The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-11-26
SENATORIAL FIGHT
WARM IN MONTANA
Ex-senator Mantle and Con-
gressman Dixon After Sena-
tor Clark's Seat.
CONTEST PROMISES TO
BE VERY INTERESTING
Political Horizon of Montana
State Spotted With Ambi-
tiOus Dark Horses.
Special TO The Tribune.

HELENA, Mont, Nov. 25.-One of
the most interesting political contests
ever witnessed in the Northwest is
scheduled to follow the assembling Of
| the State Legislature in this capital
| city early In January next In the late
| election IN Montana the Republicans
| carried almost every important precinct
| IN the State, even Butte and Silver Bow
county, the alleged Gibraltar of Mon
tann Democracy, surrendering to the
Republican forces almost unconditlon-
ally. AS q natural result Of this rather
surprising political landslide, candi-
dates for the Senatorial toga now worn
by Senator William Andrew Clark are
almost as numerous as sheepherders in
the great stock districts OF the State.
The leading candidates for election to
the National Senate, however, are ex-
Senator Lee Mantle of Butte, Congress
man Joseph NJ Dixon Of Missoula,
Charles NJ Webster, Collector of Gus
toms for the district Of Montana and
Idaho, Of Great Falls, and possibly f.
Augustus Heinze, one of the numerous
multl-mlllionaire copper monarchs of
Butte. However, real interest appears
10 be centered In the contest between
Mantle and Dixon, recognized leaders
of the same party. and yet bitter per
sonal and political enemies, Each of
these ambitious aspirants is known TO
have a strong following, and the fight
for supremacy already inaugurated
promises to be continued through
goodly part Of the legislative session,
before a Senator is chosen.
Mantle's Popularity.
Senator Mantle has already served
brief term in the Senate, and while his
record as a statesman is not particular
ly or especially brilliant, he is recog-
nized as an honest, conscientious sort
of man who, as representative of
Montana in the American House of
Lords, would reflect credit on his con-
stituency and his party as we'll Mantle
became silverite and follower OF
William Jennings Bryan in the Presi
Dental campaign of 1896, and has been
rather severely disciplined since for
party desertion. He is bright, clever
man, popular wherever known, and is
said to be the cautious custodian of
nearly half million dollars, garnered
during the last twenty years. through
shrcwd investments in Butte mining
property and real estate holdings. Aside
from this important feature in one who
aspires TO political preferment in Mon
tana, Mantle is really clever speaker,
and ranks in the oratorical class of To-
cal statesmen. Suave, genial and al |
ways approachable, he easily makes and |
retains friends and admirers wherever
he is located, and it is generally be
lieved here in the capital city that he |
will be hard man to down IN the Sen
atorial fight now fairly on.
AS to Joe Dixon.
Arrayed against ex-senator Mantle |
and the field in the sultry political con
test is Congressman Joseph NJ. Dixon |
Of western Montana in general and Mis- |
soula in particular Dixon is now serv-
ing his second term in the house, and |
refused n denomination rendered him
this fall in order TO enter the Sen
atorial race without anything in the
nature of political handicap. "Joe,"
as he is familiarly called by both
friends and acquaintances, is a natural
politician and something of 'scrap-
per in the political arena He is com
paratlvcly poor man and, aside from
a little real estate in Missoula and the
interest In n leading news
paper proposition in his home town,
has little currency or assets with which
to bolster up md sustain a hard polit-
lcal night IN State where the "long
green has been a mighty important
and necessary factor in securing political
honors during the past fifteen wears.
Dlxpn is full of nerve and ambitious
however, and his friends
and supporters maintain that he will
either succeed Senator w, A. Clark af-
ter the 4,h of March next-or name the
,:lan wno will. In other words If he
fails 20 reach tho Senatorial goal him
self he will throw his strength to any
Did dark horse in the field in order to
iereat the lofty ambition OF his arch.
enemy, Lee Mantle.
Where Garter Stands.
Senator Thomas r. Carter is anpar.
,ntly tnking little interest in the poll
ical controversy now on between Man
lie and Dixon, and yet those familiar
With existing conditions aver that at
he propcc time he viii step into the
ing and virtually dictate the election
u the gentleman who is TO serve as
lis colleague in the Senate II is
'nowu that Carter is at least a per
onal friend of Senator Mantle, and il
t also surmised that he entertains
but a friendly regard for Dix.
~, The latter s personal organ at
.iissoua has vergod on malicious vim
Iietlveness during the past year in as
aillng the personal and political char
ctcr of Carter, and the impression OBJ.
ANS among apparently well-informed
eaders of the party that Carter will
', ','ii"Ic " lus"rllnE an elongated
tlletto into the bubbIing political aspir-
tions of the M,ssoula Statesman dur.
ng the session Of the forthcoming leg.
stature.
Tom Carter is very generally recop.
lzed rs the smoothcst and most sue.
essful politician within the boundar-
cs Of Montana and he never forpets n |
ricnd-or an oncmy, He has forever
loscd the political careers of Charley |
hartman. Colonel Lindsay. the late
'oloncl Sanders and several other an.
2 aonistic Naull la st tatnsnnn and - Ia |