The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1885-04-08
Special Privileges.

| The Legislature passed law and the
! Governor signed the same, granting to
Bancroft & Co. the especial privilege Of
selling all the school books in the Terri
tory of Montana, at price fifty per cent
higher than others, and Just as RESPONSE
bic publishing houses offered to furnish
the same books. This bill was known
as the Text Book Bill. The names of
the persons in whose interest this espe-
cial privilege was granted will be found
engrafted in the bill. And again, the
persons are non-residents of the Terri.
tory the books are printed in San Fran
cisco, and the money realized from the
sale of said books is transferred from the
Territory, the price at which the books
are to be furnished is named in the act
itself The very identical objections ap-
pear in this bill that His Excellency, the
Governor, gives for pocketing the Gen.
/ trail Railroad Bill, namely, that it con-
| flicts with the organic act, still that mar
rJw-minded imported official could sign
one and pocket the other. The question
is simply this, the Governor pockets the
Railroad Bill and states that his reason
for so doing is because it is in conflict
with the organic act. The section refer
red to reads as follows Section 1889,
Page %, revised stvtutes of Montana.
"The Legislative assemblies of the sew
eralterritories shall not grant private
charters or special privileges, but they
may by general incorporation acts, per-
NIT persons to associate themselves to-
gether as bodies corporate for mining,
manufacturing and other industrial pur-
suits, or the construction or operation of
railroads, wagon roads, irrigating bitches
and the colonization and improvement of
lands in connection Herewith, or for
colleges, seminaries, churches, libraries,
or any benevolent, charitable or scienti-
fic association"
Now wherein does the Central Rail-
road bill conflict with the organic act
The bill did not ask for private charter
because the bill reads:
"That whenever, naming the persons,
or a majority of them, shall organize and
incorporate under the laws of the Terri
tory of Montana a railroad company to
be known as the Montana Central Rail-
road Company for the purpose of con-
structjng an independent rail road, etc"
Hence it will be seen that no conflict
exists, as no private charter was asked
for. The conflict, if any. exists in grant
ing the especial privilege, and the statu-
ties does not say such privileges shall not
be granted, but says if granted they must
be general. Let us see if we have a pre-
cedent, andif His Excellency's objections
are well taken and consistent with his
own actions. For instance, the statutes
provide for the exemption of the first |
wooden mill from taxation for term of |
years. This is not general act, for it |
could apply to but one set of men, and |
the mill could be built In but one coun-
ty. Hence it is q special privilege? What
is special privilege. 1t is an ordinance
or law in favor of an individual or g
of individuals, peculiar benefit
or advantage not enjoyed by Others
Now as 10 the consistency of His Excel
lency and his defence of his action In his
pocket veto of the railroad bill. If the
railroad bill was special privilege, GER
tainly the text book bill was a much
more obnoxious special privilege, for it
provides that Bancroft & Co. shall have
he exclusive sale of all the school books
IF the Territory, TO the exclusion of all
)ther houses and all other books, there
~ giving this robbing book house the
ull and exclusive advantage over all
,ther book houses in the country, a
house that has robbed the people of Gal
attn county through the misrepresenta-
ions of its agents of upwards of eight
thousand dollars the past year, this bill
hat takes from the pockets of every
nan and woman in the Territory who
ave children to send to school their
money, which will aggreg-
tie from one TO three hundred thousand
ollars per year. His Excellency could
ign without three minutes notice, with
ut Investigation, without consideration,
ut bill like the Central Railroad bill,
alculated to develop the resources of
iontana, inaugurate system of internal
that would lessen the
urdens ofthe people by increasing the !.
sxable property of the Territory, was a
i'll in which the whole people should
'el an interest because it provided that
he territorial and state taxes should be :
ELECTED from the company as other pro-
erty. This bill was direct benefit to
he mines of Silver Bow county; the
lining districts in Jefferson county !,
ould have been largely benefited; ]
Iadison county would have been per-
APPS more benefited than any other
'unty, as the road would have passed !
rectly through one of the richest belts
smelling ore in the whole territory,
aking it possible to move those ores to !:
her points for treatment, or to convey !,
el to the mines themselves, that they !,
light be treated on the spot. 1t would '
ave opened market for the Bozeman
al, and increased the output of the "
ines many fold, added thousands of :,
orkmen, coal miners and others, whose =
cry day wants would be supplied :,
rgely by the products of the valley. -
neee are some Of the benefits that "
puld have been derived from the con- =