Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1935-03-14
GETTING DOWN no
"BRASS
"scHooL Is OUT"

days and days. Sheridan ~cOunty's del
egation of legislators came home |
yesterday. After having stretched
the traditional "60th day" from "a
hours to 100, through the proverbial
process OF stopping the clock" they
had finally completed their labors at
the state capitol.
Those closing days were among
the most hectic ever recorded in the |
annals of Montana's law-making
body. Pledges were forgotten as the |
Progressive" coalition Of Demo-
Gratis and Republicans broke and our
good neighbor Senator Jim" Sparl-
ing OF Daniels county, who had been
slated for president ad interim, was
thrown overheard.
Sparkling had been the leading fac
tor In effecting the fusion lineup at
the opening OF the session between
the ~Progressives of the two major
parties, that made organization pos
sible. The trade placed Senator
Eaton of Billings, a Republican, in
the chair as president during the ses-
sion. and was to have given the Dan
lels county Senator the presidency
during the recess. This would virtual
ly have made Sparling lieutenant
governor for two years, and would
have called him to Helena as the
states chief executive whenever Gov
n COOney left the state. Besides,
1t would have put Jim" in the spot
light and given him a strategic posi-
ton for consideration as gubernator-
al timber next election.
But the fates Of the Gods decreed
otherwise. Senator Sparkling lost his
hold during the closing days of the
session. Although having success
fully lead his group through the en-
tire session as a competent major
ity floor leader" at the last minute
when his own political future was at
stake, he saw some OF the very
group he had befriended swing to a
Corporation" candidate. And about
all you can say is, politics makes
queer bedfellows."
Although the so-called Progress
ives are claiming credit for more
progressive legislation than passed
at any session for years." we fail to
see 1t. When the session convened,
admittedly it's biggest problem Yves
one of new sources OF revenue A
change in the taxation system was
sought which would relieve over
burdened real estate owners Of the
general property tax which was only
serving to confiscate their holdings.
Farmers especially needed relief.
$50
And what happened? Legislators
had before them, and upon recon-
m~endation OF tho Governor, both a
sales tax proposal and a gross In
come bill. a game Of chance licens-
ing bill was also introduced. Either
or all were to serve rs replacement
measures, thereby relieving the bur-
den Of property taxes. All were boot
ed about in both houes, hours and
days of debate were consumed In
their consideration and all were
killed.
Only after urgent demands from
Governor Cooney were the two
houses successful in whipping into
shape a highway patrol bill-sO1ne'
thing so obviously needed to protect
human lives-that was approved IN
the weary overtime period, long after
the hands of the clock had pointed to
the closing hour. The chief objec
ton to this bill was that it would
only create another political machine
similar to the state liquor conir0I
law, although II operated strictly un
der supervision Of the state highway
commission, 1t should develop-jus'
as 1t has in other states-into a mos
effective agency OF safety on oul
highways. Expensive? 1t Is design
cd to be self-supporting under a fifty
cent drivers license law. And who
will begrudge that so cents, II
through a highway patrol, human
lives can be saved?
"
One of the other meritOriOus mea
sures that w~eathered the storm was
the Bill sponsored by our own dele
CATION in the lower house, Peterson
and York, providing for a No-Party
ballot for election of all judges. This
bill only awaits the signature o.
Governor Cooney to become a law.
One of the outstanding develop
ments of the closing hectic days was
the noticeable loss Of influence by
"Lewie" Penwell and his Western
Progressive. The internal revenue
collector, and recognized all through
the session as Cooney's chief spokes
nan, through the columns OF his ad
ADMINISTRATION organ, had browIbeater
recalcitrant legislators into line
But, like all demagogues, he became
too bold, too domineering In hi!
"demands'-until in attempting Il
push through an investigation" 0
utilities and their lobbying tactics
both bodies refused to follow thei
leader" Legislators who had beeI
numbered with the organs loyal sup
porters throughout the session, turn
ed on it like vipers, viciously attack
ing it's unprincipled tactics.
Reports are current that Penwel
has even gotten too strong for Coon
ey. threatening an impending breal
with the heads of the organization
This remains to be seen. But, Il
any event, an evaluation Of the "bat
ting average OF Legislators by tn
Western Progressive probably will
not carry quite as much weight II
the future as 1t has In the past. =
~ ~w-l~- urhoc noorjpu tolly ~