The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-02-27
VALUED POLICY
PASSES SENATE
Measure Succeeds in Getting
Through by the Close Vote
OF 20 to 8.
MAY YET TAKE a REVOTE
Debate Was Hottest of the Session and
Senate Chamber Was Crowded
Moody and Lawson Have
Warm Tilt.

BE-. 1 ICllSp 0s Dy e 40 SAS "
of the hottest debate, and the most In
teresting session that has been held
on the floor Of h senate this session
the valued policy bill carried on its
final passage yesterday afternoon by a
vote Of rs to Is. Excitement was In
tense, and beginning with the hour OF
three. when the bill was a special or
der, until the roll call was complete,
the senate was plunged in the sharpest
debate.
Senator Moody opened the conflict,
and then followed Northup with his
initial speech. Dillon spoke in favor
of the bill and McDougal rose at once
OF refute his arguments. Lawson of
Aberdeen close the debate, engaging in
a warm and bitter tilt with Moody.
He made the sensational allegation
that a certain republican member Of
the senate had been approached by the
insurance commissioner, n threaten
ed hat unless he came into line for the
valued policy bill the insurance COM
panies would take their printing away
from the republican papers in his coun-
ty and give it to h democratic.
Moody Challenges Lawson.
Moody was on his feet in an instant
and challenged Lawson to submit
proof of his statement. Lawson did not
reply and Moody repeated his chal-
lenge with a great deal Of gusto. Then
when he could get no answer, Moody
sailed into Lawson, and roundly de-
bounced him for treating members un-
fairly and trying to lead them into an
unholy alliance or compact which in
volved not only resubmission of the
capital question, but the defeat of
remedial legislation which the people
had demanded.
Lawson resented the structure, and
demanded that the senator from Law
renee county reduce his words to writ
Ing and place them on the senate jour-
nal. Moody came back at him with the
senate rule which provides that the
person taking exceptions repeat the
words to the secretary Of the senate,
but asked what words was referred to.
Lawson replied that he didn't lay
the egg" when Moody retcrted, mo,
but you are sitting on 1T"
The senate was Immediately in an
uproar of laughter, and Lawson wilted
under the fire of the new nan from the
Hills, and when pushed to cover by a
ruling of the chair, receded from his
position and subsidized.
At the conclusion of the debate y"
amendment was offered, and both sides
lined up for the final trial of strength.
1t was admitted that there were five or
six doubtful men in the list, and it.
vas the s%tillest roll call Of the session.
The house had in the meantime adj
journed. and the senate floor was
crowded to the presidents desk with
men who knew that there were ques-
tons being decided far exceeding in
political Importance the interest at
tained by the measure under discus
sion.
Never in the history of the state did
men cast their votes with such con
centrated attention directed upon their
action as in the minute when the vote
was being AIKEN. There were at least
fifty tally sheets in use, and as each
name was called slowly and distinctly
the silence was oppressive until the an
swer came. AS the roll call neared the
end men actually turned pale under the
strain of intense interest. When three
votes yet remained to be cast the meas
ure had the votes required under the
rules of the senate for passage, and
more than d score Of voices whispered,
1T is passed.
The vote was Is to 15. AS soon as it
was announced Lawson changed his
vote to aye, and gave notice that the
following day he would move for a re-
| consideration.
There is, of course, more to the con
test than appears on the surface, and
no man recognizes it more clearly than
does Mcleod, who made the fight of
his life and lost.