The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1935-02-22

When the house on the same after
noon acted on a measure calling for a
| nonpartisan county ballot and a bill
making legislators ineligible during the
terms for which they are elected to
! receive state appointments, this funda-
mental question Of politics wa at issue.
The first of these two proposals, lib
! al, met death when a motion to in
| definitely postpone further consideraa-
ton was adopted. The committee that
reviewed the measure brought in two
reports. the majority recommending
nonpassage.
Many speeches were made before the
bill was disposed of. Representative Nc
Laughlin of Ravani county was more
| than slightly entertaining as he ex-
pressed his support Of the bill. He re-
called that for "a years he ran for
office on party tickets before he was
elected. He indicated that he has had
the suspicion that there is such a thing
as prejudice in politics.
Stevens of Cascade was one Of those
who insisted party government Is neces-
sary. There was ever talk to the effect
that unless the party idea is perpet-
| uated there is danger of entire collapse.
What is quite obvious and yet seldom
admitted in open debate was injected
when it was made plain that the po-
1itical advantage. does not wish to go
to a ]nonpartisan ballot, for fear men,
bers of the other party will thus get
into office. Beyond doubt, this conten-
ten has practical merit. even though
it may be objected to on certain
! grounds.
The other bill of this nature, SD 1,
survived the committee of the whole
but the measure had to weather a seri-
Gus storm. Regardless of what else may
be said. the real purpose of the bill is
to keep legislators during the terms for
which they are chosen from getting on
the state payroll elsewhere. Behind this
is the chief point-that legislators, de-
prived of the personal incentive. will
not as easily be influenced by the adj
miniStrative power of the government.
SB I has already had a hectic career.
It was long in the senate. Then, when
it came out of the committee. it had
to survive a critical battle. In commit
tee of the whole there was less of a
fight but drastic amendments expand
ing the scope of the measure were
! made. Melton of Beaverhead. who with
Parkin of Gallatin introduced the bill.
got it back on general file and sue
ceeded in extracting amendments made
the previous day. In that form the bill
went to the house.
The house committee on state boards
and officers wa not at all hasty in
reporting out the bill. So. IN motion
of Melton of Beaverhead, the bill was
taken from the committe and referred
to general orders. Burris of Deer Lodge,
chairman of the committee or state
boards and officers. was far from
pleased when the bill vas taken from
his committee. Accordingly. he pre-
pared to fight the measure in commit
tee of the whole.
When in committee of the whole Bal
lard of Wibaux got in an amendment
prohibiting legislators from writing
state fire insurance, a factor was IN
jected that probably will u the
senate to balk. A provision of simila1
intent but phrased in greater generality
was removed by the upper body. Hence
it is not to be expected that the senate
will easily swallow, if at all, the amend
ments hitting fire insurance agents who
happen to be members of the state as
sembly. It is a likely superstition thai
the bill will have to go to a conference
committee.
Opponents of the measure will vel