Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1935-01-17
GETTING DOWN 10
COONEY IN THE SADDLE

IN IhE SAOOlE
There are several things OF special
interest which stand out prominent.
ly in this session OF the Montana leg
islature that Is now getting down to
the real business OF law making,
The feature that strikes one first Is
the complex Of both the upper and
lower bodies. In the house OF rep
resentatives of course it was known
Helena that the Democrats would
have control by a wide margin But
that was not the whole story. There
were new" Democrats, there were
old Democrats-that Is to say,
members who were to have their
first taste Of political experience
and others who had been serving In
the legislature from n to six terms.
Then there were Cooney Democrats
and anti-Cooney Democrats. Still
another alignment showed up plain
ly in the "Progressives" and Con
servatists," with the former follow
ing the leadership Of the Governor
and Lewis Penwell and the latter
friendly to the old company inter
ests.
Two days before the session was
to open frequent secret caucuses be-
gan to be held. There were so many
new members that, inspired with the
ambition to control organization In
the House and selection OF the
| Cn1o1xn~ ~. ~ thu oaAnr ~ thfc
group attempted to whip their col
leagues into line and hold together
for the naming Of presiding officer
from their own number. Too many
had come to Helena already pledged
to Cooney and Penwell however, that
after the second meeting. hope FOL
the new member domination vanish
ed and was replaced by Progress
sive" leadership. Several good can
didates were advanced by this group
including besides Pilgerim. without
doubt Cooney's personal choice
Rolfe of Liberty, Haight OF Cascade
and Gray Of Sweetgraas. Two o
these were new members. BY thu
second caucus 1t was plain to b
seen that PILGRIM would win. TIT
Governor hadn't appointed him man
ager OF the Belt liquor store To-
nothing. Although there were other
who were admittedly far better quail
flied from a parliamentary stand
point, including the veteran 1egdslat
or Joe Metland, the Progressive ma
chine" was working smoothly ans
would not be brushed aside-no
even on any compromise candidate
Pilgerim 1t was to be-and Pilgerim
it was. After the final caucus Sun
day night, amiable Joe Metland wa
heard softly chanting the piaintiv
strains OF II Never Had a Chance.
And so, in the lower chamber
Cooney's Progressives played tn
winning hand.
Over in the Senate things were
little different, but after all, quit
similar. Here was a deadlock, 2
Democrats and % Republicans. HoN
in the world wculd that body eve
organize and elect a president pr
tenn and get about the business {
legislation? Senator jim Sparlin
from Daniels county and Eaton fro1
Yellowstone found the way. Spa
ling proposed a fusion" ticket ian
sheridan county folks are quite far
iliar with that sort Of political aligl
ment) by which the Republican
were to be accorded the presidel
pro tenn, the Democrats would
given the president interim, and pc
itions on important commdtte'
would be quite generously divide
Incidentally by this plan. Eaton, R
publican would be given the pre-.
dent pro tenn (Which means Il
same as Speaker OF the Sena
during the sixtyday SESSION. al
Sparkling, Democratic floor leade
would draw the assignment OF pre-
dent interim, meaning that after Il
session closes Senator "Jim," o
Flaxville neighbor, would virtual
hold the office OF lieutenant govern
after the legislature adjourns. An
IL you want to know our opinion (
that kind OF political maneuverin
it looks like a darned good swap (
the Daniels county senator.
1t only required about fifteen md
utes after the Senate was called
order the first day to learn this
while regular" Democrats and +
publicans were %scurrying hither al
yon into all the hooks and corne
Of the Placer hotel until the W
hours OF morning In an endeavor
reach an agreement, the "Progrt
sive Flsionists" had whipped thu
program into a smooth working N
chine. Eaton, the Fusion candida
for president, walked off with
votes, having a clear majority Of
votes over his nearest rival. reg
ar" Republican Pauline. E Z c 9