The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-01-27
,anesAo1 or GOV. CROSBY.
nalfNaRoa 20 ~ 010n0il and
1nuno a Dopeoooa104iv00 a
Tho 1og1sieogy q 8o0to1o,
January 00th. 1000.

OOSS1sSs4 ssss@ ~ 1880
my predecessor fortunately makes u
unnecessory.
But among the general questions
tlsst l0scibly strike me, are the Reg
istrnti0n, 0r Qualification Of v0te =,
railroad taxation, the Indian ques-
tion, and the more perfect enforce
u,eut Of the game aud timber lsws Of
the Territory. At the outset Of my
administration, however. I am par
ticulsrly sarurk with the n<eesei,y VI
providing some security a9njnse tenn"
poeary poralysls Of the legislative
junction. II the Executive, " any
onaeer under the Supreme general
Government, should attemp. 10 prt-
vent your lawful deliberaisOus, y0u
would properly den0unce him ~ IN
usurpeT; why, then, should any sin.
gle ,nelnLer, or any body Of nse'nbess
0f the Legislature, absent himself or
themselves with inn unity, to prevent
= quorum of your body: I earnestly
suggest that this young. great and ~.
corrupted Territory. while reverend.
ing every salegvard that custom and
law have thrown around debate,
si,oukl. provide sa.n,e penalty that
would secure your LEGISLATION sgainst
. deadlock osEanixed f0r persa,nal
ends tn prevent any lexal meeting.
The people have . right to the service
of every member Ut the legislative
body. - much ~ any employer h ell
titled to service for which be pays.
REGISTRATION AND VOTING.
In . country ~ vast and rparsely
settled - Montana, . rule NJ reeistra-
ti0n Of voters might wOsk hardship
In some cases, but mot In the cities,
towns, or more popul0a,s districts.
However this may be, the qualiiica-
tiOn Of v0ters should be more sharply
lleiimesi. 1t 10 now we'll known that
We are In part Represented through
the votes Of men who had no definite
purpOUe to become citizens. The
ceunty residence imposed by law ~.
In my opinion, too short, aud the de-
c]araiiOn OG intention too informal. It
IL not crellitable that men really In
tending to weld their fortunes with
this Territory, would place In Office In.
cumbents Unqualified by law.
earnestly recommend an increase
Of the term required by Law for resi-
dence IN the COunty ~ = condition
precedent to suiIt1ge, aud also that
Identification with the Territory
shall lie made tO mean something
more than = l.urpOse to work upOn \
railroad therein 10 the end Of Q job.
r.. foundation Of suffrage should
lie high and pure. All government
IL corrupted with it, corruption.
Tnose only who are honestly citizens,
in intent Or TACT, should touch the
highest privilege II the Republic.
In this connection I earnestly
urge the proprety of repeating sec.
~, Article LIT, Chapter q, Revised
Statutes Of Montana. aud compelling
u voter to have defined precinct for
voting purlnwes - . >ecurity against
fraud. As the law now stands, 4 dis
lIVi.. -: llan may vOte for Delegate 10
Congress In ~ many places In the
Territory - he can cover while polls
are open. This provision may have
l,een kindly intended to prevent .
citizen whose Interests carry him far
froM his home, from lGsing his vote.
But the possibility Of abuse that re-
suits from this law, IL sufficient tn
call for its immediate repeal. 1t IL
less q hardship that M honest voter
should l0se hia vote, then that y dis
honest one should annul many hon.
est ones by repeat ing.
RAILROAD TAXATION.
TIE vast bene fits conferred by rail-
roads upon this Territory IN the last
year are but . shadow Of what may
l,e expected. Overweeniug pr0tec-
tiOn To an interest armed with del
exated sovereign powers, and that
may always. become . tn potent
monopoly, IL Of course unwise. But
the importance VI railroads to Ter
ritory - large ~ New England,
New York, and Pennsylvania, IN Il
~ inviting travel and settlement,
ami y .~ning our immense productive
powers and resources to the markets
Of the world. In . standing protest
any such destructive taxation %
should absolutely deter capital from
this essential investment. / respect
fully invite your most wise ami
paiilsiaking attention to the very inn
pOrtant subject Of the taxation vi
railroads, ~ that you may discover
the just aud happy medium, which
s!.al! coMpel them to D'ay On eslutta-
tie share Of thu ir profits to the pet,-
pie frOsn whom they derive their
ln,wers, aud yet not deter the millions
" capital seeking investment from,
planting their iron Tines firmly in the
soil Of eur Territory.
would suggest, III possible the prs,-
prietv Of Territorial legislation that
would - adjust taxation ~ tO equal
" and equita('ly foster oil railrMGi
enterprises In their feeble yeans. aud
impose heavier taxation " profits In.
crease. In this matter | advocate 4
xystesn that will secure the greatest
possible increase Of taxable property
Ia the Territory, and tsx 1t fully and
eQuitally wherever vi.ible without
regard to cs'unty lines To overtax
the lirst hundred miles anywhere,
may prevent the incOminx Of u
Thousand more that would increase
real estate values through the Ter.
ritOry hundred fold.
THE IxDiAxs.
The Indian problem IL complicated
by the duty, On the one hand. Of be-
ing just, and even generous, to ,,e0.
pie who once owned the whole Ter.
ritory, and On the other. by that IRE
sislible law Ut nature under which q
lower must yield to q higher civil,xa-
ton. The vast acreage per capita
now surrendered to tribes who nei-
Their mine, plough nor pasture It, *
cites some discomfort among the
white population. would not over.
look the merit IT Indian scl,onls. ! ut
think the reclamation Of the Indian
from savage and idle ways, i,y Gu
cOursging him tO feed himself ~ y
herder Of cattle-olle step toward BE-
coming an agriculturist- instead III
precarious living by hunting, IL
more important. Hunting tenn pey
him fr'nl his reservation aud b
mimic war. 1t excites the Wild aud
crafty passions. John ElliOtt. the
old apostle Of the Indians, after wears
Of teaching them the bible in the
Indian tongue, bitterly exclaimed:
lone day Of hunting laakss INV In
dams oil savage!" would suxgeat
that Congress lie lnenlOrialixed to
take mnaNRR 0l1sCSAmk ss,r.s,~.. ~ -