The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-02-01
THE UNIVERSITY BILL.
Consolidation and Segregation Had
Their First Innings in the
Senate Yesterday.
Fight on the Question of the Lo-
cation Of the University Of
Montana.
Altar Three Hours Debate tho Frieads Of
Segregation Score . Victory In Com
Mittee Of the Whole.

For tho first time since the ballotinR for
United States senator began, there was a
combination OF ci, oumstancss yesterday
that would have enabled tho democrats
with the assistance OF Hon. A. j. DAVIDSON
30 have elected their man, had they Dson
united, without the aid of any of the popu-
list members; or, with the addition OF one
OF the populists. and without Davidson, TO
hAvs accomplished the same result. "
Of the republican members OF the house
were absent. one. g. II. Bray. being belated
on a snow bound street oar. and the other,
Joseph Annear, being u~naccountsd for.
Davidson being still sick and not in at
tendance. the total vote was even sixty
eight, so that it would have taken thirty
five to elect. Sanders, of course.
oot the votes of all the
Thirty o republicans present. Clark
had twenty-five votes, including that
of Beecher, tho Cascade county popnlist,
who thus made good his statement Of the
day before that he had never said he
wouldn't do anything of the kind. Clatk's
twsnty-four other votes were given by
democratic. Dixon got twelve votes, seven
from democratic members of the house,
two from populists in that body, and three
from democratic members OF the senate.
In the latter classification was Senator dib-
son. who. with Beecher. had left Collins
The ten democrats who voted for Dixon,
the twenty-four who voted for CLARK. ana
the absent Davidson. would have made the
thirty five necessary to elect had tnsy al
been together. The ten Dixon democrats
and the twenty-five Clark votes, one OF
which was cast by a popuiist, would have
brought about the same result.
Consolidation vs.. segregation was on trlal
in the senate yesterday in OK !! 9
whole, aud the verdict WAS for segregation.
The bill before the committee was that To-
eating the state university at MiHsoula.
Senator Gibson offered.an amendment.which
meant If Missoula got the university she
would have to give in return 16O acres o.
land and $40. 600 in cash. The senator
said that he fully believed the location OF
the state educational Institutions were Il
valuable thing for any community by offer
ing on behalf of Great Falls for the con-
solidated institutions 800 acres OF
land and 800, COO in cash. The committee
however. did not look with favor on thu
amendment and rejected it. Then tbs
fight came on the main question, and II
lasted for three hours. The questions OF
consolidation and segregation were dis
cussed from every standp oint, and the SEN
ntors and the lobby spectators were treate
TO as fine a debate "a ever occupied the at
tention Of a legislative body in Montana
Senate Gibson was fortified with nnumer
able authorities in favor OF consolidation
and though he made the fight single
handed and alone, he marshalled his forces
in such a wav and showed SO clearly hi
sincerity on the position he had taken as tt
gain the resi- ect and hold the attention, i
he dii not the votes OF the opposition. II.
knew he was making n losing fight, but il
did not seem to take a whit away from the
earnestness with which he made his plea
for consolidation.
Senator Mats led the TO cos for segrepe.
tlon. He was ably seconded by Senators
Hoffman and McDermott. but on the Mis-.
soula senator devolved the burdcn Of an
swering the arguments of the senator from
Cascade. He. too. had p ep red hi
authorities. and the way he scored the PEG
pie who prepared the address on the stat,
educational institutions was a caution
His argument was to show that the add es
was misleading in that it contained onl'
the opinions of university presidents. HI
made g strong resentation of the advan-
ta9es to be derived in separating the tech
nicel schools from the university. Tn
bill was ordered favorably reported. The
consolidation. agricuitu! al, and school o
mines bills ara vet to be considered, but i
ia probable that they will not take as mucl
time as the university bill. The fight 70
segregation was made on it. and as it won
it is probable that the other will be quietl,
acted u on in the 8 nate. at east.
With a recess of q little owe an hour fol
dime, the house was in continuous session
from 10 o'clock in the morning until a few
minutes before six in the afte noon. TIL,
da vs. session was not waited, either. wher
it is considered that one Of the two bill
which have alwa q cnused long discussions
was gotten out of the way. while the othe
was advanced to a stage where it will caust
no further t ouble. The one that was got.
ten ont of the way was the bill establishin.
n bureau Of agriculture, labor and industry
with an immigration attachment. 1t wa
passed with only four votes agains
it. Ii was discove ed during tn
discussion preceding the passage of Oh,
bill, that there was no record on the hous
jon nal of its ever having been ,eporte,
back from committee of the whole. III,
bill was fnvorably re orted from com
mittee of the whole on Friday last, and tn,
omission of that fact from the official pro
ceedinGs does not affect it in any wny. Tn,
other bill that has been causing consider
able discussion ia thnt appropriating none
for the worlds fair exhibit. II was potte,
through the committee OF the whole will
a $5o.O0O appropriation, and no mors
Du ing its discussion Representative Look
ey made some comments on tho fact tina
Worlds Fair Commissioner Bickford wa
present on the floor OF the hons,
and intimated that the commissions was
acting AZ a lobbyist when he ought to b,
out earning HIS 3d. 900 a year. When tn,
house adjourned it Is said Commissions
Biokford spoke "A few lines to Representa-
tive Jockey which were not at all compli
mentary. The house got another nov
county bill. that for Bitter Root, throup,
committee OF the whole, and it will nex
come up on it's final passage. Tho way,
and means committee introduced u BIZ
making the state tax levy two and one. hal,
mills.
That an extra session OF the legislator,
was likely has becn a matter of rumor 70
ANNA Nioa In thu oou. m ~ I'D. ,.... .