The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-05-07
AN HONORABLE PROPOSITION.

On the the Goth day of February last,
the date of the adjournment of the first
legislative assembly of the state of Mon
tana, the democratic members OF the
house Of representatives assembled in
caucus and through a committee con
sisting of H. L. Frank, Silvan Hughes
and f. Beach made the following formal
offer to the republican representatives:
We, the undersigned, as a committee
from caucus OF the democratic members
of the house branch of the legislative as
sembly, being duly directed and empowered
by it's prior action so to do and in behalf of
the democratic party, for the purpose of
securing forthwith a perfect legislative
organization, in which each branch shall
recognize the other, and which as whole
shall receive recognition from both co-ordi-
nate divisions of the government. both ex
ecutive and judicial-in short, to obtain at
once a single and united house Of represen
tatives and to permit a present expression
from the people as to what its political
complexion should be-hereby submit to
you, the republican members OF the house,
and through you to the republican party Of
O1 TIC SUuUc, bAc lOllOWl1Ap pLopOoloioH.
That the five democratic and the five re-
publican claimants to the five disputed seats
in the house from Silver Bow county shall
each and all at once send in their resigna-
ton of those seats to the governor; that n
new election be forthwith had in Silver Bow
county to fill the five vacancies thereby
caused, in which the nominees of each party
respectively shall be the five persons of its
own political persuasion now claiming those
seats, to-wit Democrats-A. M. Day, A.
M. Dessault, John w. Gilligan, Joseph Ho-
gan and Thomas Courtenay; republicans
A. f. Bray, p. X. Dolman, W. II. Roberts,
j. ~ Monteith and William Thomson.
And for the performance of the foregoing
covenants on our parts, if this proposition
be accepted, we hereby pledge ourselves, the
democrats above specially named, our eau.
Gus, and our party at large.
H. l.. FRANK,
SYLVAN HUGHES,
E. BEACH,
Committee.
That proposition still stands unac-
copied. Since it was made the district
court sitting in Butte has passed judg
ment on the points in controversy at the
election at precinct "a. After full and
fair trial, in which the republican con-
testant for sheriff had opportunity to
produce all the evidence in support of
his case, and utterly failed to impeach
the validity of the vote at the precinct in
question, the court decided that that
election was fair and honest.
Within the last thirty days an cleo
ton has been held in the city of Butte,
in which the parties by common consent
made the election at precinct "a last
year party issue. The popular YER
dict was overwhelmingly in favor of the
democrats. The republican claimants
from Silver Bow county now have no
grounds, legal or otherwise, to stand
upon. If they are honest and fair
minded men with any regard for the
future welfare of their state, why should
they longer persist in playing the part
OF obstructionists? There are now no
party questions at issue. There is need
of much legislation of non-partisan
nature, upon which men of both parties
can agree. The five democrats from
Silver Bow county who believe them
selves entitled to seats in the house OF
representatives are willing to submit
their claims to the popular judgment at
the ballot box. Why should not the re-
publican claimants do the same thing!
Are they afraid of the people?
The esteemed journal remarks "The