Fergus County Democrat., 1910-11-01
CLOUDING THE ISSUE.

is attempting to perpetuate the DOM
ination of that nefarious organization
in this state by having Senator
Thomas H. Carter Reelected to the
position he now holds. Every trick
known to the skilled politician is be-
ing resorted to in behalf of Senator
Carter's candidacy. The active aid of
the great corporations, of whom Car
ter has ever been a devoted friend,
has been called into service. A high
official in railroad circles in this state
has told the writer of this article that
the word has gone forth from head
quarters that every railroad employe
in Fergus county should vote for the
republican legislative ticket. This
form Of coercian, together with the
power of practically unlimited sums
of money which are to be used in
the closing days Of the campaign, are
expected to bring about the election
of Messrs. Phillips, Peterson and
Slayton, to the end that these three
gentlemen may be on hand to cast
their votes for Senator Carter in
January.
The republican leaders in Fergus
county, like those elsewhere through
out Montana, are also making des-
perate effort to becloud the main is
sue, which is Carterism, by injecting
the name Of w. A. Clark into the
campaign.
It is being stated that the Butte,
New York and Paris millionaire is at
least a receptive candidate for the
United States senate and that the
election of democratic legislators
from Fergus county might enhance
his chances of election.
The editor of this paper, who hap
pens also to be the democratic candi-
date for the state senate, has ever
openly condemned the disgraceful
methods employed by Clerk in secur-
ing his election to the United States
senate. That Senator Clark acted as
democrat in the Uniteu States senate
did not condone his offense against
the fair name of our state, in our
opinion. That Similar methods were
employed by Carter, who gave thirteen
checks for one thousand dollars each
to legislative members when he was
first elected to the United States
senate fifteen years ago, in no manner
justified Clark's course of action. The
only difference between Clark and
Carter was that while Clark paid the
cash, Carter gave checks which later
went to protest when presented for
payment at the Edgerton bank in
Helena. So far as political purity and
political ideals are concerned, we
place Carter and Clark in the same
class and consider either of them ut
terly unfit to represent this state in
the upper branch of our national con-
gress. This opinion has been pub
licely stated from a score Of rostrums
in Fergus county during the present
campaign, not only by the senatorial
candidate, but also by Messrs. AS
bridge and Detrick, the democratic
candidates for the legislature.
The republican leaders are delib.
erately trying to fool the voters oi
Fergus county when they insinuat.
that the election of the democratic
legislative candidates will, in any way
benefit Clark in case that gentleman
is an aspirant for Office.
The democrats were willing, in tn,
present campaign, to permit the deae
past bury the dead. Events which ar,
of too recent origin to be forgotten
however, are being recalled by the re
publican leaders efforts to injec
Clark into the local legislative cam
paign. These leaders are rafting tn
skeleton in their own closet and tina
shaft which they imagined would b
an arrow pointed with deadly poisol
for the democratic nominees, turn
out to be aeboomerang, which, loose
into the air, only returns to reope
an old wound in their own ranks.
The people of Fergus county ar
willing to consider William A. Clar
an issue which is relegated to an un
happy and passion distorted pas
They know that if this man shoul
be unwise enough to permit his nam
to come up as candidate for tn
United States senate, Tom Stout, 10
Asbridge and Homer Detrick will op
pose him as vehemently as will Samue
Phillips, Dan Slayton and S. E. Peter
Son if the republicans should be sue