The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1919-09-11
M0NTAKf|'lNTERESTs
KILL |. PRIMARY Law
Special Session Finds Way 70
Kill Act Saved by Farmer
Petitions.
DRoUTHvlcTlMs uNAlDED
Amazing Roldness Of Copper Trust
Henchmen Opens Eyes Of Many
People-Farmer-Labor Union Il
HELPED BY Reactionaries.
IT, 49, EE& MErAGAy

BY the special session Of the Montana
legislature when the copper-controlIed
lawmakers voted to slaughter the prl-
mary law without approval by the
people. -
The record Of the last session Of tho
legislature, called by Governor Stew
art on the pretext Of aiding the farm.
ers In the drouth regions Of the state,
was more re%actlonary than sven tho
regular session. Every relief for tho
farFners, who had been hit by the
drouth, NJ killed. The bill to stop
prohteering failed. A measure de-
signed to help the farmers In the
drouth regions by s%uspending arrears
IN taxation and declaring 4 morato-
RUM for these farmers also failed.
But the legislature killed the pr.
mary law by adding an emergency
C1ause that withholds II. from. a refer
endum vote, and added two more SUI
preme court judges, 80 that even II
the League should win over all the
obstacles placed in its path, the Ana
Eonda Copper Mining company would
haye q majority In the states highest
court to declare every League measure
unconstitutional.
Petitions Showed Feeling.
League members Of the legislature
worked valiantly to force, through re-
lief measures, but we're overwhelmed
by the smooth-running copper com
pdny machine.
The referendum vote in Montana
was s~tartltngly successful. When the
last legislature passed a measure cali
Ing for q popular vote on the measure
on September 2, when the farmers OF
tie state would be busy In the fields,
too busy to vote, they circulated petit
tons demanding that the referendum
xns over until the general election Of
1870. Forty thousand voters asked the
TUstponement Of the vote. AS soon
~ these petitions were hled with the
secretary Of state, and az soon as the
attorney general held that the petit
lions automatically delayed the refer
enfurn and the secretary Of state an
nornced sthat he would abide BY that
decision, copper company politicians
rot busy. As . result, the primary ne
peal bills with its emergency clause.
making It Immediately effective, was
apnt through the legislature without
asshitch. ~
The bill adding the two supreme
court judges also carried the emery
ency clause.
League strengthened.
However, leading Montana attor-
neys have held that the action Of the
legislature Is unconstitutional In view
ofsthe act passed by the previous ses-
sion OF the legislature. An appeal
:Hrobably will be taken By the League
1xrmers In order to test the legality
of the measure to slaughter the states
primary law. This measure will jcome
mn before the supreme court before
The copper company's two extra judges
81 On the bench. The court, as pres
1en4ly constituted, 10 emphatically not
sa~nbservient to the Anaconda Copper
Mining company, and this was the rea-
IN Why the act was rushed through
1k1 session.
One farmers' Selief bill which. passed
axAfmits the counties to vote bonds to
IA amount Of 10000 each for the re-
:MeR Of farmers, but counties IN which
NJ relief 10 more tsorely needed are
Aafeady bonded to the legal limit.
The legislature also provided that
~ railroad commission Of the state
l1kalght investigate the high cost, o.
llStng, but provided further that the
Andings q the commission shall not
1ss made public. under heavy penalty
ceg the members.
The reacticnary session has strenth.
asued the League Ia Montana consider.
ably, however, and Memberships are
apsing received ct an Unprecedented
rate.
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