Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1901-01-09
GOVERNOR TooLE's MESSAGE.

which the Inter Mountain gives its
hearty endorsement. AS the governor
we'll says, all political parties gave their
endorsement to the eighth hour law in
the late campaign. in one form or an
other; it is therefore reasonable to as
sumo that an eight-hour law will pass.
Discussion will no doubt arise as to the
range which such law should take;
that is, how far it should go. and what
classes of labor it should cover, and
upon this particular phase OF the law
there will no doubt be some radical
differences of opinion and much ami
mated discussion. 1t is manifestly i'm
possible to enact a law applying the
eight hour day to all classes of labor
as such law would of necessity be
more honored in the breach than IN
the observance" At the same time there
will be constitutional considerations to
be taken into account in framing law
which shall meet the popular demand
and stand the legal test to which almost
any law limiting the hours OF labor is
certain to be subjected.
We earnestly endorse the suggestion
respecting the election OF United states
senators by a direct vote of the people.
I-pon this question the governors COM
ments are eminently apropos, and ne
might we'll have added. that had popular
elections of senators been in vogue
Montana would no doubt have been
SHARED much of the ignominy which
has fallen uprl her, and much Of the
disgrace which rests upon her good
name as direct result of the scandals
- arising out of the present method We
are sorry the governor did not take this
subject up somewhat more in detail and
bring his we'll known eloquence to bear
in denuncia ton of the disgraceful pro-
ceedings which took place two years
ago.
Many of the governors remarks
touching the interference by corpora
tons and their agents in the political
affairs of the people also meet our UNI
qualified approval There has been too
much of it here in Montana in the past.
too much coercion of employees, too much
interference by bosses, too much de-
nd "a
that his employee should vote as he was
told. or lose his job. That sort of thing
has been all too common in this state
In elections gone by. And in passing.
we may add parenthetlcally that, as
rule, it has been done mainly in the
interest of the democratic party.
We also fully agree with his excel
lency touching the wisdom of removing
the circle from the top of the ballot
That amendment to the old law was
made in the belief that it would expe,
dte voting, and particularly the can
vassing of the vote. But while it no
doubt does act as time saver in cleo
lions. it has also proven of great as
s.stance in keeping check on employees
by enabling the boss to time the voter
and thus determine whether he was
voting his ticket straight or stopping
TO scratch it, By all means let the
circle on the ballot go. Republicans
will not oppose this reform, we are Ger
tain. Most Of them can read and write
and have intelligence enough to mark
their ballots in accordance with their
intent.
We are also pleased to note that the
governor throws out gentle hint to
the radical element of the fusion aggre-
CATION that it might be unwise for them
to proceed to extremes by Extending
legislation so as to comprehend
prohibition of the evils existing and
anticipated, especially as it may relate
to those necessary commodities already
monopollzed, and which consequently
cannot be supplied from any other
source. l am therefore inclined to hold
to the opinion that while there may be-
and doubtless is, much that the state
can do, the only complete relief and
remedy available in such cases, con-
Sstent with a due regard to our own
interests, must be found in national in
stead of state legislation"
We take this to mean more particu
larry that, while kerosene" was a gooc
enough N0mpaign slogan, and while, dur.
ing the recent campaign the mere men
ton of it would drive the avera g
fusionist to the nearest saloon, yet now