The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-01
exempting church property and cemeteries
from taxation; house bill requiring railroad
companies to pay for damages to stock.

In the house the committee OF the whole
reported the bill making the penitentiary a
state institution. Representative Barrows
moved to not accept the amendment pro-
viding that convict labor should not come
in competition with free labor. The con-
stitution already provided that the convlcts
should not be let out by contract. If a law
were passed with such a provision as pro-
posed, it would prevent the convicts max
ing their own clothes or cooking their own
meals. The motion to reject the amend
ment was voted dow and the committed
report adopted. A similar bill comes up in
the senate Tuesday.
The printing bill was referred to a special
committee consisting of Representatives
Pool, HASTE and Kempland, who reported
an amendment to cover the disputed mat
ter of sending the work out of the state or
not. Tho amendment provides that all the
state printing be let to contractors in the
state when the cost does not exceed by 10
printing is to be done in the county where
the cost does not exceed by 10 per cent the
lowest outside bid. The report was adopted
and the bill now goes on its third reading.
When the bill to provide for the payment
of all claims approved by the state board Of
examiners was under discussion in the
house committee of the whole, Representa-
tive HASTE rose on the republican side aud
objected to the claim Of the Independent
Publishing company for work lone for the
constitutional convention, on the ground
were full of errors. Representative Barrows
retorted that the proof reading had been
lone by a Henry Bernard, a man the gen
tlemen on the other side were we'll &C
quainted with. Representative Howey
said whether the work was good or bad il
had been done and should be aid for. The
bill was reported favorably with the print
| ing item in it.
The house passed the following bills
house bills to prevent depredations OF
| timber on state lands; several relief bills
and senate bill making the historical ~societ,
a state institution.
There is a bill already passed by the sen
ate providing for the selection of stat,
lands. 1t is lying on the files in the house
Notwithstanding the fact that it is so ia
advanced the house spent a Roodly portion
of its time yesterday afternoon, In com
mittee of the whole, IN q measure of its owl
having the same end in view. The sam
amount of time devoted to the senate bill
would nave put it through and in the hand
of the governor.
Representative Goodman offered a reso
luton in the house .for the payment of il
terest ON all claims against the state, in
Guiding claims of pages, j~anitors and a
other citizens regardless of race, color q
previous condition of s~ervitude." 1t wa
evidently a sarcasm on the bill to pay th
state prison contractors interest on the
claim.
After the bill to pay the employees of IL
last legislature had gotten to the governor
a curious mistake was discovered. 1t WI
found that the bill provided for paying Il
employees in full. At the same time mai
of them had sold the certificates for mo
, of their pay to the banks, and those inst
tutions had already been paid in anOth
bill. The measure WAS recalled from q
, governor, amended by reducing Il
amounts to what was actually due, al
: again passing the bill.
There ID a chance that the people of Nc
r tana may yet have some Law which will pl
! tect them against bad oil for burning pI
5 poses. The senate passed a bill some til
o ago making it unlawful to sell oil I'll
flashed at less than ITO degrees. The hol