The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1913-03-19
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 1913.
PLAYING POLITICS.

T6tAUulVS I01U NO.
The adjournment of the Thirteenth
assembly is being followed BY partisan
discussion regarding the laws that
we're enacted, and the measures that
failed, during the session. One set Of
politicians 10 claiming credit for good
work that may have been done, and
blaming the political opposition for
the en- sctment of laws that are alleged
10 be DETECTIVES; while rival claims and
s%ccusst atoms are presented from the
other eide of the political fence.
As . matter of fact, political lines
we're disregarded in the Thirteenth
assembly, measures ofigenersl interest
being supported:and opposed BY mem.
bers Of the same political organizs.
ton. Their action was governed
largely by individual views as to the
merits Of q proposed law, political
affiliations having little effect in con.
trolling their vote for orlagainst bills
that we're considered.
In political classification there was
. democratic majority in both the
senate and house iof representatives,
and according to the rules OF the game
the msjority.parsy is! responsible for
oil that wassdone during the session.
The minority was helpless, in the event
OF united action Iby the attic
members. But there was no occasion
on which thesdemocr attic members, or
the MEMBERSHIP the republican and
progressive elements, we're unanimous
In their viewslupon proposed legisls.
tion. 1t was asgo.as.you-please pro-
gram throughout the session.
The political complexion of its mem.
bership was an Insignificant factor in
the work of the Thirteenth assembly.
In the opinionsof ~lcritics who viewed
the situation at close range, legisla.
tive proceedings were controlled large
~ by q senatorial combine consisting
of q few democrats and repu blicans
who determined the fate of bills which
were considered by that body. Sena-
tor Donlan, OF Missoula, republican
member of this alleged bi.partisa an
combine, corroboratesltbe opinion of
these critics in a newspaper interview
which creditsihim with saying: "There
is no use trying to show the man who
doesn't want to be .shown, but l am
satisfied that .the;ithoughtful, intelli.
gent citizen whoahasIfollowed the pro-
ceedings will Gee thai the senate push.
ed the necessary imeasures;to compile.
ton and killedla lot of freak legisla-
ton that would have been of incalcul.
able harm to thelstate."
Further testimony In this connection
10 given by GovernorsStewart, demo.
crat, who apparently I.had inside in
formation regarding 1.-The methods BY
which certain laws:were tenacted. In
his veto messageluponlcounty division
bills, Governor Stewsrt remarked:
IA combination 81 formed which in.
cluded the friends of each bill. l
make the bold assertion that without
that combin alton not n Of the bills
would have reached the executive
o1lce. Notllonly was there co.opera-
sion between the friends of the different
county bills, but there was legislative
log.rolling which Influenced many
measures entirelyl foreign to county
division. Bills which otherwise would
have had an entirely different fate
were passedsoridefested.b by the inAu-
ence of county .division:alliances."
The testimony of these Witnesses,
one q recognized leader of Montaua
republicans:and the other the demo.
cratic governor of the state, 10 to the
effect that politics did not play 40 i'm.
portant part in legislative proceedings
the allegations of partisan critics to
the contrary notwithstanding.