The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1935-02-15

! Happenings at Montono's
! Assembly of Legislature

nv Our Helena CORRESPONDENT

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
(By Our Helena Correspondent
HELENA-The legislature has o
reached the point in its career where
restraining timidity is largely gone
and there is more of a tendency to be
outspOken. Members with a prevail
ing urge to express themselves are
now frequently heard. They are now
used to the fight. There are some
who must exercise the greatest con-
troll to refrain from getting into every
dispute. Voices of others will seldom
be raised throughout the session.
Up to a certain stage it is entertain
ing for the observer. In the midst OF
the humdrum of routine. it is divert
ing to see the ~bludgeoning OF rlval
brains with crushing intellectual blows
or to watch lesser adversaries pelt n
another with the pebbles OF puny
thought. Now it is all in the legislative
day. The zest for contention IS in
creasingly evident. But it is merely
legislative history repeating itself.
8 9
For one who is expected to cover n
battlefronts Of senate and house SIM
ultaneously. it is difficult to be on hand
each time a bull cores a toreador, or,
as the case may be, the snortlng beast
triumphs and does his tormentor to
death. The smile is apt enough. for
the proceedings often suggest some such
grim spot. If these stirring contests
could be staged so as not to interfere
with the show elsewhere. spectators
with a heart for such thrills would be
happier.
Recently, for instance. Representative
Stimatz was trying to keep his woman's
SANDER bill from being detained n
destroyed while at the same time n
senators eros the way were firing
barrage and counter barrage OF their
own. This sort of thing seems to be
the rule rather than the exception.
. 9
For the average visitor, unacquainted
with the intricacieS of legislative pro-
cess, it is hardly worth while to be
present unless there is some spectacle
of words and maneuvers readily under
stood. Nearly every listener can &C
commodate himself to a blunt argu-
ment. This is the kind Of legislative
drama that s~atifies the visitor, al
though, having retreated from the
fumes of battle, he may feel a certain
revulsion. His experience may aus
him to question the efficacy OF the
whole business of l%egislating. But if he
comes back at all. it is with the hope OF
being witness to another oratorlcal
clash.
Whatever expectations the insurance
men had of recalling SD IL from the
house and killing it were frustrated
when the effort was made. Instead OF
gaining votes, they lost votes. The bill
provides that in case of total loss OF in
sured property, the company shall pay
the full insured value. The contest
will now center in the house. Because
the house is as yet an unknown quaint
ity in such measures, it remains to be
seen what will happen. If the house
should amend the bill, there may be a
drawn out affair. Many new members
of the assembly have yet to learn o
much trouble conference committees
may cause and how consistently Stub
born the houses can be On some queS-
tons.
Representative Greene of Fergus has
shot in a bunch of the So-called crime
commission bills. These measures were
prepared by the state crime commission
and presented to the 1881 assembly. It
may be needless to remind anyone that
only a few and only the least vital Of
these bills were enacted in 1881. Since
then virtually no effort has been made.
Tf tho 10 u-yrorc DC O nlacc ShnU M moro
enthusiasm about these proposals now
than they did four years ago, it is un-
likely that the endeavors to simplify
the judicial process in the handling OF
crime will get far. In 1881 laymen OF
the house were, in effect, the jury. 1t
was another instance of a hung jury.
@ @
Senator Kilduff's bill calling for a
constitutional amendment whereby Is
senatorial districts would be created
reducing the number of senators from
Sc to Is, has survived the committee
and will be available for consideration
if the senate should wish to take it up
The bill has been ordered printed. Fur
Their action must be taken to advance
it toward passage. The reason the bill
was held back was because only three
constitutional amendments can be sub.
mitted at any election. Many times
three proposals for amendments have
been introduced. The house and SEN
ate will have to do much sitting out.
O O
SD At by Simmons of Carbon is fol
a constitutional amendment that woult
clear up the question pertaining tt
legislators accepting state office O
state employment during the terms TO
which they have been elected. It
probable that the present session viii
take some positive action on the ques
ton. A bill that would take care o
the situation in the future but not a
in%clusively as some members desire, i
on the road toward passage.
There are plenty of mutterings her
pro and con concerning state liquo
store inquiries. The house is trying t
get the senate to make it a joint in