The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-01-08

L OllOWluS rs Tie JeAI VI Wv. odll
c. Ford's message to the 9th Mon.
tana legislative assembly:
Mr. President, Mr.. Speaker and
Members of the Twenty-seventh Legis-
lative Assembly:
The constitution provides that at the
beginning of each session, the COVER
nor shall, by message, inform the leg
islative assembly on the condition of
/ the state and recommend such meas
ures as he shall deem required. With
genuine pleasure, | perform that duty.
That which has procured our pres
ence here today is more than scantily
ignificant-more than a perfunctory
compliance with the basic law through
which this assembly Of the peoples
representatives has come into being
and through which the chief executive
is directed to apprise you on matters
pertinent to the labors about to begin.
Inherently, this assemblage is re-
assertion of the right Of the people to
lands today free government is in
chains, we in America must be the
more diligent to sustain it. If we do
our full duty, and do it unafraid, free
government tomorrow will be secure
because of the functioning of free gov
eminent today.
l can commend nothing more ear
nestly than that we cling to the fun
damental principle wherein our gov
eminent has checks and balances.
Neither precedent nor expediency JUS
titles any one of the coordinate
branches of our government over
reaching the constitutional restraints
that circumscribe it, nor ought we to
usurpation or invasion by
any officer or department of powers
through statute or otherwise, practice
has gone oblique of this principle
urge you to set it right.
Chapter 5, Laws of the Twentyfifth |
assembly, known as the "Hitler Bill"
empowers the governor to hire and |
all state employees, except |
those in elective offices In my opin- |
ion this law is dangerous, in that it |
places too much power in the hands
Of one man. l strongly urge its repeal |
and the enactment of suitable laws
providing for the appointment of en-
ployes.
Under section of article vi Of the
the legislature must at
his session reapportion the member
ship of the house of representatives
IN a ratio to be fixed by law and
based on the 1910 federal census. The
alto is for your determination, but
he duty to establish such a ratio and
oring about reapportionment is a
positive one. Disparities in represen-
alton should be corrected.
Constitutional prohibition against
lppropriating more than the antici-
,ated revenue demands pairing of re-
quests to fit the income that can pru-
Iently be expected. From the budget,
which will be submitted to you, it ap-
,ears that requests for appropriations
" officers, boards, departments and
tate institutions and approved by the
tate budget commission exceed the .
anticipated resources for the fiscal ,
ear of 1941-42 by 1911, 676.46 and that
f 1942-43 by 1859, 03626. Obviously,
appropriations must be substantially
educed below requests.
/ am convinced that. if our income
, frugally used and carefully admin
stored, our revenues will adequately :
rovide for the proper functioning of !.
tate affairs, without additional or !
ew taxes.
,river's License Law
In view of the efforts made by Mon v
ana to protect motorist and pedestri- b
ms, the record of fatalities, accidents