The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1907-01-09
THE TENTH LEGISLATIVE ASSEM- bly,

"With q fine sense Of public duty as
we'll as personal humor, Governor
Toole may communicate the contents
Of the republican party platform to
the republican legislature with q rec
ommend alton that itlact accordingly"
says the Butte r-Mountain.
The republican state platform would
be q most excellent bill of fare for the
members of the tenth legislative Is.
sembly, irrespective of what may be
recommended In the governors mes.
sage. On q recent occasion, the River
Press suggested that republican mem.
bers have q copy Of their party plat.
form on their desks throughout the
session, and we still believe such q
reminder would be valuable for ref
erence at times when the republican
members might possibly forget some
of the pledges that we're made to the
people.
"Keep your eye on the platform"
is recommended to republican mem.
bers of the Legislature as an appro-
pirate admonition or watchword
throughout their deliberations. A
promise, whether made by a political
party or az individual, IL a debt that
should be paid.
Montana republicans will be on trial
in the tenth legislative assembly, as
the makers OF pledges that should be
redeemed. Their ability to enact the
legislation theyipromised is explained
by the Great Falls Leader ia these re-
marks:
The membership of the coming ses'
sion of the legislature is two.thirds
republican. The senate consists OF
eighteen republicans and nine demo.
Gratis, the house of ifty.six republi'
cans and seventeen democrats.
This gives the republicans exactly
: two.thirds in the senate and five more
= than a three.fourths majority in the
house.
t BY standing as a unit. therefore, the
=. republicans a pass any measure
over the governors veto. They car
probably do this easily in the house,
but it will require every republican
e vote to do it in the senate.
i. This majority is important because
it will make the republicans RESPONSE
, BILE for all legislation ;enacted by the
coming session ofithe legislature.
e The governors veto will not inter
fere in anything that the republican,
y as a party consider advisable
1t will be remembered that at thu
last session Of the Legislature the re
y commissionsbill were defeated by tn.
: veto of the governor and during tn,
campaign charges and counter
charges wereimade by jail parties as
r to whether the governor was justified
IN that veto or not.
d Presumably, in the coming session
OF the legislature, Il railway commits
e sion bill will again :be under consid
GRAFTON, and presumably passed. II
will be just such a measure as the re
:. publicans decide they desire, and re
i, gardless Of the prerogatives OF the
: governor it can be enacted into law
no matter whether that official likes
: its provisions or not.
In this connection it strikes The
r Leader that If the republicans prepare
: a railway commission bill, they SHOULD
make some changes from that which
. was passed at the session OF 1905.
1t doesn't strike this paper that it i:
/, material whether the governor or tn,
+. legislature appoints the members o
the commission, and we are inclined
to look upon both the governor ant
I the leaders in the last session as alto
the right to appoint.
e 1t is perfectly allowable for the leg
islature to name the members Of tn,
II commission in the bill if it is so de
sired. On the other hand. it would b
perfectly proper for them to leave tn,
n naming to the governor, but in an
y event, the bill should not provide 70
any OF the members Of the commission
holding Office beyond the next genera
l. election.
l., That Is to say, II u bill Is passe,
providing for three commissioners t.
d hold terms for two, four and al
years, then the appointees should b
:, named only until the first Of January
1909, giving the people the right Il
elect three railway commissioners 70
three different terms at the election Q
1t 1908.
h Such action by the legislature vii
II be wise from every standpoint. Par
ticularly will it be wise for the in
r. ~terests of the republican party. Ifth
\ legislature insists upon naming me-
for tour and six years. there will b
great danger OF disapproval by tn
people, ore particularly SHOULD
I,hosa Omuis~Sinpar M, a,.nmplisl