The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-02-26
Labors of the Third Legislative AS
sembly OF Montana Drawing
to q Close.
Senatorial Surprises Will Be In
Order Every Day the Com
ing Week.
Probability That Many Measures Now in
tho House VIII Never Come UP for
Final Action.

AucIO IoLuulA5 u Aou' " o"po 49,
which ballots can be taken for United
states senator. While on tho surface il APP
pears that the situation Ia as completely
deadlocked as heretofore. for a fact such IL
not the case. IL may be that there Will BE-
no election, but before midnight next
Thursday the prospects are that many a
dark horse will have entered the lists and
been put TO his best speed. The CLARK men
during the last week have not lost a man,
while the Dixon vote has dropped from
twelve to eight. One of the losses Ia due
to a pair, two have gone to DR.. A. ii. Mitch
oil. and the third to ex-Gov. j. X. Ioole.
There IL a general impression that tho de-
f~ections from Dixon were for the purpose Of
drawing away Clark votes, but II suoh was
the cane, so far ii has failed. Daring the
week the republicans found it impossible
TO center oil their votes on Mantle.
Wednesday night the Sanders people tried
TO Get a caucus and put their man in
ngain as the caucus nominee. but 1t
failed. Hall. Hunt and Kleinschmidt have
been tho republican dark horses during the
week, the latter receiving the greater num-
her of votes cast for any of the three.
The programme for the coming week is
bos DV'sSNSN w NV AiS'S SNs ~
any of the leaders Of the different forces.
Mantle's friends are determined to keep
him in as the caucus nominee, as are
Clark's. Unless Mantle can present n solid
republican support by Tuesday either San
ders. Carter or Botkin will be used to dis
place. and Judging from the talk hoard
outside of those directly interested in the
futures of the two former gentlemen. Bot
kin will come nearer solidifvinR the mem-
bers of his patty in the state than any
other man. As presiding officer Of the SEN
ate and of the joint assembly he has ad-
vanced rapidly in the high esteem in which
he was held before he was elected ~lieuten-
ant governor, and while he was fought bit
terly for four years by the administration
people during HGrrison's inoumbency. this
element has now lost it's power, and the
lieutenant governor can laugh at their
enmity.
While the Dixon men say they will 90 to
any one who can defeat Clark. the follow
ers of ths latter say they will not support
any one named or Rroomed by Dixon or
Marcus Daily. Some of the Clark men say
they will stay by him to the last ballot,
even though this would result in giving the
~. vi u JAG
Other gentlemen who have been voting for
Clark from the beginning arc not willing to
90 to such a length in their fealty. while
they feel at the same time that under every
precedent and by all the rules of political
honesty and fair dealing their candidate
should receive the votes of all the demo-
cratic members of the Legislature.
Whatever may happen the coming week,
IL will come in the nature of a surprise,
and from Monday to Thursday the poll
ticians will be kept guessing.
After four more days the i'm martial his
torian will have to weigh the good things
done and the bad things left undone,
against the bad things done aud the good
things left undone. in order to get at the
value of the work accomplished by the
third legislative assembly of Montana. 1t
is safe to say that very few bills will get
through which have not at this time either
passed one house or gotten to the third
reading stage, other than regular ana
special appropriation bills. There may be
some exceptions to this rule, but they will
be very few. SO far most of the legislation
has been Of a special nature. such as the
location of the educational and penal instl-
tions. and the creation OF counties and Of
ficers. -Four new counties have been carved
out of tho territory of old ones. Only one
more has n ghost of a show of getting
throuRh-and il is only a ghost OF a show.
That il Broadwater county. 1t must be
said thnt the Legislature has not shown
itself to be reckless in the mat
ter OF creating new offices. With
few exceptions they we're of the
kind where the incumbents work for per
diem and mileage. The location of
the various educational institutions of the
state was accomplished by this legislature,
and future assemblies will not be hampered
or embarrassed by that question. The
current belief is now that there is very lit
tie urgent demand for any general leQisla-
tlon outside of something to simplify the
official ballot now in use. and to make reg
list alton easier for the people in the out
Side districts. Bills for this purpose ars on
tho calendar Of the house and are in pretty
good shape for consideration and passage
II the members would devote a small part
OF an afternoon or a night to them. The
senate has a bill on the subject OF leoistra-
tlon already engrossed and ready for pas.
sage. 1he members of tho house who have
been staving off action on its own regissra-
ton bill have given as an excuse that they
wanted to wait for the senate measu,e md
then compare the two and pick ont tho best.
There Is no need to wait any longer if it ia
desired 10 afford relief to the agricultural
communities. Tn senats bill amends tho
present law by striking out some parts,
and in cases even words. and substituting
new matter. If it should pass the house
and DO signed by the governor it would be-
valueless, under section 60. of article s, of
the state oonatitution, which says; mo law
shall be revised or amended, or the proyi-
sions thereof extended by reference to its
title only, but 40 much thereof as ia revised.
amended or extended shall be re-enaoted and
published ut length" The house bill is in
much the better shape, us a special COM
mittee representing the communities TO be
benefited have passed. II and made the
changes they want and think best. The
ballot law is also in such shape that il
could be passod rs it is printed, without
amendment. and would make but one vital
change in the present law, and that would
be to simplify the ballot by grouping the
party candidates in separate columns. As
that Ia the only change that is nsked for by
the people, or provided for by the bill, il
would seem the part of wisdom for tho log