and the place here which he formerly occupied is
now filled by G. NJ. Hyams. .-al
To understand the conditions governing the po-
Htical fight here It be borne in mind that the
Amalgamated Copper Company. one Of the stand
ard Oil Company enterprises. controls all the
per interests in the Butte camp, save those OF F.
A. Heinze and ". A Clark When DAILY sold out
his interest to the Amalgamated company war
was begun between Heinze and the Amalgamated
company. which has been carried with incFeas-
ing bitterness both sides ever since. Heinze
revives in his case the old charge, always pre-
sented 10 anybody who finds or fancies the Stand
ard Oil Companys business in the way OF his busi-
ness that the object of this fight is 10 force him
20 the wall by depriving him Of copper with which
10 run his snelter. and then compel him 10 dis
pose of his properties here al rutnOus prices.
The Amalgamated people. the other hand,
assert that they seek nothing except their rights
Auega tfons Of fraud have been made on both sides
and suits counter suits injuncJions and receiver
ships have followed each other in a constant sue
eession, until more than sixty suits are en-
tered on the calendars OF the various courts Until
recently this fight was between Heinze and the
Amalgamated alone, but now Clark has joined
hands with Heinze. Nobody knows exactly when
they struck hands how it came about II is
thought that Clark smarJing from his defeat ror
the Sena torship. in casting about for some means
10 increase his future political power in Montana,
came naturally into alliance with Helnze, who
was the only great power in the State outside Of
the Amalgamated; besides which, both Heinze
and Clark being at war with the AulaIgaEnated,
their lines lay naturally together g. NJ HyaIns'
who has taken Days place and represents the
Standard OIL interests here has taken up the
fight where Daily laid it down The Heinze-Ciark
combination says that he has no more respect for
the rights Of others than Chinese Boxer has for
the life of Christian. and Hyams replies in kind.
The political situation in Montana, therefore
Is this. Clark and Helnze on the one side, and
Hvaus and the Aualgamated company on the
other are in a life and death struggle 10 secure
the political control OF the State, And the legal
war which Heinze and the Amalgamated nave oeen
waginE for the last three years now finds its way
into noIitfcs and becomes a campaign issue. Clark
and Heinze have granted their miners an eight
hour day and have further agreed 10 make an
eight hour working day the law OF the State The
An1algamated people state openly that this Is in
possible and rather than meet it they will shut
down every copper mine they own in Butte. This
sta atement is not regarded here seriously for the
reason that the loss entailed 70 the Amalgamated
would be great.
tbe fzht on question Of veracity. IN the Penn
svlvania lode suit Mr. Heinze testified that Senator
Carter asked him If he would accept 5000 900 for
the Montana Ore Purchasing Company He was
asked this question. Was IL not for your entire
holdings in Butte
In reply he said. 1T might have been; I am not
certain as to that Just discussed the matter IN
a conversational way with the Senator he stated
that he was the attorney for the Amalgamated
Company and closely allied with the Standard OIL
Corpany and that if willing 20 consider an
offer Of that kind he thought he could probably
carry the deal through.
Senator Carter came out two weeks later IN Ihe
Anaconda Standard" and fatty denied Heine's
statement in a personal communication whlch con
cluded as follows. The statement OF Heinze that
offered him IS oO00O0 certainly must have been
made by him in Jest The statement has no tounda-
ton in fact whatever"
The campaign is not so much for the pohtical
control OF the State OF Montana II is TO decide
who shall control the great copper output OF the
Butte camp. Clark and HeinZe assert that they
are making hght for the people and against the
trusts and in proof OF this they point 70 the eight
hour working day they have granted 70 their
miners and 10 the fact that the Amalgamated Cop
per Company IS an offshoot OF and nearly allied 20
the Standard OIL Company. Their opponents reply
that this is bosh that eight hour law is i'm
practicable and impossible and that the Anaconda
corpanv has done more for Montana than any one
else has done.