Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1886-09-01
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE

EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
The denomination OF the Hon. Joseph 4.
Toole as Delegate to Congress was among
the certainties long before the Convention
met. The strong sense Of justice inherent
in the Democracy of Montana dictated
such a course. The eminent aud satisfac-
tory services rendered to the Democracy
and to the people of Montana demanded,
out of decency, the recognition always due
a tried and true servant. The feeling was
SO strong among the people that when the
Convention met there was not one among
all the able and worthy sons OF the
Democracy to contest with Mr.. Toole for
the honor. There was not a Delegate
elected by the Democrats Of all the sec-
tions OF the Territory who raised his voice
against his denomination. On the con-
trary all accorded him the most enthusi-
astic reception.
Such honors are not lightly or thought
lessIy bestowed by a great political party.
The speech delivered by Mr.. Toole before
the Convention, in which he accepted a re-
nomination. and which has already been
published in TIE MINER, indicates that he
fully appreciated this fact. Such unan-
unity in a party as was exhibited in the
Democratic Convention of Tuesday is in
deed rare and must be brought about by
| unusual causes. In this instance there
suit is due entirely to the nominee himself
Ito his party loyalty, his excellent quail
tiles of head and heart and his great ser
| vices of his constituents,
1t has been sneeringly asked by ono or
two Republican newspapers, what has
Ioe Toole done in Congress?" For this
reason it is not out of place to show what
he has done during the past session of
Congress. In this connection it should be
borne in mind that Mr.. Toole q q nov
ice in Congress; that he was serving his
| first term and that the devious q intri-
cate ways OF national legislation were new
to him; that he was a stranger to the Gus
toms of the bureaus and unknown to
those in charge. Yet his record is q splen.
did one.
The River and Harbor Bill, as it passed
the House. appropriated $50, 900 for
improving the Upper Missouri River and
$50, 600 additional for dredging the same.
Mr.. Toole was instrumental in securing the
insertion of these allowances in the bill and
secured their approval by the House. In
the Senate these appropriations were,
however, cut down 25 per cent. in the gen.
eral scaling. He also secured an appro-
priation OF $25 900 for the improvement
of the Yellowstone, bet ~een Glendive and
it's mouth, which the Republican Senate
also cut down to about SIS, 0OO..
Mr.. Toole secured appointment Of a
fourth judge for Montana, one of the great
est needs in our judiciary. Despite the fact
that our judges were overworked, the bust
ness of the courts was rapidly accumulat-
ing and no relief seemed possible until
through MI. Toole's energy and tact an
additional judge was secured.
One OF the crying evils of our system OF
~judicature vas the fact that a judge who
tried a case below, sat, in banc, in review
Of his wi acts. This was the heighth of
legal absurdity. 1t was scarcely t. be ex.
pected that any nan sitting as a supreme
judge would reverse himself as district
judge. This a not only an absurdity,
but calculated to work great injury to the
people. Thanks to Mr.. Toole this has
now been remedied, by the passage of a
law providing that the judge who tried a
case in the court below shall not partici-
pate in the determination of the case in
the Supreme Court.
He secured the passage of q bill provid. /
ing for q commission to treat with the /
Indians in Northern Montana for q reduc- |
ton Of their reservation or for their re- |
moval therefrom.
He secured a law authorizing the build
at or near Miles City.
He secured the passage OF a law granting
the right of way through the Blackfoot In
dian Reservation, which was vetoed by the
President.
He secured the adoption, by the House.
Of a bill authorizing the Benton Bridge
to build a bridge across the
River at or neal Benton. This
bill is o upon the Senate calendar and
will undoubtedly become a law at the next
session OF the present Congress.
This is a goodly list, and indicates that
Mr.. Toole has been most diligent, active,
and successful. But it is not by
my means all that he has done. Besides
he bills quoted, the following have been
" him introduced in the House, reported
Jack unanimously and are upon the House
alendar and will have precedence at the
ext session: =
1. To construct q railroad from CHINA
ar to Cooke City. i
2. To erect a public building at Helena ,
appropriating $50, 900 therefor. 4
3. To bore artesian wells IN Montana,
nd appropriating $50, 600 therefor. 9
4. To provide for the service of civil and q
riminal processes OF Territorial Courts in :
ae National Park and Indian reserva- h
ons. II
s. To admit Montana into the Union. a
his bill is pending before the Committees q
q Territories in the Senate and in the "
-
In addition to these a bill to create the fl
ort Benton Land District is pending before o
"a House Committee on Public Lands ~
is dependent upon the opening of the h
(ackfoot Indian Reservation. In
1t would lie difficult to understand how
r. Toole could have done any better or W
~ more. His bills seem to have covered Ia
the present and many OF the prospec- hi
ve wants of the Territory and he brought al
lily one-half OF them to a successful
Tue. This is very much above the aver 90
e achievement of Congressman. Those OF o,
bills that have not passed are either bi
'on the calendar of the House or Senate, in
excellent shape for the next session or 9!
we been favorably acted upon by the :
'mmittees on Territories. No one can care "a
these measures so efficiently as their az
thor. He has watched them from their sa
knows their friends and enc -.
es and the failure to re-elect Mr.. Toole ~;
'uld be equivalent to setting back legis- ca
ion more than a year-for what fails OF to
ssage at the next session falls abso- ia
ely, and will have to take the usual q.
atine course of reference and approval of fo,