The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1895-03-16
LEGISLATIVE WORK
WHAT THE FOURTH AS
SEMBLY ACCOMPLISHED.
Madison County VIII in Future Have
Three Representatives Instead Of
TWO-ImpOrtant measures Passed
A Brief Outline of the Session. 8
Work.

HELENA, march 12.-[Special Core
spondence] Nov that the Fourth leg
islative assembly has adjourned re-
sumo of it's doings will be interesting.
One thing it has done which is of par
ticular interest to the readers OF the
MADIsONIAN and that is the re-appor-
tionment of the representatives on
basis of one representative for every
SOS votes cast at the last election. This
will give Madison county three repre-
sentatives in future assemblies instead
of two as formerly. Another thing it
did not do-and for which Madison
county is duly grateful-and that is, it
did not pass the obnoxious measure in
troduced by Representative w. w. AL
derson of Gallatin county to annex a
portion of Madison county to Gallatin.
The most important of the work just
concluded by our law makers was the
adoption of the codes, about which so
much has been said and written The
wisdom of the passage of these code
laws remains to be seen. Those who
claim to know assert that the move
was foolish one which will work
much hardship on the people. They
were adopted so late in the session
that amendment in part only, and in
great haste, was possible.
The first bill that ran the gauntlet
in both branches successfully was the
one creating the eleventh judicial dis
trict. On the ground that there were
too many candidates in the district
Gov. Richards went outside of the. dis
trict and appointed George Pomeroy
of Great Falls Judge. The senate sat
down on Pomeroy hard, on the ground
of incompetence. The governor
brides his wrath and bided his time
and the day after the adjournment of
the legislature re-appointed his candi-
date.
Probably the most important meas
ure passed was that to punish corrupt
practices at elections and to provide
for the publication of election expenses.
1t was amended in it's passage, some
having the idea that it could not be
made too strong, while others wanted
just that very thing, so as to make it
imperative. However, it got through
and while not perfect in many respect
it is good enough to stop some of the
practices which brought about its pas
sage. The corrupt practice act is en-
tirely new legislation. In addition to
it several changes were made in the
ballot law. One of these allows the
lists of party candidates to be grouped
in separate columns. It will simplify
voting where one wishes to take his
ticket strait, and it will hasten the
counting. Another change in the law
forbids judges marking ballots for
voters except the blind and disabled.
Gov. Richards thought this was prac-
tically requiring an educational quail
ification, and vetoed the bill. The
house and the senate passed it over his
veto, and it is a law. There was an
other bill which to be effective must
be voted on by the people. It is for a
constitutional amendment requiring
that man must be citizen of the
United States for at least 80 days be-
fore he can vote. It will effect great
saving in the treasures of county cam
paign committees, as these bodies will
hardly be in existance than long be-
fore election, and cannot, therefore, be
appealed to by those who object to pay
ing for their final papers. The last of
the laws on the subject of election is
that to regulate primaries. It places
primary meetings under the protection
of the law and is designed to prevent
the packing of these useful institution
in the interest of particular candidates
Of factions.
Among other measures adopted was
an entirely new law on the statute
books to regulate the practice OF med
icine; passed a bill to regulate the
practice of dentistry thing all the
dentists have been fighting for, and
gave the druggists their bill to regu-
late the practice OF pharmacy. 1t also