The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-13
STORY OF THE FIGHT
FOR THE STATEsCAPITAL.


! GU <sAstA ." ~
Bitter Contest.
| The constitutional convention in 1889
| had submitted the location of the perma-
| nent seat OF state government to the
| people the first election to take place IN
! 1892 IL no one town, received a majority
| of the votes cast. the two towns receiving
the highest number of votes were TO be
again voted on in 1854. There was no
| choice I'm 1892 but Helena and Anaconda
/ received the highest number of votes. and
were the candidates in 1894. The panic OF
1898 had left Helena and its millionaires-
dependent largely on silver production
| in dire financial straits. Up to that time
| Il had the reputation of being the wealth.
| lest city, In proportion 70 population. IL
| both copper towns were. amid the gen.
| eral ruin. prosperous, and DAILY had
| grown in power, reputation and wealth
| He practically owned Anaconda. There
| was situated the finest hotel west of St.
Paul. and every improvement was mod
| ern and on large scale. The contest was
| bitter Helena had been the capital OF
| the territory for TWENTY-FIVE years. 1t
| was then the social. political and finan-
wealth. was trying to rob Helena of it's
birthrght. To this day DAILY, as result
OF that contest. Is the bogy-man of H@l-
ena nursery. rhymes. Within two weeks
aconda would be the victor. Then Hell
ena turned, In its hour of adversely, to
Clark. Clark still cherished his sena-
toriai ambition. He Is said to have first
sent representatives to DAILY to declare
peace, in that event he would not give
Helena any assistance; but DAILY refused
to entertain any compromise. Then Hell
ena money began TO flow In streams. and
though DAILY met the flood without finch
ing, the tide set In Helena's favor, and
of s0aa When the votes were counted
Helena sent for Clark and gave him the
most royal 9va no s erer seen IN me ro mess
carriage and hauled him through the
streets amid carnival Of fireworks that
illuminated the m9 ,aaa passes e, ,, ten
of DAILY clad in funereal garments. in an
improvised catafalaue and jeered it
through the streets
Left without a Following.
The elections Of 1896 again saw Clark
and DAILY wrestling for supremacy, but
this time Clarke was fated to see his
political star decline. DAILY controlled the
Democratic convention In Butte. Clark's
home. but the state convention at Mis-
soula even went farther. and Clark's fol-
lowing practically had no voice In the
party AFFAIRS. Clark had hoped to see
his name indorsed by the convention for
the senatorship. but he was again disap-
pointed He was unable to dictate
single move of the chess He remained
o,iiescent until 1898. when he again sought
TO control a Butte convention. but this
time his following had dwindled to five
in the county convention. Thirteen can
didates for the legislature were nomi-
mated at this convention. every one of
whom would have a vote on the senator
ahtD, not one OF WuQnl tpuiu tftFk nont
to control.
Then came clarks first rupture with
the Democracy. He Formed an open al
lance with the Republicans in his own
campaign and made, through his news
paper the Butte Miner, and his represen-
tatives on the stump. Bitter and relent-
less fight upon the whole Democratic
ticket Though his two papers. the Butte
Miner and Helena Independent. openly
supported the Democratic state ticket;
vxtxf trDV sfCrl
against il. The Democratic state central
committee returned Clarks check for 800
his contribution, stating they could not
consistently accept II. He was looked
upon as having abandoned the Demo-
cracy. The entire Democratic ticket was
elected in Butte. notwithstanding Clarks
fusion with the Republicans Clark had
lost in all the conventions throughout the
state. and when the returns were all In
there were eight Democratic members
elect from Helena. who would be favor
able to Clark. There were perhaps half
a dozen other Democratic members who
might vote for Clark. The rest were de-
cdediv against him. The legislature was
Democratic.
welcome and whitestde Appear.
DAILY. who had never been candidate
for public office. went East II was gem
ton with the Republicans in Butte. and
the Democratic complexion of the legis-
lature. Clark was ont of the race.
John B. Welcome, with other agents OF
the state. When the Legislature met II
was evident that Clark had gained
ground He had not supporter from his
own home, either in the legislature or out
side Of IL. except Welcome, William Nc
Dermott, an old-time political friend. and
his son, Charles w. Clark. But he came
close to eiecting his candidate for the
speskership. T. c. Day, Of Helena. Ru-
mors Of Wholesale bribery We're then rife.
| The talk In Helena was OPENLY that Clark
would spend million dollars TO be elect
ed II was said he had been driven des-
peratelv TO the wall. and would show
DAILY that he was not without resources.
Almost the entire city of Helena at
Clark's hack-men. women and children.
They looked upon Clark as their deliverer.
and the name OF Daily was banded about
with execration.
John u. Welcome had been Clark'~ at.
tornev for a number 81 years. he was
closely connected with him hy social and
business ties. He Is a man OF perhaps 45
not UNPOPULAR. and an attorney Of ahfl-
Ity. He made a fair living but was lib
erai. He had no property In. bis name.
Vie was a man of family. Outside az
Ciark's business IN Butte he had not a
large practice, He occupied rooms at the
Helena hotel with Charles w. Clark. son
the scene shifter In the senatorial drama
then enactln9.
Another central figure was Fred White.
side. 81 Kalisnel lie H. D years old
Twenty years ago. when the catilemen
were anxious to extCrmnats the buffalo.
and buffalo hides wers beginning 70 he
AAttlAAtr. W NitFSttl|. fNfn a Nero Young
ster. was shooting bison for living Then
he wens into partnership with a con-
tractor. studied architecture and neehAn-
los from books and magazines. ana in 1877
was experimenting che construction OF
vast smelling plants at Great Falls He
built the great natatorlum at Helena FOR
Col Broadwater, In connection With he
hot springs there. the largest inrlaspt
swimming pool In America. Nhfteside de-
signed TIE plan 81 the building. ana was
awarded the contract for We Construction
AMpm ~ aid = miami
moved 20 kallspsi. and IN lSs@ was elected
30 the legislature from Ffaihead county
as a member % the lower house In that
legislature ne exposed corruption In con-
Asction WIKI the state capitol commits
slon ks a member " n committee se-
poipted a. Investigate affairs IN connec-
ton With the construction ~ the state
capitol. he flied . minority reppvi Whieh
exposed lob that was defraudlEE the
state ~ Montana ~ thousands az tiaf-
lars A civil ibsl salt was brought IN
Helena against WhiteSide b. fneru5ers
- the capital commission FOR statements
made b. him outside the legislative halls