Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1877-03-01

gave way to another. At one time in the
House.. in the evening of the last day, there
was a perfect uproar of Mr.. Speaker! MIR.
Speaker - from every quarter OF the hall at
the same time. each clamering for the floor
and pleading for 'just one minute" in which
to call up his bill, make his report, or have
his measure considered.
This spell of tumult, however, was broken
by the announcement that the Railroad bill
had been signed by the Governor. Soon af-
ter this, the last bills OF Importance were
passed upon and after a short recess both
houses adjourned.
While [ am of the opinion that some of
the laws passed nave not had the considera-
tion they should have had, l must state that
some are good and can not fail to be bene-
fetal to the Territory
The Civil Practice act adopted, is repre-
sented to be just the thing wanted. 1t was
copied from the California statutes which
were gotten up by the best loyal talent of
the Western Coast, at a great cost.
The Probate act is also represented to be
a valuable improvement upon our old law
which usually confiscated the property OF
deceased persons.
The joint memorial which passed both
houses asking Congress to take back the
lands given to the Northern Pacific Railroad
and substitute the company to the value of
IS cents per acre, was hit upon by Council
man Lewis, of Jefferson county, and was
generally approved by the members Of both
houses. Should Congress adopt this plan,
we may still hope to see the Northern Pa
cific railroad completed. Such a proceeding
would not be a very profitable investment
for the government, but it would be Of great
value to those who may settle on the line
of the road, since they would be entitled to
100 acres of LAND as q homestead orpre-emp-
ton right, instead of so acres, as at present.
The Railroad bill is pronounced by the
lega lights to be safe and well guarded. I
find that many persons, who three days ago
hoped to see it fail to become a law, are IA
vorab1y impressed with its provisions, and
it would seem from the reading of section
IA, that the farmer members of the Legisla-
thre have been alive to the interest. of their
brother farmer constituents, and, e, though
they have failed to pass a general law for
the taxation of bullion, they have got In a
section to the Railroad bill which will create
a revenue from the shipment of bullion that
will serve a good part, should the bill be
adopted by the people, in tightening the tax
burden of the farmers and stock-men of our
country. It is estimated that the revenue
from the shipments of the past year from
Montana of ores and bullion at q reasonable
railroad freightage and expressage, was SUI
ficient of itself to pay one-half of the inter-
est upon the whole mount of bonds to be
issued. If this be true, it is reasonable to es-
innate that the increase Of shipments Of
these precious mining products from our
Territory would, by the time the road is
completed, be at least treble what it now is,
which, at one-twelfth of the gross proceeds
from ~freightage and expressage, would pay
the interest ON the debt. Add to this the
amount of revenue to be collected frota pas
sengers traffic at one-twenty-tifth Of the
gross proceeds, together with the taxes up
on the road inside of the Territory, and it is
quite safe to insure the payment of the in
terest and principal before the bonds be
come due. With these estimates made from
an independent standpoint, 1t is fair to pre-
sumo that the farmers will not have any Sc
rious objections to the project.
1t is true, that while we build this road,
we build up a monopoly, but it is some con-
ISOLATION to think that the miners are to CON