The Ronan pioneer., 1917-03-02

Der of the house. After he had read
the offensive statement in the bull
letin, he moved his resolution, and
debate followed. Some members
agreed with him in resenting the
charge in the article. Demel of Yel-
lowstone seemed to get the impress
sion that DR.. Husser objected to his
votes in the house being made pub
lie, and the latter hotly denied that
such was the case. When the resolu-
tion went to a vote the house, obvi-
ously tired of vindicating itself by
the means proposed, turned it down.
A quo warranto proceeding has
been brought by Attorney General
Ford in the supreme court to o~st
William Cults from the house, where
he sits as member from Silver Bow
county, successor to the late Jerry
Flanagan, under an appointment by
Governor Stewart confirmed by the
house. The application for the writ
was deniet and. Cults will sit to the
sessions end.
There is extant a decision of the
supreme court in a similar action a
few years ago in which it was held
that the legislature, under the pro-
visions of the constitution, is the
sole judge Of the qualifications of it's
own members. 1t is contended by
some people that the judiciary is
barred from interfering with the
legislative branch of the government
by the constitution, but whether or
not this case Games within the pur-
view of that principle is matter for
the supreme court. The further con-
tention is made that the majority of
legislative body might, if it chose,
unseat the minority, and that there
would be no power to stay it's hand,
since it is supreme under the con-
stitution, as these persons see it.
There will be no change in the
state compensation law at this ses-
sion of the legislature. Senator Kane
introduced bill to increase the COM
pensation paid for injuries to and
deaths of workmen, but it was kept
in senate committee for long time
and lately brought out and slaught-
cred in the committee of the whole.
In courtesy to one who had been be-
reaved of cherished hope, Senator
Kane, although invisible to the eye
of the chairman of the committee of
the whole when the axe was lowering
over the head of his measure and he
was seeking to center that optic upon
himself, was permitted to say a few
words about the departed after it's de-
mise. He said he had not kept it in
committee, and that it would have
improved the present law.
The house is democratic in it's ma
jOrity and it initiated some bills to
consolidate some boards, in harmony
with the recommendation of Govern
or Stewards message suggesting the
same. But it could not stomach the
consolidation bill of Crowley of Sill
yer Bow, abolishing the state dairy
inspectors department and putting
it's duties on the state sanitary stock
board. Crowley said his measure
would save SIS 900 year and kill off
inspectors who are "as thick as the
hairs on a dogs back" Lusk told
the house that the dairy properties
in the state total more than $17 ,OOO,-
600, that their products in 1916
were of greater value than ST. 1,0O0,-
600; that the industry will overshad
ow any other Montana industry in
time, and that the dairy inspectors
department has been of real value to
the farmers; and then the house
killed the bill.
The Mothers Pension bill favor
ably considered by the house, intro
duced by Mrs. Hathaway of Ravalli,
Mason of Missoula and Murray of
Cascade, increases the pension al
lowed mothers with four or more
children from $3.50 to $50 a month.
In committee of the whole, Mcmahon
of Silver Bow unsuccessfully tried to
reduce this allowance. He said the
bill would cost his county 100000
year, as indicated by figures fur
Cults and Blodgett, both of his baili-
wick, took issue with him, Cults say
ing that the money could not be
spent for a better purpose. The bill
also amends the old law by provid-
ing a penalty for frauds that it is
urged will be effective.
Among the bills passed in the sem
ate lately was one by the committee
on banking, which makes the state
bank examiner the final arbiter upon
all applications for permits to open
state banks, taking from the state
board of examiners the power to hear
appeals from his decision and over
rule them if they see fit. Senator
Amin fought the bill He said it
made the bank examiner autocratic,
and also took from the board power
and gave it to an appointee of the
governor.