Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-02-21
THE CIRCLE
KNOCKED OUT
Senate Wants It Taken From
the Ballot.
THE VOTE WAS DECISIVE
The Opponents of the Measure Claim
it Will Disfranchise Thous-
andS OF Voters.
THE VOTE WAS DECISIVE
Special to the Inter Mountain,

ApCNiul " lllc lHlcI mountain.
Helena, Feb. 21.-The circle on the top
of the official ballot, a child of the fourth
Legislative assembly, received a knockout
blow in the senate this morning. BY the
decisive vote of 16 to the senate in COM
mittee of the whole recommended for
passage a substitute for Hannah's bill
simplifying the form of printing the Off
clal ballot by doing away with the party
name or emblem on top of the ballot and
placing 1T on the same line and to the
right of the candidates name. The bill
was discussed at length and evoked sew
eral sharp passages at arms between it's
friends and opponents.
Clark said it was unconstitutional and
If passed would be vetoed by the COVER
nor If he did not veto it the bill would
result in disfranchising 10000 voters.
Anderson said the ballot under the pro-
| posed law would be four or five feet long
and that it would place too severe an
educational test upon voters.
Hannah wanted to go on record as
! favoring any measure against which was
raised the old constitutional bugaboo.
This bill was fair in every particular and
would do much to correct some of the
wholesale election frauds.
| Stanton went on record against the bill.
| No amendments We're offered.
Worden moved that when the commit
tee arise the bill be recommended for pass
age.
! Clark moved as a substitute that the
bill be indefinitely postponed. The sub
stitute was lost by a vote of to 16. Those
voting aye and to keep the circle and
party name at the top of the ballot We're
Stanton, Anderson, Campbell, Norris,
Clark, Eggleston, Courtney and Tierney.
Anderson then endeavored to offer some
amendments. He remarked that the
circle was a republican measure passed
by republican Legislature. 1t was vetoed
by Governor Richards but passed over his
veto. 1t had redounded to the benefit of
the democratic party. Now an element
in the democratic party aided by repub-
licans proposed to do away with it and
enact a law that would disfraEchise many
an honest man who did not possess the
necessary educational qualifications.
"These republicans stand by and sic on
. the two factions of the democratic party,
said the Meagher county statesman.
. Senator Myers, who was in the chair.
J held that AnderSOn's motion to amend
. would not be in order unless Senator
Worden, who made the motion to recon-
. mend the bill for passage, would consent
will the senator consent?" asked the
J chair.
] mo" was the emphatic answer. The
out division being asked.
Other bills passing the committee OF
y the whole were StantOns relating to ffe
companies doing business in the state de-
termining the value of property totally
destroyed, ETC.; also relating to attach
y ments before debts are due, also filing Oh
) contracts; and Hannah's extending the
J time of liens.
The committee on corporations report
\ ed adversely upon Warmers bill prevent
ing railroads from eXacting tunne
y charges and the committee on public
: morals knocked out AndersOn's bill
changing the age of consent from 16 to is
) The bill creating the office of assistant
y state land register was recommended fol
5 passage. This afternoon the senate re-
sumed committee of the whole work TAX
5 ing up the special order, the subs titute fol
y S. b. 81 creating Powell county.
5 Reading of bills and listening to com
mittee reports were about the most i'm
portant features of the morning session OF
y the house. H. B 1872, which furnished 81
much excitement yesterday when passed
in committee of the whole with numerous
amendments, and which many tried ir
vain to have printed. was printed during
the night and the bill with amendment IS
J was upon the members desks this morn
' ing 1t also Jared luckily at the hands o!
. the engrossment committee and Will pro-
= badly come up for final passage this af.
ternOon