The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-01-23
LEGISLATION IN PROGRESS.

Among the bills introduced in the Legs.
lature we notice one by Mr.. Biddle ITO de-
fine the duties of County Commissioners"
1t lie evidently designed TO attain desirable
object we have advocated, but It does not
seems TO us to be In the best form.
Representative Biddle's bill requires Com
missioners TO make out at each regular guar.
terly meeting full statement of the re-
ceipts and expenditures Of the previous three
months, and the amount Of debt or money on
hand, which shall be published In news
paper, and then al the March session TO make
ont a similar statement for the year preced-
ing. This 1t will be seen would require two
statements and two publications of the same
thing. The expenditures audited at each
quarterly meeting should be Immediately
published, and at the March meeting the to-
tails only of the preceding three-quarters,
with the allowances for that quarter, the re.
ceIpts for the entire year, and an exhibit Of
The several funds. The bill also omits q
very important feature, the record and prompt
publication of all official acts, whether in
volving the receipt or expenditure Of any
money or not.
Representative Potts has introduced a bill
TO punish and suppress prize fighting In
Montana. The object Is a good one, but the
bill as drawn does not seem TO us to be com.
prehensive and binding enough. The Of
tense designated is "any premeditated fight
or contention commonly called a prize fight"
The gentleman who drew the bill does not
perhaps realize with what ineffable scorn
Messrs. Sullivan, Ryan and the lesser lights
of the fistic arena would resent the insinua-
ton that their exhibitions are legally soon
tentions" or ssprize fights" They are merely
scientific exhibitions of the manly art"
where the professors wear gloves and posture
according to certain "rules." They do not
slight" nor econtend" TO any extent the law
at present takes eognizance of, or that we
think the proposed law would reach. Their
contention Is generally over the gate money;
their fighting done in challenges through the
newspapers. III they do 60 1t for "blood"
once In while II is the exception. The hip
podrome business, by which lot Of idle,
able Bodied, brutalized feliowsput up games
to get the dollars of workers; by which towns
are disgraced with widely advertised Sunday
exhibitions OF that character; by which lot
or worthless idlers demeralize young people
aud lure them TO vicious associations, is the
evil that should be suppressed, and we men
ton what we deem the inadeqnacy OF the
psesent DILL 10 reach that class ofswindles In
hopes that the measure will be SO amended
that there will no escape for them.
Councilman Fergus has introduced -
"Council Bill No. l" proposition TO mp
point a commission OF two persons from each
judicial District TO ssexamlne and ascertain
the topography Of the Territory, the present |
and probable distribution Of the population |
and resources, and 70 report ct the next ses-
sion such Encouragement Of the county lines
rs wilt accommodate the various communi-
ties a the Territory with county seats with
In reasonable distance thereof and secure
greater convenience to the citizens In the
administration Of county affairs, reduce the
expenses of the administration Of the law,
and SO far a. possible produce uniformity Of |
the size OF counties and unity Of Interests Of
the people thereof II the bill becomes
law Il will not be necessary 70 Introduce any