uture and would be
altogether futile. The disgraceful contest had killed his dearest
friend--driven the wife into retirement to avoid the glare of scandal,
and it was likely to lose him Winifred.

His hand went up, and the President of the Senate recognized him. He
rose.

"Mr. President: I rise to a point of personal privilege."

"The Senator from Chouteau," announced the presiding officer of the
joint assembly, surprised but courteous. Philip Danvers was not one to
be ignored, no matter how inopportune the time. As he stood there for
the moment silent, he conveyed the impression of perfect poise, and the
honesty and sincerity of his purpose was patent to all.

"Mr. President: In the struggle to elect a United States senator which
has lasted this entire session of our legislative assembly, the party
with which I have the honor to be affiliated, ever since I foreswore
allegiance to my native country, has, unfortunately, never been able to
fix on a caucus nominee; and I have been forced, unwillingly, to lead
the minority of my party against the man whose name led all others in
the last ballot. As a result of the division, the election of a senator
has descended to a contest of one individual, with the known antagonism
of not only the best element of his party, but the ill will of the whole
State, irrespective of party.

"The shameless condition that this has fostered is now familiar to every
man in the United States. When that politician, ravenous for his spoil,
could not get enough supporters from his own party, he went into the
highways and byways of Democrats, Populists and Laborites; he gathered
not only the poor and needy, but some few men hitherto possessing
apparent respectability, and good standing at home and abroad.

"Personal reasons have kept me silent on the floor of this house,
however much I may have worked in other ways against this crime. But the
time has come when I must put aside all thought of self in the greater
interest of the reputation of Montana.

"Gentlemen: A most outrageous crime is being committed upon this State!
I can keep my seat no longer while the very walls reek with bribery!
Yes, bribery! No one has dared to voice that sinister word in this
Assembly, but we all know that in every hotel corridor, on every street,
in every home in this State that damnable word is handed from mouth to
mouth as claim and counterclaim, that certain men have been purchased
like cattle in open market,