Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1901-03-01
SENATE BILL 81
OPPOSITION TO THIS FAMOUS
MEASURE SECURES ANOTHER
Ill
f;7'~
HELD BACK FOR SOME DAYS.
Opposition to the Printing Bill Is Very
Observation-Disclosures Making
Themselves Offensive.
HELD BACK FOR SOME DAYS.

opeclal correspondence Inter Mountain
Helena, Feb. 2S.-In a hall where the
atmosphere was over-heated and laden
with the germs of disease incident to
poor ventilation, where one could hard
~ breathe on account of the sitting
FUMES OF tobacco and of liquids COM
monty retalled across the bar-a veri-
table BLACK Hole of Calcutta''-the
members of the assembly sat and rowed
Tor hours today over the passage of
! senate bill No. 81, relating to the dis
qualifications of judges in civil actions.
NOBODY that Witnessed the scene for
even pflef period and subjected his
hostrlls TO the assaults of about ten
dlstlnct doors, each struggling hard for
the whole attention of the olfactory
nerves, could have left the place with
out pessimistic views on the subject of
legislation generally and exceedingly
uncharitabel opinions of the personality
of particular legislators,
Delay was the keynote of the Mac
Glnnlss forces and delay they secured,
even thoush the majority in favor of
the Dill was sufficient to pass it at any
time any person had shown enough of
common sense or knowledge of parlia-
mentary law to see that affairs We're
conducted along unobstructed path
ways. 1t was a display of ignorance,
lhcouthness. venom and all-around
cussedness'-an exhibition causing men
to lose faith in their fellows.
Take the statement of John MacGin-
ms, Tor instance, which is here given
III 1ull from stenographic notes, or the
question of affidaVitS:
why he exclaimed "all that is
necessary to secure a change of Venue
under the provisions OF this bill is that
an affidavit be filed. You can secure an
affidavit on any question in a legal con-
troversy in this state for a paltry con-
sheraton"
Mr.. MacGinis then went on to show
the alleged injustice of the bill He
CANNED that it was not fair to change
conditions of a contest that had gone on
for three years: he asserted that
change of venue would certainly work
havoc with a Door man. and he be-
walled the fact that the proposed meas
ure was fathered by the Amalgamated
Copper company.
Dixon made a very forcibly reply. In
fact, Dixon and John r. Toole were the
only persons that did any sensible talk
ing during the consideration of the
measure. Mr. Dixon showed clearly that
the amendments made to the senate
bill headed off the arguments furnished
by MacGinnis and that they had all
been made at the suggestion of Mr..
MacGinnis himself. The only clause
that fault could be found with was
that the litigants who believed them
selves at disadvantage on account of
biased judge could take an appeal to
the supreme court. 1t was made manda-
tory on that court to consider an appeal
in such case Immediately by advanc-
ing it to the head of the calendar, and
as the mining litigation in Silver Bow
county is now two years behind the
calendar, appeals would necessal T., be
settled at least 16 minths before cases
were again before the district court
Then came blocking tactics" 1t was
moved that the majority report be
adopted and as a substitute that the
report be adopted. Then came
motions to table. the previous question
and others. so fast shorthand reporter
could hardly have kept tab on what
wasn't moved. The assembly voted on
everything in sight, generally by roll
call on division, because somebody de-
manded 1t If the vote was ever so de-
cisive. And finally. when it was 4:sO
O'Clock in the afternoon and the ma or-
ity report had been finally adopted, it
was moved after desultory skirmish-
ing in the field of parliamentarism that
the bill. as amended, be referred to the
printing committee. Then somebody
wished the committee to report tomor-
row. There was a motion to table this,
and substitute, and everything had
to be voted on. Finally. just as a de-
cisive vote was about to be taken on
the time the committee should report,
some one moved to adjourn, and the
tired legislators by a majority vote de-
cided to vote no more until tomorrow at I
II O'clock
The result is that the printing COM
mittee will not report for three days.
and then will come more blocking tao
tics" In time the bill may pass; that
is, if the majority will take some book
dealing with parliamentary practice and
study it diligently for the next three
days. Otherwise the bill may be lost
by shear ignorance on the one side and
cunning on the other. John MacGinnis
may not be an angel, not even a wing
less angel" but he understands parlia-
practice, and has managed to
block the passage of a bill for three
days-it will be at least six days by