The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1900-02-20
FEBRUARY 30, 1900.
THE suPREM COURT.


may beat the testimony given, IN
Washington Ia tho CLARK case Of the at
tempts made to corrupt the supreme
court Of this state. The depths Of
democratic degradation In Montana
have now certainly been reached, II IL
hoped. Nothing has been held sacred
BY tho two waring factions, Not con
tent with d%ebauching the Legislature,
trading In mems honor az II II were &C
much merchandise, blaokeuing the
character OF any and everyone who op.
posed them, invading the sacred precincts
Of the home and tearing to pieces the
reputation Of eitizens who have hereto.
fore been held Ia high esteem hot ool-
tent with all this-they have at last,
after making willing and subselvient
tools OF the democratic state Off oials,
attacked the supeme court. Well may
the people stand aghast at the infamy !
Well may they resolve that the demo.
Gratis shall answer Tor the disgrace they
have brought upon this commonwealth.
which reflects Oh every citizen within
Its boundaries.
As for the supreme court, Judges Hunt
and Pigott have proven that they are
honest men and just judges, but they
have also shown that they are moral cow
ards, along with Chief Justice Bgant-
ley, for not exposing and furnishing
the eofruptionists They not only owed
u TO themselves az men to do 40; 1t
was their plain duty as jurists to pro.
teet the honor Of the highest tribunal
of Montana - the court OF last resort
when Ii was assailed with such base
propositions, Instead OF doing this.
however, they hesitated when sum-.
moned to appear a. witnesses at Wash.
ington, begged to be excused and thus
let II be known that they were willing
to oondone tho crime that had been at.
tempted. Their action will lessen the
respect Of the people Of this state for
their supreme court; their confidence
In II will DO shaken when they realize
that that high tribunal had not the
moral courage to defend itself when
thus attacked. The logical thing to do
now to right the wrong and restore
confidence Ia the court Ia to prosecute
Dr.. VIM. Treaey and compel him to pay
the full penalty for his henious crime.
II the prosecution cannot be had In
Lewis aud CLARK county, ID Gan be had
elsewhere In the state, and justice and
an outraged people have a right to do.
mand that action DO taken forthwith.
The attempt to bride the court hay.
Ing been made Ia W. A. Clark's inter.
est, II Ia folly for him or bis friends to
contend that he IL not responsible for
II. The people Of this state will never
believe that DR., Traaey, or any com.
bination Of Clark's supporters, stood
willing to put up 800, 900 Of their own
money to Judge Hunt, an equal amount
to the attorney general aud no telling
how much more. Neither viii they
believe that anyone would dare TO
make such offers without Clark's
knowledge and consent. With the
testimony that has gone before, with
the admissions of Clark and a few Of
his friends that they spent $500, 900
"logitimatoly' In the last campaign
and during tho Legislative session, 1t Ia
absolutely certain that bis seat Ia the
senate wa purchased and that he IL
willing 20 have committed IN his In.
terest almost any crime IN order that
he may retain II.
Az for the paly faction, which has
been instrumental In pushing this
prosecution, IL IA 4 we'll known fact
that this newspaper has no love for 1t.
That II IL also corrupt, the people have
abundant proof IN the history of Mon.
tana politics. and they Justly ridieule
the position of tho Anaconda Standard
that tho DAILY crowd Ia exposing Clark's
corruption inss order TO "purity" Mon,
tana politics. But. admitting all this,
the fact remains that, II the present in
v~estiRation results in exposing earrup,
ton and furnishing the eorruptionists
OF one side-the DAILY mon have rem,
dered the state a distinct service, The
nnaaanufian aunnId mt hana hoan nt-