The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1889-11-22
ONE LEGISLATURE ENOUGH.

In part. the policy of republicans
politicians il foreshadowed by the party
press. which hints that possibly there
will he W. legislatures organized at
Helena and fosr senators elected.
No democrat is committed to this
scheme. no democratic newspaper has
put into type a single line i'm its favor.
1t is part of the policy of compromise
which republicans have sought tn sus-
tain from the first. There cannot he in
this state two legislatures commanding
popular respect ar legal recognition.
The people elected one legislature.
under the provisions of the constitution:
they do not propose tn have more than
one, and. il Montana sees two law Civ
ing bodies organized at Helena. the
rump republican legislature which the
people never elected will he legislature
number two. Let this fact I've distinctly
understood for "a starter.
Once and again the STANDARD has
presented the situation from the stand
point of the people. To them il is
matter of small q whether the
sitting members i'm the federal senate
be republican or democrat. To them
the fortunes of this or that politician
are not of ccount. In II public
mind the uproar throughout the terri
tory is insignificant in all that relates To
the triumph or the downfall of this or
hat political faction.
SO far az the sovereign people are
concerned. the issue put to test i'm the
organization of the legislature involves
the right of free suffrage. Citizens
want 10 know to what extent popular
rights may oe invaded with impunity:
they want to understand whether law
permits two men be they the two
grandest men that ever trod the soil of
Montana tn toss into the waste basket
the vote of Ia registered citizens,
whose legal titles have never been sue
cessfully attacked and whose right To
vote has been doubly assured by the
decree of a court the dignity and i'm
Partially of which no decent man has
dared to assail.
Ii the people of this state are of any
account. what good is going To come to
them from the revolutionary condition
Of public affairs that results in two leg
i%slaturesg Ii the tunnel precinct can he
thrown out this year by men who have
proven themselves traitors to the st ate.
who knows where the rascals lodge who
will count ont some larger precinct
next year? Who knows how many
precincts will find their returns tossed
to the winds two year hence And
what value is there i'm statehood. in
suffrage or in citizenship ii one maj
RAJ bet money on the vote of "a polling
place II then deliberately throw out
the vote of that precinct to save his
O and win his bet? That is wha,
William NJ. Jack. of Butte City. la,
been publicly "A of doing. and u,
man has denied it. And this conduc'
il the basis on which Wilbur r. Sander,
and other men Ia their shame he i
said-propose to- institute anarchy an,
set up ~contending legislatures in thi
state which is jealous of its good nam,
AS it is proud of its magniiicen
achievement.
Two Legislatures in Montana New
err! Two governing bodies both u
which must he lawless-to keep thi
state in turmoil. to make law Il frau,
and the constitution "A farce Not
the people cherish their rights and ar
ready to defend them. Democrat
have a lawful majority of the lowe
house at Helena. There will be no tr
fling with pettifogging attorneys a
Helena. No man will DE there to Civ
the lie at the bar to his own utterancs
from the bench. If the representative
named by the people are men. they ii
tall. thoir s.nts aud Le.p fl.m. they vi