The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-05-17
A Bunko Senator.

drawn between him and Brigham II.
| Roberts. Shameless himself, he sought
and found delight in parading his dis
grace before the country; and at the
the senate by bit of bunko work quite
harmonious with the methods by which
his alleged election was brought about.
He has offered to the senate of the
United States the most fragrant insult
that II ever received. He splits upon
the people of this country; on their
reverence for honesty. their respect for
manhood. And as he sought by pur-
chase to enter into body with whose
honorably elected members he is not fit
to associate, so does he now insist that
he will remain. by sharp practice,
among those who from this day ought
to refuse to him even the formal cour-
tesy of personal recognition. William
A. Clark is not a man whom any self
respecting senator can afford to know.
The story of his latest performance
reads like chapter from the lowest
form Of ward politics. He has hung on
to the shadow Of title to his seat for
weeks after he was branded as a cor
rupter Of politics and a debaucher OF
public morals. Meantime he laid his
plans carefully. The governor of Mon
tana had no use for this discredited
bride gver, but the lieutenant governor
was one of his creatures. Waiting until
the chief executive was absent from the
state. he timed his formal resignation
so that he might be reappointed by the
lieutenant governor before the honor
of the state could be saved While he
was making a mock OF sentiment by
charges against his good name, while
he was receiving tenders OF good will
from senators who believed that he had
the grace to remove himself at least
from the body where his presence was
an offence. he had arranged the last act
that should, as he thought, force him
upon the senate that had condemned
and the people that had repudiated him.
1t Is an act of unparalleled insolence;
scandal that demands treatment in
slant and severe.
Whatever hesitation any senator may
have felt about the Clark case in the
past should vanish now. There should
be no more tolerance for the man who
seeks to break into the United States
senate by force and by chicane than
for him who thought that he had pur-
chased seat. IL it were possible for
William A. Clark to consummate sue
oessfully his impudent defiance OF pub
lie opinion, of political morality. of the
laws of his state, IL 1t were possible for
him TO hold even furnished title to a
senatorship, then the senate would bet
ter adjourn repeatedly until the end Of
his term rather than to accept the con-
tamination of his presence. But 1t Is
not necessary. The remedy is simple
and obvious. and II ought to be applied
without delay,
BY the precedent set by the senate
short time ago in the Quay case. the
appointment of Clark is invalid. He has
not a rag Of title to the place that he
covets. The finding of the senate COM
mittee on privileges and elections was
that the election 10 the senate OF VII
liam A. Clark. of Montana. is null and
void. on account OF brIberies. attempted
briberies and corrupt practices by his
agents and OF violation Of the law Of
Montana defining and furnishing crimes
against the elective franchise" The
resolution which the committee unanl-
mously recommended for adoption was
as follows: Resolved, That william
A. Clark was not duly and legally elect.
ed to seat In the senate of the United
States by the Legislature OF the state
OF Montana" II these words mean
anything at ALI they mean that Mr.
Clark. backed by the governors ap-
pointment. has no more claim upon a
seat than one Of the political strikers
whom he employed to buy votes for
him.
| II Clark had been duly elected. but
had been excluded by the senate fer
| personal reasons, then an appointment
| would be valid. The senate could stnl
| exclude him, as the house excluded
Roberts. as a violator Of the law and
an unfit person. For each house is the
sole Judge OF the qualifications Of its
members. But the finding Of the sen
ate committee is that he was not elect
ed at all. The pretended election is ut
terry illegal and void. That being true.