The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1900-12-14

deliberative body to move to Civ,
place in its proceedings to any part O
its business not finally disposed O.
and which may be. held in allegiance
He seems to have properly held to tn,
view that inasmuch as the resolution
had not been acted upon by the mali
body, its recommittal to the subor
dinate body which had originated it
for the purpose Of further considera
ton and probable presentation to tht
superior body, was a course justified
by events that have arisen since it,
first submission.
He explained this when he said that
action on the resolution had been fore.
stalled by Mr.. Clark, who had re.
signed the seat to which the resolution
alleged he had no title. The action OF
Mr.. Clark prevented debate and q
vote on the committees report, at
least for that time. His temperance
with a demand for the seat, based
upon an appointment, it would seem
again places him within the .jurisdic-
ton Of the senate and that body in
exercising the right which makes it
the judge of its own members has the
undoubted prerogative to extend the
scope of it's Investigations to the point
where they include past acts that may
have tended to vitiate a previously
alleged title to a seat. Viewed from
this distance it would seem that MI.
Chandler was correct when he took
the ground that the whole case had
not been disposed of by the resigna-
tion and departure of Mr.. Clark. The
fact that the committees resolution
was placed upon the calendar would
go to show a manifest intent to call it
up at some future time and until some.
disposition is made Of it the question
is not dead, Mr.. Bacon of Georgia to
the contrary notwithstanding. No
matter what Mr.. Chambers motive,
he has the undoubted right to ask for
action on the report and resolution,
whether that action be in the direction
of a recommittal or a vote by the SEN
ate OH the proposition to adopt or re-
ject.
Of course, it is impossible to tell
what action the senate will take, but
the fact is patent that Mr.. Clark
erred when he decided to urge his
claim to a seat by virtue Of the title
he may have acquired through his ap-
pointment by the lieutenant governor
of Montana. He may not only not get
the seat now, but in the event of his
election by the Legislature of the state
at its next session the apparent feeling
now entertained against him by some
of the senators may take the shape of
awkward hostility and opposition to
seating him on the strength of the
election he now looks forward to
with so much confidence. It would
be a comparatively easy matter to in
stitute another contest and in that
case Mr. Clark would be in the posi-
ton of every defendant-he would be
compelled to submit to a review Of his
past career and merciless dissection
Of his previous reputation. In this
respect he would be unfortunate. The
report of the senate committee on
privileges and elections, submitted
two years ago, would stand as danger
GUS testimony against him and his
every action in connection with the
election then being considered would
be subjected to the most rigid scrut-
my, a scrutiny not all together free
of suspicion and matters that under
other circumstances might be regarded
as trifng and not worthy of considera-
ton would come in for a full share Of
the attention paid to others of known
or supposed weight and seriousness.
Plainly Mr.. Clark should have heed
ed the advice of his friends and per-
mitted Martin Maginness to occupy
for a few weeks the seat both covet
SO much.
NEW PLAN REGARDING CHINA.