The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-05-18
FRIDAY. MAY IS, 1900.
THE CLARK CASE.


The action of the Senate Committee on
PRIVILEGES ana Elections in recommend
Ing that the Senate declare that Clark, OF
Montana. was never elected a member
Of that body is deserving of all praise
qor is Mr. Clark's simulated emotion IN
the Senate when announcing his bogus
resignation. and declaring that his only
wish in life was 10 leave his descendants
an unsnIlied name 10 be allowed 10 count
!, Fathers = cisht against the record in
the case. The proof presented to the Sem
ate committee VAS such as to leave the
conviction. beyond the possibility OF
! doubt. in an impartial mind, that Clark's
seat in the body was procured by bribery
and every corrupt practice which could
he MADE available in the case Indeed
the record is such a eesspool of rotten
ness and corruption as makes every man
stand aghast and wonder if The word
moral principle has ever been heard of in
Montana When reading his lachryInal
dirge in The Senate Clark laid great stress
upan the want of proof, as ne claimed.
that he was a party to the guilty prae-
1ices thai have been proved. His arsu-
1,lert was all together a petition for
Scotch verdict of mot proven" yet not
even he had the efrontery to argue that
the Infamous condition did not exist. But
xhen crime has been committed the first
tlll1s done is TO inquire who is interested
10 commit the crime and when that party
has been discovered no great amount of
testimony is needed to satisfy all I'M
partial minds that he inspired the crime.
But special pleading of this sort is not
necessary in this case. The crime was
proved beyond all possibility Of doubt, and
there was abundant evidence produced that
air clark instigated the crime. The Sen
ate owes ii 10 itself. therefore, 10 con-
firm the report of its Committee on Privi-
ieges ana Elections. 1t owes to itself to
declare fatty and unequivocally that no
man coming te its precincts with such
Credentials as Clark bore, can be ad-
united to seat upon its floor. 1t owes
10 Itself 10 declare that such proceedings
as resulted in the nomination of<Ciark are
not an election, and that, therefore. no
election nas been oela in this case: that
clark was never entitled TO any seat in
the body; that he has consequently not
resigned d seat. anl ,aat the char which
ne filled rus been vacaat from the began
ming.
II anything could be added TO bring the
Senate to this resolution the addition would
be found in what has taken place since
Clark resolved to get up The little drama
in when ne performed the leading part in
the Senate The other day. Ii is now per-
1ectly evident that the Governor of Mon
tana was enticed to California by the use
OF ciarlSs rneney 50 that The temporary
Governor, in his absence, Should be clarlS's
partisan. the Lieutenant Governor of the.
State. We have no idea that Clark's let
ter Of resignation WAS written and mailed
on May lin. as it purports 10 have been.
we nave no doubt tha; as soon as ne was
informed the Governor was We'll out of the
State, this letter WIS teiegraphed from
washington to Montana 50 that the Lieu
tenant Gayerno: should receive il, ac;
upon ii. and appoint Clark TO the vacancy
But The senats should promptly declare
that 30 such trick as thai snail be allowed
to prevail vita it; Il should declare that
Ciafa's seat has been vacant all along,
that the Legislature has failed to iii 1t.
ana that no ona can now occSipy ii until
The Legislature elects some one 20 take It,
This much is due TO The integrity aud the
good name Of American institutions.