The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1923-02-23
Tells Of OOingS
Up At Helena
Senator Rorvik Writes Interesting
Letter About Legislative DoInas
At Capitol.
Helena, February 13. 1922.

p
| preaching storm, nothing of much i'm.
, portance has happened SO far. Forces
ale pretty evenly divided and each
, antagonist Is afraid of the other.
from the first night after we arrived
mere the scrap has been for position
ana advantage. In order to lull the
pfosresstYes into state of peace and
loving harmony from the start. the
oid crowd preached this doctrine until
they had their committee or commit
tees elected. AS the name indicates
THIS organization chooses the mem
Ders OF all other standing committees
Alter bills are introduced thew are
supposed to be given to the commit
tees pest Fitted to examine into the
merits OF the bills, the committee then
either rejects or recommends the
Dllls to the whole House or Senate
1t naturally follows that rejection or
approval of a bill in committee 10
pehds on how the members of that
goinmlttee likes or dislikes the bill.
therefore, if there are wide awake
friends of good farm legislation on
the agricultural committee, good farm
legislation viii be recommended and
facilitated, otherwise the opposite will
happen. "'Ai
Inc same theory holds good in all
other committees. So it follows that
the committee on committees holds
pretty much the key to the situation
ana unless the opposition is over
WHelmlngiy strong, it can accomplish
ouI hltle. Permit me, by the way. to
state that your servant was not allow.
ed TO go into the Republican caucus
Whefe that committee was eIected
vital mistake was made bv tbe pro-
slessives rlght here. Had they insist
81 that ! be seated in the caucus, a
iew old crowders would perhaps bolt
me caucus, and il so the Progressiyes
would nave had control of it and pot
a gasd iass1.td of poor start. The
opposition to seat one who had proven
us loyalty to the program sbouId
nave indicated to the friends of tbe
program that the opposition did NOT
act IN good faith. The COMMITTEES on
committees fell into the hands of tba
opponents of Progressive legislation
IL would take too much space to ex-
iidih lhe methods by which the sew
eIdl committees exercise power
Sn@nsins' cloaklng, recommending or
rejecting bills, but they do do it.
III a few days | will tell Won of tho
operations of Arnold of Richev as an
example of this
Now, as time passes tho two or
more lactions keep close watch and
"hen IL IS discovered that some one
u the enemys camp has any griey-
ihce' ne is at once approached. and
,oinetimes won for the other side
lake Tor instance on the Highway
luestlon: Men from both factions arc
'quaily divided on it. Maybe | with
en or fifteen more get sore aft our
'Wh crowd for not supporting us on
1lghWay measure A few of us also
,et sore over school bill or a county
llvlsion Dill, etc, etc. We ioin hands
WIN our old foes who will helm us on
'ur measures If we will help them de-
eat or Juggle the Inheritance tax or
ne nine tax laws. Like in trading
orses or playing cards. only ono can
- ~ these trades, and the old
s.nuS' s, oi course, carry off the bacon.
hen there is the pure propaganda.
. Illustrate, | will use fact: The
iher day Gov, Dixon appointed the
lembers Of the new tax commission.
hree good, bright and active men
III never have been known to cater
big biz. 1t happened that 80 or 40.
lcre or less, Senators thought that
icy or some of their friends should
are .een on that commission. Here
as a splendid chance for the enemies
the Governor to hit him hard
lnong his own friends, and as the
lterlocking Press felt the dissolution
mong the Dixonites, so they increas-
/ their brutal and malicious attack
4 the Governor. 1t was a splendid op-
However, his friends are
to realize that the Govern
: took the only wise course, and that
e have, at least, for four years a
will be faithful to the
-ate in spite of the abuse the big
terests can and will heap upon it,
he members of it are not necessarily
hat we call big men, nor tax experts
ne Governor tried to get the Legis-
ture to allow appointment of Mr.
augan on the commission, but under
g law this could not very we'll be
me. Mr.. Haugan is citizen of Wis
nsin. The big concerns of the state
g already in possession of all the
lest tax experts, who do not by any
cans grow on every bush. Naturally
ly a few are satisfied with the gov
nor's appointment. The press is of
urse ready to pour oil on the fire.
am proud that the people in our
unity are intelligent enough to see
at the howl set up by the Press is
G howl, not Of those who worry
out the people, but of those who
ar that they in some small measure
least will made to do justice to
9 state.
Slow progress has been made so
:. Those politicians who know the