The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1879-06-17
sMOULD TzEEnE M An EXTRA sEs-
sIONs

The proposition to call an extra session 81
the Montana Legislature, presumably for the
purpose Of passing the exemption bill which
failed last winter, has been brought before the
public sufficiently to warrant its discussion.
When the exemption bill was before the Leg
~islature we supported it, and VIC would sup
port it again were it before the people; but
the granting Of exemption is one thing and
the converting Of the Legislature in extraor-
binary session for the special purpose Of grant
ing uch exemption is quite another. Many
who were ardent supporters Of the former are
by no means convinced of the necessity or
expediency of the latter. Let us look back
at the railway prospects Of last winter and
compare them with those Of the present.
When the Eleventh session convened last
winter the terminal point of the Utah North
ern was several miles south of the Snake river
crossing, and We were told that unless the de-
mand for exemption was complied with the
road would be built towards Montana no farther
than Sane Hole station, from which point it
would turn off towards Oregon. We did not
know whether or not the promises, or threats if
you prefer, of the railroad men were to be re-
lied OH or not but prudence suggested their
acceptance as genuine. With exemption we
were promised railroad communication, but
not otherwise. Exemption did not involve
the outlay of one dollar of the peoples earn
ings. 1t was merely the abandonment in ad-
vance of our right to certain revenues-of
revenues whose sum total is so insignificant
when compared with the benefits to be derived
by our two great interests, the mining and ag-
ricultural, from railway communication, that
a proper regard for the welfare of the people
of Montana entire, not of any one class or Of
any one section, at once suggested the tempo
rary surrender of those contingent revenues.
We say contingent, because the fact of such a
source of revenue coming into existence at
all seemed to depend upon the granting of the
exemption asked for. However, it was re-
fused but instead of stopping, the railroad is
coming right along towards Montana. We
are now given to understand that the line will
be built to the southern line of our Territory,
but no further unless exemption be granted.
In this situation our Legislature can either be
convened next fall in extra session for the
purpose of conceding to the railroad mems
demands, or the matter can be allowed to re-
main pending until the Legislature convenes
in its Twelfth regular session, a year from
next winter. Which? We favor The latter
course, for several reasons.
In the first place an extra session could not
well be called in time for its action to have
any effect or this seasons railroad building, so
the difference in time between having the
matter disposed of in regular or in special
session will not amour to more than one
year. 1t will be advisable for US as the best
means of knowing the precise status of the
railroad problem to allow this year to pass
before taking action in the matter. The
abroad men told us their line would not ap-
oroach our southern boundary without ex-
but it is approaching it. Now they
'ay it will not cross that line. How are we
% know whether their declaration is this time
to be relied upon than it was last season?
At that time no one favored exemption for
ny love they bore the railroad corporation.
Believing there was a very fair prospect of
railroad era being indefinitely de-
erred if a release from the burden of taxes
vas not given, those who preferred the general
interests of the Territory to the interests of
heir own little locality favored the scheme.
The risk may not have appeared very great,
tut where SO little was to be sacrificed COM
with the benefits to accrue, they thought
t safer and better to be on the safe side, and
accordingly supported exemption. At present
a delay of only one year will result
rom RELOCATING the whole business to the
twelfth session, the proposition will not be
lpt to win many converts from the ranks of
hose who opposed it last winter. Then let
is wait. If the road be pushed on into Mon
ana without the aid asked for, SO much the
better. If not, the matter can be made an
ssue in the next elections. To their decision
shall willingly leave it, Of The gentle
men holding seats in the present Legislature a
large proportion, though personally in favor
Of last, winters exemption bill in the form in
which it was ultimately presented, nevertl,e-
less considered themselves instructed by their
party conventions to oppose any such meas
ure. 1t is altogether likely they would be-
still of this way of thinking, and how
ever much We may differ from them in inter-
the instructions by which they are
influenced, we must at least respect and adj
nlre the conscienciousness with which they
discharge what they believe to be their duty.
Besides this the present Legislature contains
many representatives of the reaetionary spirit,
many who would like to go backward to the ,
old days of 100 per cent profit in mercantile
transactions, instead of forward in the direc-
ton OF progress, and these gentry will get left
the next election if the railway issue be of