The Bismarck tribune., 1929-02-20
FOUR.YEAR LEGISLATURES

Over in Montana they are seriously considering weth-
legislative sessions at intervals of four would
not be just satisfactory from the standpoint of public
business while saving the 100000 cost of session and
averng the political disturbances of elections and leg
slative controversies.
The matter has taken the form OF bill proposing a
constitutional amendment limiting the sessions of the
lawmakers to in four years. One of the big men
Of the assembly, Senator Eaton of Billings the author
of the proposal The subject has aroused lot of dis
cussion in the neighboring state.
The idea based partly the fact that legislatures
institution and constituted and function
ing considered unsatisfactory. Four-year periods
between sessions not the only changes suggested in
plans to improve the situation. Split sessions have
been urged and one-house assembly another remedy
offered.
MontananS urging against the present system the
tendency to create laws which easily could be dispensed
with. Every member feels he to himself and the
folks back home to get his and that of his county
attached to measure This results in clutter of laws
sometimes the creation Of commissions and boards
bureaus whose main effect too often is merely the
tion of jobs Then, too. there the politics that al
ways are played in assembly sessions This is the
spcuous piece of in the neghboring state
where there takes place q biennial between the
Anaconda Copper company and the rural element of
the state especially the radicals in its northeast Sec
tion The company fears raids its prosperity the
snare
should pay. All sorts of devious ways resorted to
in the effort to get the corporation Higher compen
sation proposals are made clubs.
Several years ago, when all industries were sitten
by deflaton and farming was in collapse from an un-
exampled drouth In addition taxes the company were
increased by resort to referendum The copper bsi-
ness was In the dodrlms and the company felt was
being raded by political enemy it has very
timid on the subject of taxes fearing it all means
mere penalty the fact that is corporation This
fear In the minds Of the remainder of the state is re-
garded evidence of turptude prosperity since has
enabled the A. G. M to meet its tax increases easily
So the war of attrton goes every legislative ses
sion at Helena and lawmakers and state officials are
rated as company and "anti-company" men. The ef-
feet very demoralizing fiscal condition of Mon
tana. where big debt has been piled up as result of
inadequate revenues from taxation and where the state
is able merely TO hold its with hardly any dent in
its debt.
Al TINS session an argument against the four-year bill
that the administrative functions of the state are in
the hands OF company and that is essential that
the legislature be In active session frequently than
once IN 1our years. SO that the people chance to
pc heard through the vocay of their representatives and
TO check up the executive departments It also is
urged that the fluctuations state revenues demand
more frequent sessions keep appropriations for
state institutions adjusted closely to means and needs
Alabama had law Of this kind, it is said 1t was in
the days when United States senator's still were elected
by the legislatures and to provide for the possible deaths
between sessions the legislature elected aternates to
Senator's Morgan and Pettus. much to their peeying
The Montana agitation for the proposed change in leg
islave periods WILL at least have benefit the fact
that will bring about thorough discussion of what
legislature should be and do how be constituted to
get the best results.