The Sidney herald., 1955-04-21

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Actions in the recent legislative
assembly relating to compensa-
ton Of legislators and that ses-
SlonS be longer than the so DAYS
now provided were reminiscent of
discussions and actions in the state
constitutional convention in Hell
ena in 1889. In this connection I
have just reread the convention
proceedings in committee Of the
whole on August 2.
Under consideration was the ar
tlcle pertaining to the legisla-
tive assembly. The article as re-
ported by a standing committee
set the compensation at Sc a day.
An amendment raising this to $40
failed and then it was cut to SIS.
Several years later it was increas-
ed to Sc and in 1909 $40, where
1t remained until Governor Aron-
son approved the 1855 enactment
boosting it to $40.
The standing committee recon-
mended to the convention that n o
session except the first, which
could be 80 days, should exceed
90 days. This prevailed after an
attempt had been made to permit
sessions to continue 80 days.
Extension of the time to 80 days
was contained in a proposed con-
stitutional amendment introduced
IN the house Of representatives this
year. The bill was killed, but it
was revived for the purpose Of
making it rs days. But again the
bill died, and so for the immediate
future at least we shall continue
to have 60-day legislative sessions.
The exception would be a special
or extraordinary session, which
can be convened by the governor.
But once the lawmakers have been
convened by the governor, they
apparently can stay in session as
long as they please. Except in
grave emergency, no governor is
likely to call a special session of
the legislature. The last Montana
governor who called a special ses-
sion barely escaped being i'm
!. peached by it.
There was another proposal this
year pertaining to legislative ses-
sions. This, made by Sen. C. H.
Mahoney of Garfield county, pro-
| vided for an annual session of
the assembly. I find no record of
l any such proposition being con-
! sidered by the constitutional con-
vention.
For several years in Montana
, there has been a growing interest
:. in improving the legislative ma
; chinery. Changes in the rules have
|. been in the direction of greater
: efficiency. More could be done,
but the subject will require thor
ough study, including the proce-
dures in other states.
I have reason to believe that
the department of political science
at Montana State university will
; undertake such a study and sub
! nit its findings to the 1857 as
sembly. Information thus obtain
ed would be valuable.
It is becoming increasingly
doubtful whether the Montana
railroad and public service COM
mission has any substantial pow
er to continue service which the
railroad contends is conducted al
a loss. theoretically the commits
sion has authority over intrastate
service ~(service within the state)
but in most instances now service
over a railroad line is part of ar
interstate operation.
This question has again come
to a head through the action Of
the Milwaukee railroad in aban-
doning passenger trains II and Is
which for years had run between
Chicago and the west coast as the
company's second" trains. OBJ
viously this has been an interstate
operation, but under the Montana
law the railroad commission citeC
the Milwaukee for a hearing OF
April 10. There may be litigation
but it is a reasonable suppositior
that the Montana law will be un-
able to prevent the railroad from
disseminating these trains.
A year ago a somewhat paral'
lei instance arose when the Grea
Northern abandoned what a
mounted to two local trains be.
tween Havre and Williston, N. d
The Montana railroad commission
interviewed, but it appears that the
commission has got nowhere il
the matter. The case is now OF
appeal in the state supreme court
This was in fact an interstate op.
Grafton, even though all but
few miles of the train runs was II
Montana.
Also quite recently there ha
been a case where the Northern
Pacific has Abandoned trains be
tween western Montana and Spo
kane.
In most instances of this kline
the railroad offers to serve pub
lie convenience and necessity b,
substituting motor transport ser
vice for rail service. Hence tn
railroads are nDw in the truckin.
and bus business in no small de
gree.
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