Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1901-03-15

til at about 1:S0 a. m. it was broken in
a scrimmage while the hands were be-
ing turned back, after which it appears
ct there was no further attempt at
keeping up the fiction.
, We do not recall any other occasion
on which an official timepiece has been
put so far in the wrong, but the device
is a familiar one in parliamentary an
nails. 1t used to be one of the chlet
pleasures of attending the ceremony In
the senate chamber at Washington on
inauguration day to see the venerable
Captain Bassett mount stepladder ana
turn back the hands of the clock IN order
that official noon might not arrive before
it was wanted. Possibly it is because
the sun. unlike terrestrial beings. is
ashamed to behold such a performance
that, with just enough exceptions to
prove the rule. the 4th of March every
fourth year is dark and tempestuous
day. If so, it has to be admitted that
our distinguished luminary is not con-
sistent for the same thing often occurs
at the end of other sessions with the
sun as a witness. Moreover. the records
show that exceedingly important bust
ness is frequently transacted, as just now
in Montana. after legislative assemblies
have ceased to exist according to the
strict terms of law Thus on March a.
1885. the bill to MAKE Grant general
on the retired list of the army was
passed after Il o'clock noon. or at least
he was nominated to that office by Presi
dent Arthur and confirmed in open SEES
sion after that hour, and in order to
make the notorious fact appear other
wise Captain Bassett had to turn the
Il, 1,, Il. Tn, hot ct n RS,
the whole country was profoundly desir-
Gus that the thing attempted should be
done. and there would have been danger
of riot in the senate galleries if there
had been the slightest interference with
the plan to solace General Grants last
days oy conclusive token of national
gratitude and affection.
1t is usually the case that measures
passed by means of an assault upon the
clock-or the passage of which. to speak
more accurately. is attended by such a
concession to appearances-are respon
SlVe to necessity or general desire and
we are not aware that their validity
has ever been called in question. Per-
haps no practical possibility of review
ing them exists. If law or an appoint
ment could. under such circumstances
be taken into court it would probably be
held that it was not function of the
judiciary to keep Tune for lawmakers.
Yet this senate election in Montana does
raise the inquiry whether or not there
is any limit to legislative voliton in that
matter and if so. where and by whom
the line is to be drawn. When Mr. Glib
son was elected the Montana legislature
had been nOninally defunct for more
than three hours. Suppose that it had
kept on balloting until SUNRISE or noon
OIL Friday, or the middle of next week
II its existence could be fctitiously pro-
longed three hours. why might it not
have been prolonged three days, or in
definitely?
AS we have said, there is no intimation
of a rebellion on the part of the other
candidates, who indeed hoped to be
| elected until the last ballot had been
! cast, and who are therefore morally
! estopped from complaining; or on the
part of the people of the state, who
may be very well suited. But it is not
inconceivable that somewhere at some
future time, when passion and resent
ment are running high, the conversion
by artificial means of a drawn battle
| into victory for one side and a defeat
| for the other may produce sensational
| paS,11tc