The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-11
THE STATE LEGISLATURE
Two Reports Will b Presented to
the House on the State
Examiner Bill.
Tho Senate Does Considerable
Work In Committee OF
the Whole.

the Whole.
Make Transportation Companies Re
deem Unused Coupons.
The bill establishing a board Of state OK.
aminers will be reported back to the house
to-day by the committee OH state boards
and corporations. After q long discussion
they finally decided to send in two reports
something that has not occurred before
during the session. The minority report II
signed by Moran (rep.), Newcomer (rep.
and Carney (dem.) They evidently do not
favor establishing the office, though thu
constitution In plain words makes II man
datory. II Ia said that the republicans will
oppose the bill because they do not want
any more Offices established which will b.
flied by democrats to be appointed by thu
governor. All Of the republicans do no,
stand in with this theory Of caring for the
states interests, and on the other hand II il
Yumored that several democrats will vote
for the adoption of the minority report
The fate Of the bill cannot BIO p~rophesied
until the time comes for voting. There are
no good reasons for believing that the Office
should not be established. The constitu-
tional convention by a nearly unanimous
vote declared the Office a necessity. The
name OF Mr.. Bernard Brown haP been added
10 the list Of candidates for the office. He
has lately been connected with the alleged
investigation Of the official accounts in
Choteau county.
The senate spent most of tho day in COM
mittee Of the whole and got through con-
siderable business. One Of the most i'm
.portant measures was Senator Hoffman's
bill .for the protection Of Travellers" 1t
provides that all railroad and steamboat
companies, or other concerns for carrying
passengers, shall provide each ticket agent
with a certificate showing his authority to
act; and making it unlawful for any per-
son not possessed of that authority to sell
or deal in whole or part tickets, under pen
atty Of not over $500 or imprisonment not
exceeding three months in the county jail,
or both. The bill further provides that oil
companies furnishing transportation must
provide for the redemption within forty
EIGHT hours of the whole or any parts or
coupons Of any ticket. at any station in the
state where coupon tickets are sold, il the
purchaser has not used the ticket to its des-
t~ination. The unused part is to be re-
deemed at the difference between the price
paid for the whole ticket and the cost be-
tween the points used. The intentions of
the bill were clear enough. The first OBJ
son< svao In rSravGnk ffOk1k apaIninDs
the second to make each transportation
company do its " redeeming Of unused
parts OF tickets. The bill, however, was
found to he somewhat badly worded. and
liable to lead to misunderstanding. 1t
WAS therefore reported back to thes senate
with q recommendation that it be referred
to the committee on judiciary to be put in
proper shape.
Another bill which occasioned some dis
cussion in committee Of the whole was that
providing for publication OF the decisions
of the supreme court. It puts this duty in
the hands of the clerk of the supreme
court. it having formerly been done by the
reporter Of tina: body. Senator Thornton
made a fight for the supreme court reporter.
az he doubted the ability Of the clerk to do
the work required. Senator Hedges, the
author of the bill and formerly supreme
court reporter, said it was intended to
profession. Senator Mats backed him up
on that position and the "cletk'' was al
lowed to remain on the bill, which was re-
ported with a favorable accommodation.
The committee Of the whole recommended
that the following other bills be passed:
Amending the law in regard to incorpora-
tions for industrial and productive pur-
poses; to protect the title to Montana school
lands. Also memorial asking the removal
BY congress of the mineral restrictions on
school lands, and the extension Of the time
Of leases.
Senator Thompson, of Park county. pre-
sented n petition signed by eighty citizens
of the lower half Of Dawson county. II
protested against dividing Dawson into two
counties at the Missouri river. Among the
reasons urged is that Dawson County con-
tains but S2,5O0.0 600 Of assessable property;
that its expenses are 1886, 600 and the collec-
tions from taxes and licenses bnt $4,000;
that it will leave tho northern part with
less than a million of assessable property,
all but $3.50 of which belongs to the
Great Northern railroad; that the division
will increase the tax rate for both Dawson
~ the proposed new county Of Valley
that there wers but 1853 votes cast in the
upper part of Dawson at the last election;
and that the proposed division is the
"scheme of a few petty politicians who
want a county organization that they may
enjoy the spoils of Office"
Standing committees recommended fla.
vorable action on the following bills: Sen.
ate bill making the first Monday in Sep.
TENDER a legal holiday. to be known as la.
Dor day; house bill requiring certain coun-
ty and district officers to report the fee
collected to the county commissioners, ant
the county clerk to report the substance oi
the game to the state auditor; senate bill
creating the office Of the marginal Of the ~
preme court. The committee on education
asked further time on the bill to amend TIN
Montana school law.
The house memorial asking the openinI
81 the Fort Shaw military reservation t.
settlement was received and referred in tn
senate.
The following notices were given in tn,
house:
By Mr.. Howey-For an act appropriatinI
q to pay the salaries of members an.
officers of the senate and house of repre-
sentatives of the first legislative assembl
OF the stats of Montana.
BY Mr.. Harlan-To protect the timber O
the school lands of the state.
XIV Mr. RnarffaNn-A hill 70 aY,arI oon