The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-12-17
cLARk's NEW AMBITION.

ambition to be the head of a trust COM
pared with whom the n of which j.
Pierpont Morgan is the managing ed
itor looks like the fifth of a dollar.
The correspondent wires his paper
that efforts are now being put forth at
Paris by agents of the Amalgamated
| Copper company to secure a majority
of the shares of the Rio Tinto Copper
| company and that the senator's re-
| cent visit to the French capital was
for the purpose Of helping the mat
ter along. The great popularity of
Rio Tintos as a form of investment,
in both France and Germany, says
! the correspondent, makes it somewhat
| difficult to bring about the combina-
ton, as the holders are not free with
| their offers to sell the stock. But,
| says he, by shrewd manipulation the
Amalgamated has managed to buy up
many of the shares held in Germany
and is playing every card to force the
Rio Tinto into the combine.
But aside from the aversion of the
French holders to sell, he says the
holdings of the Rothchilds is another
bar to the successful elimination of
the scheme the Americans are trying
to work. He thinks, however, that
should Amalgamated keep up its spec
ulation the public would in time grow
tired and the coveted merger will be
effected. At least that is the opinion
of financiers, and the further fact that
the Rio Tintos have been disturbed
more or less IN the French bourse
during the past few days is looked
upon as being favorable to the Anal
gamated. But as yet it is not believ-
ed that an agreement has been enter
ed into between the two concerns to
limit the output.
Even with Rio Tinto in the combi-
nation there still remains the Calumet
& Helca company to be dealt with.
Unless that monster producer of the
red metal should join, the trust which
Mr.. Clark is credited with being anxi-
GUS to head would still be far from
having an actual existence and control
of the copper market of the world
would not yet be vested in one concern
and that concern having Montana's
junior senator for it's presiding genius
and directing head.
Should the report prove to be true
it would place Mr.. Clark in a position
where the members of his party, es-
p%eccially in this state, would be JUST
fed in c%atechising him and he might
find it rather awkward to explain how
it happened that he, elected on a plat
form which vas full of denunciations
of trusts of all kinds, aspires to be
the head of the most powerful trust
in the world, not excepting the Stand.
ard Oil. The story is given much prom.
inence in eastern newspapers and it
certainly has not escaped the notice
of Mr.. Clarks' own papers, but as yet
none of them has seen fit to dignity
the report by any comment or denial.
If the story turns out to be true the
senator will probably have to make
the same explanation that was made
by a once famous Colorado politician,
who, after his election to represent
his state in the same body of which
Mr.. Clark is an honored member say
fit to vote on certain measures in di
rect opposition to the pledges con,
tanned IN his party's platform. Being
asked how he could reconcile his own
position with that of his party he re
piled by telling a little story.
The story was that when he left
Denver on his way to Washington he
thought he would like to ride for a lit
tie while on the platform of the cal
in which he happened to find himself
and take a smoke. He had no NOR
than lighted his cigar ere the coloreG
porter put in an appearance and in
formed him it was against the rules o.
the company to permit passengers tt
ride on the platform, and he would
have to go inside. But" remonstrat
ed the new statesman, II am on thu
car; the platform is a part of the ca.
and having paid my fare, 1 don't SCI
why l haven't a right to be here"
Oats SO, boss, but you see, plat
, forms is made to get in>en."
!, Those to whom he related the stor,
at once saw the point of the Cole
radoan's argument and questione
him no further.
A POTENTIAL PROJECT.