The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-01-19

ments that were governing the attl-
tud of a very strong number OF the
p~latformites. He also represented
them in declaring that if an effort
We're to be made to bind those present
by a mere majority vote, he would
leave. the room. He vigorously point
ed out that to bind the democratic
members of the Legislature by a mere
majority vote present at a caucus,
would be in effect to legislate by mi
nority. That sort of thing, he de-
clared to be one of ills from which
his party in this state should not suf-
fer with his consent.
AT the same caucus or conference.
If current runor is to be trusted. he
platformites served notice upa Ger
tain democratic senators that their
continued lobbying with the members
OF the house while the body was in
session, was becoming extremely dis
tasteful, and that if it did not cease,
open denunciation of it would be
made in the house. There wasn't any
explanation asked at the time as to
just what senators reference was in
tended, but gossip is that for a few
days following the conference White
side was more than usually occupied
in affairs on the senate side.
one of the developments of the
week that has been somewhat diSeon-
certing to the platform democrats in
both branches was the attitude
of Senator Stout. At the session two
years ago, the Fergus county senator
was a stalWart of the stalwart among
the progressive democrats. and par
ticularly distinguished himself in his
activities along that line throughout.
However, When the fight over the
committee on committees was at its
most dangerous stage last week. so
far as Speaker Macdonald was con
cerned, Senator Stout was Industrious
in the pacification line. He held out
the suggestion to the opponents of
speakership appointment Of commit
tees that this would probably be the
last time in which that mode of
choosing the committees would be toll
Grated, as he believed that the state !
convention two years hence would
pronounce very definitely against 1t.
He therefore urged that it wa l1n-
wise, from the standpoint of party in
%terest. to force a fight on the issue
at this time. and especially in view Of
the confidence hat should be felt in
the. fairness of the speaker. His IN
fluence was q potent one, exceeding
of Whiteside and his kind, though
very probably based upon entirely diff
motives.
Faint Hopes.
Very much as drowning men are re-
puted to catch at straws, SOME of the
platform democrats are timidly Whis-
pering a hope that in the event OF
their further distress over the pros
poets for the passage of reform meas
ures, Governor Stewart will come. to
their rescue with a vigorous special
or SO, insisting upon cOmpli-
anee with the spirit of a1e platform
pledges of the party. They point out
that in a instances heretofore,
democratic governors in other states
have succeeded by such means in com
satisfactory action by very re-
luctant legislatures. They admit
among themselves that the failure of
Governor Norris to come to the sup
port of Senator Stout's tax commission
bill two years ago, and the public
ullitlleS blll blIeIeu ny eIulD
at the same session, made it
possible for the reactionaries in the
upper house ~effectually to smother
both of these measures. and that the
party was seriously handicapped in
the last campaign by the failure of
to give aid to these excellent
measures at a time when aid was
most needed. They are therefore
that Governor Stewart will
not fall into the same error, and that
if the exigencies of the situation
seem to demand it, he will take
prompt and vigorous measures to
it perfectly clear that, as Gov
ernor Sulzer of New York put it in
his inaugural address: Il am the
democratic leader of the state. The
people so decreed at the polls, and I
shall stand on their verdict. If any
democrat disputes that right of lead
let him come out in the open
and do so. The people will decide"
S. w. T.