Evening star., 1900-05-19
Protests From Montana.

test against Mr.. Clark's being seated,
signed by Speaker Stiff of the Montana
house of representatives and a number of
county officials dated at Missoula, Mont,
May Is. This protest sets forth the pro-
ceedings in the Senate in the case of Sem
ator Clark and then says:
"Whereas it is apparent from the facts
and circumstances following that at the
time Mr. Clark was delivering his speech
in the United States Senate notifying the
Senate of the fact that he had rendered his
resignation his son and others who were
associated with him during the contest be-
fore the legislative assembly in January,
1899, and who are shown to have been par
Elephants in the bribery and corruption re-
sulting in his election. We're at the capital
of Montana, his resignation having been
timed that it would reach the office of
the chief executive of the state OF Mon
tana during the absence of the governor
of the state. and while the lieutenant gov
ernor was acting governor. and upon whom
it is evident that they could confidently
rely for the conSUmmation of q scheme for
his appointment; and.
.'Whereas all the circumstanc surround
ing the transaction indicate, and We believe
there was, a conspiracy laid on the part of
w. A. Clark and those who We're associated
with him in the contest before the legisa-
tive assembly of January, 1899, and who
had by false and fraudulent pretenses in
duced the governor of the state to absent
himself therefrom that the lieutenant gov
ernor evidently party to the scheme)
might be the acting chief executive for the
purpose of accepting the rendered resigna-
ton and making the appointment. and the
lieutenant governor. acting as governor. in
defiance of the will not only of the people
of the state of Montana. but of all decent
and right-thinking people of the entire
country as well, pursuant to the conspiracy
and manifesting Il contempt for the Senate
of the United States and of the opinions
of some of its most eminen- and distin-
members. HDDulnrpI
the vacancy created by his own resigua-
ton.
We, the undersigned citizens of the state
of Montana, do most earnestly, ernphatical-
ly and solemnly protest against the said w.
A. Clark being allowed to take his seat in
the Senate of the United States, under and
by virtue of the appointment already re-
ferred to, until the Senate. by its duly
appointed committee on privileges and cleo
tions, may make such inquiry as may ap-
pear necessary and proper to the meth-
DDS employed in bringing about said ap-
pointment.
How the Resignation Was Sent.
Another long protest signed by officials
and citizens of Silver Bow county. the home
both of Mr.. Clark and Mr.. DAILY, alleges
that the appointment of Mr.. Clark by the
lieutenant governor is fraudulent.
The Statements.
Following are a few of the statements in
1.-The resignation instead of being sent
directly to the chief executive, was actually
sent to his sor, G. w. Clark, in Butte, and
by his said delivered to the lieutenant
governor at Helena. The purpose of this
method of transmission, apparently, was to
provide for its delivery to the lieutenant
governor if the governor was out OF the
state. but otherwise to withhold it, mean
v hile d plan being devised TO get the gov
ernor out of the state so as to enable the
lieutenant governor to make the appoints
ment.
when the governor left the state the
lieutenant governor was also absent, hav-
ing left for the purpose of attending the
peoples party national convention to be
held at Sioux Falls, S. ID. But by singu-
lar coincidence the latter official, who is
Mr. Clarks personal friend and business
associate, left the convention before it had
made it's nominations or transacted any
business and hurried back to Montana ar
irving in time to receive Mr. Clarks resigna-
ton from the hands of his son. Then. within
q very few hours after the resignation
vas received. and only about twenty-four
hours before the governors return, the lieu
tenant governor appointed Mr.. Clark to fill
the supposed vacancy. In this behalf the
allege, upon their Information
ard belief, that the governor of Montana
was fraudulently and receptively lured from
the state by Mr. Clark, through Thomas
Kinds, one of his recognized agents and
political workers, for the express purpose
of enabling Mr.. Clark to resign in his abb
sence and to be reinstated by the appoint
rlent of the lieutenant governor before the
governor could rethrn.