Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-12-02

IN SESSION
Special Session Convened at Helena
Tuesday Noon and Listened to
Governors Message.
ACT ON EMERGENCY BILLS ONLY
Governor Declines to Permit leeisla
ture to Take Up Miscellan.
eous Subjects.
Special TO the Argus.


Helena. Dec. 1.-The special session
OF the Eighth Legislative Assembly
met today at IL o'clock noon. AT
1915 organization had been perfect.
ed and the members listened to the
reading OF the governors message by
himself. AT / o'clock the senate had
adjourned until o'clock Wednesday
afternoon.
There were only six members of the
house absent Several of these are
expected. In the senate. Senator Con
kohrs, OF Deer Lodge, is i'll at Chi.
cago and will not be present. Sen,
ator Cullen, OF Glendive, is in Cali.
fornia, but is expected today or TO.
morrow. Lieutenant Governor Hig.
gins is not present on account OF III
health.
The governor in his message. says
that In framing a bill TO provide for
fair trials by change OF Judge con
summate skill and judgment must be
exercised In order that a measure
may be passed that will stand the test
OF the courts" That the necessity
for review Of evidence on appeal
and equity cases depends largely up.
on the completeness OF the provision
made for a fair trial before a fair
Judge"
That he has been urged to extend
the scope of the legislatures powers
so as TO include other subjects, such
as railroad commission. the initiative
and referendum, direct preliminaries
not referred TO In his proclamation.
However. the purpose of stating the
main objects of the session In the
original proclamation is to apprise
the public OF what may be expected
and to afford opportunity for a full
and free discussion in the press and
otherwise. so that the public sentl
ment may crystalize. but while an op
position lobby could be speedily as.
sembled. it is not probable that the
public interest could speedily be made
manifest" Hence these subjects will
not be considered by the Legislature
These reasons do not apply to the
eight hour amendment to the consti.
tuition. which was fully discussed be.
fore a regular session and passed by
an overwhelming vote. failure to be-
come operative only being caused by
a technical omission. Hence he rec
Ommends the re-enactment of the bill
already passed
II is suggested that the superlntend.
ent Of public instruction be allowed
a clerk and salary Of not more than
$3.50 a month.
Helena, Nov. 3U.--Judging from the
number of members OF the legislature
who have arrived in Helena up to the
late trains tonight. there will not be
many absentees, either in the house
or senate, when the two houses are
called to order at noon tomorrow.
The arrivals began with the first
trains in the morning. They continu.
ed until midnight. During the day
and evenig the members were busy
exchanging greetings and there was
not much discussion OF the merits OF
the legislation that is to be brought
to the attention OF the members. But
there was considerable discussion as
to the length OF the session. No mem.
Der was willing to give guess as to
the length OF the session, and those
who talked for publication were OF
the opinion that seven or eight days
should be long enough 10 transact the
business under the call. Others who
were OF the opinion that the work
could be done In week, adding that
contingencies might arise which
might necessitate longer session.
Representative James Martin. the
Democratic member from Gallatin,
was OF the opinion that eight days
would be ample in which 10 transact
the business. I'VE should give the
bills ample consideration. said Mr..
Martin. because some times haste
makes waste. The friends OF the pro.
posed legislation and its opponents
should be given ample time to present
their respective arguments, and we
should give them due weight. But
when the talk indicates that II is for
the purpose Of killing time, then we
should stop It and make up our minds.
A week should be ample for fair con
sideration"
Representative Aaron Conner. of
Ravalli. the floor leader OF the Repub-
licans. was busy man today. II was
his fifty-first birthday, and his friends
on both sides OF the Political fence
kept him busy receiving their con-
gratulations. There was a unanlmity
Of opinion that the member from Ra-
yalll could cut ten years of his age
and still be believed as 10 the date OF
his birth. Mr.. Conner is another
member who believes that eight days
will give sufficient time for the work
outlined. We must give the bills in.
troduced due and careful considera.
tion" said Dir. Conner tonight. "and
that should not take more than three
or fsur days. After we have made up
our minds what is best to be done,
then we should come to vote. Those
Interested IN the measures either for
or against, can make their arguments
In a short time, and then we can
weigh them"
Representative j. II. Rice, OF Cho.
teau, would rather be home than In
Helena. but hs is willing to give all
the time necessary for due consider,
alton Of the measures that may be in,