The Sidney herald., 1955-03-10

to the functioning of our state
government.
We r still too close to the
event to evaluate the legislature
which since January 8 had been
exercising the lawmaking powers
delegated by the electors of Mon
tana. AS the picture assumes bet
ter perspective we can examine it
with better assurance of accuracy.
Only time will tell whether what
the legislature did wisely and well
outweighs what it failed to do or
failed to do well. And that. in
some degree, will depend on the
point of view.
Nobody yet knows what is in
all the laws that have been enact
ed the last two months. It is
physically impossible for any leg
lSlator to study all the laws that
are proposed, or even all those
that r passed. In not a few
instances the answers will have
to come from the courts. So on
the affirmative side it may be
quite awhile before we know
whether the legislature has to its
credit any very substantial ac-
complishments for the public
welfare. And on the negative side,
we might inquire to what extent
the lawmakers may have benefit
ed the people of the state by re-
fusing to enact some of the bills
that were introduced.
I think it is fairly safe to say
that this legislature has done the
state no substantial harm, if harm
at all. This, in my opinion, is a
factor that should be considered
IN judging a legislature. The at
tItude Of some legislators that no
damage is done by killing a bill
IS open to argument but it has
some justification in principle.
A leftwing element in the Dem
ocratic party Notwithstanding,
this was a conservative legisla-
ture, perhaps too conservative in
some respects. The prevailing
tendency appears to have been to
make haste slowly.
On the affirmative side I feel
that the legislature acted with
humane vision by enacting legis-
lation whereby employees of the
state and its political subdivisions
may, on their own election, OBJ
tain social security coverage under
the federal act. One effect of this
will be that persons who have
been under the federal act will
not lose federal retirement cred
its by entering state employment.
Had this law not been passed
there are at least three very val
liable state officials who would
have resigned.
Why the Montana Taxpayers
association opposed this legisla-
ton is puzzling to me. It was
contended that the law would cost
the state and other units of gov
eminent about 100000 a year.
This may be true, but it seems to
me that this cost is inconsequen-
tial compared with the humanitar-
ian considerations involved. Sci
ence is working wonders in pro-
long the lives of people, but
this greater life expectancy has
created social and economic prob
lens that government cannot in
good conscience ignore.
On the negative side, 1 believe
the legislature did a good job in
frustrating what might have been
a raid on the state governments
income from the liquor control
board and which could have re-
suited in the ultimate destruction
of the state monopoly system.
The last two sessions, and per-
haps longer, liquor dealers have
tried to get a discount on their
purchases. After this attempt
failed this year, what might be
termed a back door approach was
attempted - and it was tied tc
a bonus for Korean war veterans
If differently drafted and not en-
grated on a liquor dealer scheme
the bonus bill would have passed
Emphasis on common school fl
nancing, especially in relation t.
the equalization fund provided
through legislative appropriation
has somewhat obscured the in
creasing fiscal needs of the uni
versity system. The six units o.
the university system r steadily
growing - growing faster thar
their financial resources.
Although the people have re-
peatedly voted a special millag'
tax for the university units, this i
not enough, necessitating more
and more help from the state gen.
eral fund. This situation has beer
a major factor in the increase o
general fund appropriations com
pared with two years ago.
Late in the session ~ too lat
for the introduction of Legislation
to implement the objective - /
was proposed That a 100000
bond issue for the university sys
tenn be submitted to the voters
I do not know why the propose
was not made earlier.
= s +
The last three sessions of tn
legislature Sen. o. P. Balgord o
Golden Valley sponsored an I'm
-.l -rrn4nc ada RnonI1c