The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-01-25

f - t'iN a.
tons for his inauguration have been
clared Mr.. Amin, are in favor of
progressive legislation, without respect
to what party label it may bear. We
are willing to give to the majority the
fullest measure Of credit for good
legislation, whenever such credit is
due; but We are here to insist upon
progressive legislation, regardless of
all other so~nsiderations.'
Crippen, progressive, who originally
started the fight over the steering
committee matter, spoke at some
length in support of the Amin mo-
ion and made a strong plea. He read
at length from a published report of
the s~candalous doings of the twelfth
assembly in it's closing hours, due to
the enormous accumulation of bills
in the hands of the joint steering
committee at that session. He also
read a letter from Judge w. NJ. Johns
ton Of Billings, who is widely and
faVorably known in democratic circles
throughout the state. In the letter
Judge Johnston assailed vigorously the
evils of the steering committee plan,
as it has been usually applied to
legislative affairs in Montana in the
past.
Day of>Lewis and Clark also ia
vored the Annin motion, "at this
time" as he explained. He said fur
Their that the memfers of the joint
committee on rules had beea unable to
agree upon the rule c~overingIhe mat
ter that had been prepared hS~ the
democratic house caucus of yeEter-
day, and therefore he felt hat meme
bers of his party would be free to.
vote according to their individual
ideas.
Cults Of Silver Bow also voiced his
approval of the Amin notion, but
wanted it understood that it uas
practically the same motion hat the
democrats of the house sought to have
passed several days ago at the time
the Crippen motion to abolish the
steering committee was under discus
sion. p
Revolutionary. .....
After brief remarks from various
members. the roll was called on the
Amin motion, and it was passed with
''l w 'IocttitiiiS NoltS, 4Nol loll III
McNally, both Of Silver Bow.
The action of the house in his
matter will be almost revolutionary in
its effect upon the work not only of
that body, but very probably of the
senate as We'll. The house member
ship of the joint committee on rules
will go into meetings of that commit
tee bound to carry out the will of the
house as expressed in the Amin mo-
ton. In the senate membership Of
the join rules committee there is
known to be at least n member who
has been strongly opposed to the
whole steering committee proposition
from the start. His cooperation with
the house members would cause the
joint committee to make a majority
favorable report upon Il rule that
would apply to the senate as well as
to the house. He is only one of
three, however. the other two being
re]actionaries of the ~stiffest sort. In
view of this fact it may be possible
hat the senate committee will de-
cline to meet further with the house
membership of the committee on rules.
But, however. that matter may be,
the senate steering toliliilittte VIII bS
practically poWerlesS to put anything
over on the Legislature because it Will
lack the cooperation of a steering
committee in the house having similar
objects in view. In a word. the nous
is now in control of the situation.
Crippen's bill for the submission of
a constitutional amendment, permit
ting cities to increase their bonded in
debtedness for the purpose of Install
ing municipal lighting plans was rec
commended for passage in the house.
O'Neill's bill increasing the salaries
of certain officers and employees of the
Legislative assembly, was adversely re-
ported by the committee on approprl-
atoms.
The house labor committee reported
u~nfavorably on the Carnal bill for a
full crew act, on the ground that a