Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-11-17
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER Il. 1900.
THE COMING LEGISLATURE.

1t is hoped on behalf of the patient
and long-suffering people of Montana
that there will be no repetition this
winter of the long-drawn-out struggle
which characterized the senatorial cleo
ton two years ago, and which with its
attendant scenes. brought such re-
proach upon the state.
The people of Montana have a right
to demand of the Legislature they have
Just elected the expeditions and honor
able transaction of public business.
There are laws to enact and amend, ap-
preparations to examine and pass. and
many subjects relating to the public
business and the public rights and needs
to be debated and acted upon. These
considerations are quite as important
and of far more direct personal interest
than the election of two United States
senator's. Yet there are democrats who
predict that the time of the entire ses-
sion will be occupied in a wrangle over
the distribution of senatorial honors,
and that Hon. w. A. Clark himself will
not be elected without certain expensive
formal.ties, and that even should he be
elected without delay, the filing of the
other senatorial office will be relied
upon to fill many a legislative pocket,
and tina 70. this reason only rich men
are talked of for the short term.
Such a situation would be simply in
famous. 1t would Justify the people of
state capital and hanging every man
known to have his hands out and to be
willing to embroil the state in another
senatorial orgie. There is a limit to the
public patience. There is "a line beyond
which ever a legislature may not go
with entire safety from outraged citi-
zens.
There might have been some shadow
Of reason two years ago for certain
democrats to delay the senatorial cleo
ton, thus wasting the public funds and
ignoring the public interests, by claim
Ing that they did not know who was
the choice of the electors for the office
of senator. But they know now. They
know that, right or wrong, w. A. Clark
made and led the democratic fight, that
he created the issue which settled it,
that he organized the party, planned
the campaign and paid for it, and that
the democratic legislature was elected
by him and for him. This being true,
no democrat should hesitate to help
make him a senator within a week OF
his securing the caucus nomination of
his party. Naturally his choice for
short term senator will have great
ocfat if Mr.. Clark proposes to re-
tein his standing at the head of his
the federal senate, He will probably
favor J. X. Toole, II. l.. Frank, Charles
Hoffman, Walter Cooper or Frank G
Higgins. One of the five will be elected
and there is no reason why the election
should not a place the day Mr.. Clari
himself shall be elected. That wonlC
put an end to the agony, save Montana
a possible repetition of the infamy o
1898. and give the legislature an oppor
tunity to go to work for the state o
Montana. The 81 republican member!
will not figure in the senatorial light, be
ing unfortunately and undeservedly i
the minority. They will look on hopin.
for a chance to do their part in the worl
of state legislation and intellectual
and morally able to do it with abilir,
and credit. All they ask is for the dem
ocrats to elect their senator's and clea
the legislative decks for work on beha
of the taxpayers of the state.
PARDoNING CRIMINALS.
If it be the purpose of Governor Smit