The Great Falls leader. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1888-1900, 1889-12-28


Perhaps it is not to be wondered ut
that the democratic members Of the
Montana legislature have disgraced
themselves. In the first place the re-
ward they have hoped to gain is large.
They did not cheat in the beginning, and
they do not disregard the Will of their
constituent now simply because they de-
sire to pass certain laws to which they
are devoted. Law making, of course, is
the business of legislature, and when
thirty or more men who have been cleo
ted to legislature refuse to attend or to
organize it, the inference is that they do
not want to make laws. In the Montana
case the real reason is that they don't
want the republicans to secure the two
| United States senators whom the people
OF Montana, by electing republican leg
| lature, determined in favor of. The
| democrats of that new state concede that
the present is their last chance, and that
they must capture it or fall into hope
less minority. Soon they will realize
that whether they win or fail their doom
is the same.
just now it looks as if failure were in.
evitable. A month ago the legislature
convened. The republican members OF
both houses assembled and awaited the
arrival of their democratic colleagues
They waited in vain. The democratic
members of the lower house, taking with
them the five frauds from Silver Bow
county, organized themselves into house
of their own. The democratic members
of the senate simply stayed out without
even taking the oath. This action LEFT
the senate without quorum, for it was
composed of eight republicans and eight
democrats. The republicans were pow
erless to compel the attendance Of mer
who had not qualified. Thirty days were
thus idly spent, each house meeting anG
adjourning every day, and the democratic
trump house" doing the same thing with
amusing zeal.
Under the Montana law the seats OF
Legislators who for thirty days neglect
the performance of their duties are de-
clared vacant, and new elections must be
ordered. The democratic senators were
not willing to go before the people for a
vindication of their behavior, knowing
we'll enough that the result would be ar
overwhelming defeat. So, as their days
of grace were about to expire, they
trooped into the senate chamber ant
qualified, believing that organization
would even then be impossible since the
chamber was evenly divided, and they
intended to refuse to vote. When they
put this intent into execution, however
the lieutenant-g governor startled them by
ruling that the republican votes cas-
were entirely sufficient for the purposes
of organization. if full quorum were
present, even though less than quorum
chose to avail themselves of their right tt
vote.
The righteousness Of this ruling is un
deniable. The democrats have pursued
a course which from start to finish wa
Isubversive of public order, dishonest II
motive and treacherOus to their constitu
ents and to the whole state. Even tht
petty technicalities that they attempted
to stand on are such that no argumen
can be hung upon them. The Legislature
should now go on and complete its work
1t should perform all its duties under
the new constitution, pass such laws a!
lare commended to it, elect the United
Estates senators and leave the democrats
and Governor Toole to their own devices
New York Tribune.