Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-05-08

l occupy, With reference to that bill,
precisely the same position that I
did.
Were they lodging, or does your
compiler deliberately seek to create
false impression?
Let us go on with the record, since
legislative records have been so much
| invoked.
In the same session Of 1893 there
was introduced House Bill 100.
| This was bill to compel railroads
to provide grain loading platforms
for the Independent shipment Of
| grain. It was a bill that railroads
opposed, because it imposed addition
al expenditure Of time and money
upon them, in the interest of the in
dependent shipper of grain, who had
thus a means of escaping the neces-
sity of taking what price the local
elevator offered.
/ Every farmer in the state was in
terested in that bill. Every railroad
in the state was opposed to it. II
you will see page 557 of the Senate
Journal for 1893 you will find that
the bill passed by 16 votes-a bare
constitutional majority.
was present and voted for the
bill. Had I Eeen absent. the bill
would have failed for lack Of a con-
stitutional majority. .s,
Whom do we fine anon, the. at
sentees?
/ Johi Burke, p:esen. governor,
then state senator.
John A. Sor1ey, present ;nsurgent
and reformel, then 4 state senator.
Mr.. Burke was PRESENT ut the roll
call Immediately preceding -he one
l by which this bill was passed.
Here wa, case whe.e absentee
ism meant, rot ma"e;v a failure to
be recorded. It means the defeat al
| bill of vital inte:es. to every farm
er in the state.
| If we are Judging men from indie.
pendent frs from the record, lei
our judgment be extended by the
same rule ID avcry member CT the
legislator.
am not seekil; t., create preju.
dice against an membe! Of the state
senate, present or past. do mi
charge anything with reference &c
occasional al ,enteeism. except that
there are many occasi;as in the ex-
perience of ANY senate; when he IS
unavoidably Absent from a roll call
But want al men judged alike
from the sam: state Of facts.
4 Otherwise shall and Sith Justice
designate 3our compiler as WIFI
fasifier of .as facts frotn wilfu
perverston of logic and common
sense.
As Il. .Absenteeism
The fact AZ that absenteeisn upon
| the passage If bills tina. are assured
of passage by practically 1ani-
nous vote is not si.lflcant.
| It is abse lt..eis,1 where the yet,
is so close .s T., ..niIanger its pas
sage of q bit IN wl,ic1 the people are
interested espaaially that il ti.c test
I desire l., submit the rccnls:
above referee! to as a complete end
final answer to this charge made
against me.
In my career as state senator
have been rs faithful In my attend.
ance. as ready to answer roll calls
as square in my beliefs, as earnes,
in my efror's Ter good legislation
! and as open minded as any senator
who has oc:l:',ea a .eat III the senate
chamber and : max, no exceptions.
1 My record win bear the test Of
any inspector that is made with
that Of any nthar senator whose zee.
ord is inspe.., l ny the same standard
and rule.
| Let us proceed little further
with this analysis:
4 Your compiler charges me with
| voting against House Bill Is, whose
title is as follows:
A bill for an act requiring rail-
i way companies to provide at sid
ings or stations where an agent
is not employed prompt means
for sealing loaded cars and re-
ceipting for their contents.
! did vote against this bill.
But why do you not complete thu
record and not seek to create a false
impression from suppressing tn,
truth?
4 ] quote from the Senate Journal
1907, page 1896:
Mr.. Regan moved that the vote
i by which House Bill No. Is pass
/ ed be reconsidered, which motion
/ prevailed.
I. Mr.. Regan moved that further
/ consideration Of House Bill is
go over until tomorrow, which
4 motion Dravailesd s. 81