Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1876-01-27
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE,
HELENA, January 81,

HELENA, January 81, 1876.
Legislation still progresses slowly. TIKI
printing bill, introduced by Mr.. Cullen, hay
inc received some wholesome amendments
has passed both houses, been duly enrolled
and gone to the Governor, and we expec
hourly to hear it proclaimed as a law. An(
while it is far from our ideal Of legislation
we must accede that it is a reduction of per-
haps one-third from the present rates bu1
the reduction is chiefly in favor of litigants
and not of the counties, which was the chic
object; vet in this particular it is below
commercial rates.
The bill fixing the pay of county commits
sioners at ten cents per mile for distance
travelled, and six dollars per day for actual
time employed, to be paid out of the contin.
gent fund of the several counties, has be.
come a law. The effect of it, we fear, will
result seriously to the contingent fund, il
there is not some provision made to increase
the
There are a multitude of bills before the
assembly, prominent among which is a, bill
providing for a sweeping reduction Of fees
of county officers. We certainly think that
the reductions proposed are in most instan-
ces too great and will fail to meet the ap-
proval of either house. We are on the side
Of the taxpayer, and will ever be. His in
terest is our interest his cause our cause !;
but we are yet to be convinced Of any adj
vantage to be gained from such reduction.
FN,o o,1a,,N,ta4sx1 ,F +lo Nr~,+l I1,a.so
railroad company have submitted a memo
rial to the legislature in which they ask the
loan Of the credit of our Territory to the
amount of two millions of dollars, the Ter
ritory to issue bonds for this sum-, drawing
eight per cent. interest per amum, payable
semi-annually. The principal to be paid in
twenty-five years. The railroad company,
in turn, propose to complete their road to
the line Of our Territory, and two hundred
miles within its borders, and to give a lien
upon the gross receipts of that part of the
road between Bismarck and the terminus,
to secure the interest and create a sinking
fund to pay off the principal.
We are not prepared to say whether or
IlOO lliC pIOpOSiiioH VII EdSOu 0hC LAW "
our law makers. The proposition seems to
be Il fair one. We confess that we are UNI
able to find any Sob in it. Yet it does not
fully satisfy the friends of the road. They
think some other and better plan can be
agreed upon. There seems to be a DISPOSE
ton among a majority of the members OF
the assembly to favor this route, but we are
unable to predict the result. We would no
say anything to discourage the enterprise.
feel its need and Importance but we do
not know of a single case upon record where
the people have subsidized or loaned their
credit to private corporations, that, ooner
or later, they have notregretted. Therefore,
in view Of this fact, we would recommend
careful consideration Of any measure in its
fullest details before entering into it.
The Territory is enjoying a fair degree OF
prosperity, and it would be ~deplorable to
cripple it by placing it at the mercy of any
railroad corporation. And though much we
desire a railroad, we could never consent to
have our people become the slaves of capt.
talists by granting a subsidy to some rail-