The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1896-11-27
SCRAP.PING GALORE
COUNTY DIVISION WILL BE AT THE
FRONT-TExT BOOKS.

and Reform will be the Keynote of the
Administration Of Governor Smith.
Ihe attention of the next legislature is
likely to be largely taken up with three
suo1ects-speaking generally, says the
Helena independent. County division,
With the accompanying bitterness that
can De depended upon to enter exclu.
slvely local fights, will be talked about
ana worked for and against through the
session. School books, with their edu-
catlonal-and other-features will be
studied but in different light than they
We're once intended to be. And there
will be an effort to cut down eypenses all
along the line.
There will be four plans for county di-
vision. Broadwater county. twice do.
feated, will be intensely alive once more.
with Lieutenant Governor Spriggs, it's
champion, in the seat of the presidinr
olncer OF the senate. Its opponents, there
fore, will make their stronrast tiuht in
the house Broadwater county, if formed,
would include the Beaver creek and Grow
creek portions Of jefferson county and
the Missouri river portion OF Jefferson.
Townsend will be the county seat,
Rosebud county will rise again. It's
advocates want a county cut from the
western portion CT Custer, with Forsythe
Tor county scat.
N-h ~,
Lodge realized that the inevitable result
OF county seat fight would be their loss
they began to plan for county division
They will ask that a portion of the county
pe set apart and that Deer Lodge be made
ITS county seat.
Then the Bear Paw county scheme will
be up again. 1t was defeated four wears
ago, and it did not come up at the last
session. 1T provides for dividing Cho-
teau county and making Chinook the
county seat of the Bear Paw county.
There are Legislators now who are NJ :
ready seriously considering the advisa-
blIlty OF drawing the line at all county
division. More than one will vote no on
every measure of that kind.
4
Inc school book fight will be between
the big American Book Trust and CHM
" Co. The advance agent ofthe former
captain X. l.. Edwards, has already
opened his campaign from a point of
vantage at the Grandon w. w. Wylie
OF Bozeman, CHM & Co.'s head man. has
engaged headquarters at the same place.
lie Will be here soon to occupy them and
10 wage war on Captain Edwards.
lhen, too, the advocates of free text
books will be heard.
1t will be an interesting firbt.
"fetrenchment and reform" will be the
Keynote OF the administration of Governor
smith. That does not mean retrencA-
ment alone in state affairs. The taXpayer
is Interested in every measure that will
tend to lessen taxes 1t is assured in the
beginning that every bill passed by the
coming legislature that has for its object
the wise reduction of public expenses
without loss of the service or diminution
OF the protection of the people, will re-
celVe the executive approval.
general reduction of state expenses
is wanted, and more economical system
OF county government will be especially
sought for by the smaller counties.
Plans have taken definite shape looking
to bills for the consolidation of two or
more offices into one in all but the largest
counties of the state. 1t is argued that
the sheriff should also be the assessor;
that the coroner should also make good
health officer; that the auditor and
school perintendent, and the county
clerk and recorder and public admins
traitor might wisely in smaller counties
be consolidated. There are only Il few
instances, even, where additional depu-
ties would be required, and they would
be cheaper than heads of departments,
it is said by men who have thought seri-
ously about it.
Municipal reform will be talked over
by the mayors of Montana cities, and an
endeavor will be made to secure con-
certed action along the lines leading to
cheaper city government.
Economy in state government is to be
suggested, too. The abolishment of sew
eral offices is talked Of. The work of the
commissioner of agriculture may be put