Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1901-01-16
A DEFENSE OF REPUBLICANS.

Nothing has happened since the legis-
lature convened so vastly amusing as
the solemn warnings of the democratic
press alleging the dark purpose of the
republican members to slip an uncon-
stitutional eight-hour bill through the
Legislative hopper and thus deprive the
of toll of the benefits they were
promised if they would rally to the sup
port of the fusion ticket in the late
campaign. The democratic press GER
tainly ought to know. and the labor
that the fusionists have clear working
majority in the legislatures; that the
speaker of the house and the presiden;
of the senate are both fusionists and
that the labor committee of each has a
fusion majority. If an unconstitutional
eight-hour bill should slip through the
hands of these gentlemen. and with the
governors signature. become law
without fusionst knowledge and con-
sent. according to what system of
reasoning could the minority party be
held responsible?
This is a government of responsible
majorities. The people Of Montana, in
cleciing a fusion legislative majority
last November, soemnly charged that
majority with the duty Of enacting an
eight hour law. That is an opinion ex-
pressed by Governor Toole in his mes
sage to the Solons at Helena, and he
called upon that majority to keep faith
with the people. In compliance with his
suggestion, two representatives., both
from Silver Bow county. promptly in
PRODUCED bills providing for an eight
hour working day These bills may be
nothing has so far developed to justify
the leading democratic organ of the
state in coming out with a sensational
warning about republican conspiracy
to defeat an eight hour law or slip
through a measure which will not stand
the test of the courts. One day a mean
insinuatlon was published. that unless
extra precautions We're taken with the
bill. an "unfriendly court may declare
it void" the unjust impnca ton being
that the court might do 50 regardless
of the legal issues involved. Such an
and equally without reason as to the
republicans in the legislature; but it
A very simple way for the fusion ma
jority to guard itself from imposition
by the minority on this subject is to
proceed at once With the Kilgallon bill,
or any other that satisfies the fusion
lawyers in the legislature, and the labor
leaders outside, pass 1T through the
house and senate regardless of republic
can action, and send it to the governor
for signature. His excelency has long
been one of the states most profound
lawyers, and if he. being satisfied with
its constitutionality and effectiveness,
attaches his name, the Inter Mountain
cannot understand how the republican
party may be held responsible for the
result. or why, at this early stage of
legislation on the subject the demo-
cratic organs are accusing the. repub-
lican minority of designs against re-
form pledged in the republican state
platform and advocated by every repub-
lean speaker during the campaign.
Has there been a change in conditions
at Helena which may ultimately array
the fusionists against eight hours, and
which renders it advisable for the
fusion organs to pave the way for
throwing the responsibility for the de-
feat of the eight -hour movement upon
the minority party? Let the fusion
organs be frank. They are dealing with
an issue concerning which organized
tabor in Montana has a right to know
the facts, and is very much in earnest
What is the republican plot to beat
eight hours? How can minority de-
feat the will of the ma jority, or be held
responsible for majority action? What
Is the reason for this foolish misrepre-
sentation of the republican party unless
to protect democracy for some contem-
plated treachery to labor?
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