Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-02-19
Of committee lines 70 aid the democratic
party to achieve q victory In this state.

Oh CUNlIIlItVSc ASuSS " 0Au tuC OSAAoSA"SAO
party to achieve q victory In this state.
=.
In view Of the extraordinary efforts
made by the state committee to win the
election, and the expensive movemen
made to insure victory, as we'll as the
outlay incurred for the ordinary ora
torical and brass band accessories. it is
fair to assume that as much, II not more
money was spent through the machinery
of the party thai outside Of it for cam
paign purposes" It is a very reasonable
estimate. then. to say that at least $780,
600 were expended by the democrats Ia,
1898. to secure that highly priced curio
known as a bourbon legislature. II
those figures We're doubled they doubtless
would come nearer the truth. Notwith-
standing this, however. a careful search
of the records fails to disclose any ex-
penditures on the part of the men elected
to Office on the democratic ticket, that
would indicate such an enormous outlay.
The affidavits of those virtuous gentle-
men show that popularity instead Of
money elected them to Office! How
many members Of Che legislature Mr..
Clark owned in advance of their election,
the men who disbursed that $4,000 alone
know, and how many were stacked"
against him the state committee. which
was owned by the Anaconda wing of the
party, can alone disclose.
1t remains to be seen whether Mr..
Clark has helped his case any by prac-
tically confessing that democratic cleo
tons in Montana cannot be carried en-
cept through the ~debauchery of public
sentiment with vast sums Of money. The
confession of Ex-Governor Hauser that
he and Mr.. Clark, together with Mr.. DAILY
and MI. Broadwater, contributed $160. 900
or over So for every democratic vote
cast-in the first state campaign in Mon
tana, was enough to indicate to the COM
mittee the deplorable condition of politi-
cal affairs in this commonwealth. When,
on the basis of Mr.. Clark's own admis-
sions, it cam be figured out that upwards
Of $3.50, 900 We're expended by the demo-
Gratis in 1898, the senate committee will
be forced into the belief thai bourbon
victories in Montana are dependent
wholly upon the illegal expenditure Of
money. Quite naturally the question
will arise in the analytical mind: If it
costs so much to elect a democratic legis-
lature, how much more will it cost to
handle such a grotesque abnormality
after it has been created?. How much
does it require in spot cash to get legis-
lation or Office from such a body?
! u. +t.t - stA
; With all the candor and straightfor-
~w-ardness with which Mr.. Clark gave his
testimony, it is very doubtful whether he
has strengthened his case. Has he not.
in connection with the evidence of Mr..
Hauser, laid the foundation for pre-
sumptions that may be extravagant in
their character yet not without effect
| upon the committee? It is said that Mr..
| Marcus Daily will testify this week. If
he confirms the testimony of the other
eminent Montanians as to the extraor-
binary sums Of money used by the demo-
suggest to the committee the possibility
that Hamlet was right when he said:
"There is something rotten in Denmark
1t will then remain for Mr.. Clark to con-
clusively show just where he got on, and
then where he got off, the golden-bitted
political Pegasus upon which he rode to
victory.
Insofar as the rich and affluent demo-
cratic party, of which he is one of the
most conspicuous members, is concerned
it stands self confessed as the unshriver
face of such a whirlwind of political ex.
penhitures, were Diogenes to encounter
a Montanian who did mot vote the demo
cratic ticket he would blow out his Ian
tern and discontinue his search in thu
belief that he had at last encountered mo-
only an honest, but a courageous man
If that ancient philosopher ever doubted
the pleasure-giving qualities of wealth
he would be constrained to find solace il
the song Of the hobo, after reviewing tn
situation in which the Croesus -cracket
democracy of Montana has placed itself
Pity the rich! Remember they
Have never been as poor as we;
Have never fed ten times per day
On cold baked beans, mince pie an,
tea;
Have never known the gladstone ease,
The royal ease of ragged clothes