The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-01-10
IN ITS FIRST WEEK
Helena'S Solons Got 10 Business in
Pretty Good Shape.
THE WORK WELL UNDER WAY
Certain Failure Predicted for Some
Proposed easures-G lerkshIps
and Clerks he Capital as
Dead as a Burying Ground.

Special Correspondence OF the Standard
Helena. Jan. 9.-The legislature has
gotten down to business more expedi-
tiously than usual. For the first time
since Montana was q state there was
no senatorial fight to disturb and COM
plicate matters. The organization was
rapidly perfected. the committees
T. speedily announced and the introduce
ton of bills Immediately begun. There
was the usual scramble for Offices: II
anything IL was fiercer than ever. All
| told In both houses upwards of 40
young ladies were seeking appoint
ments as committee clerks; and while
the senate was limited to two pages.
there was grand total OF is appli-
cants. Some of the boys and IL is said.
some OF the girls, too, cried over their
defeat. Many Of the girls are still seek
ing positions in the house. One young
lady with pretty strong following
was beaten in caucus because attention
was called to the fact that she wore
sealskin cloak. II has been the policy
OF the members TO give places only to
the poor and deserving, providing they
were competent Somehow or other.
though, nearly all the committee clerks
are very pretty girls. The question OF
materially reducing the pay of all Of
flcers and attaches found almost unani-
nous favor. but II was discovered that
the codes stipulate these salaries. A
bill viii he introduced cutting them
down. so that future legislatures will
not Incur much more than half the ex-
pense in this direction. A spirit of re-
trenchment and economy pervades
both houses.
II has been said that the advocates
of woman suffrage will make a strong
night TO secure from the legislative as
sembly the submission to popular vote
| or a constitutional amendment giving
| them the privilege they desire The
ladies may as well give II up and save
the expenditure of SO much energy a
woman suffrage bill may possibly pass
the house of representatives. but II will
be defeated in the senate overwhelm-
ingly. or the 20 senators not more than
six or seven favor the movement. 1t is
argued among other things that
woman suffrage hurts the credit of a
state In the East-that 1t Is too popu-
listic. In each house there is a strong
conservative element whose aim IL will
be to kill OF everything savaring of
populism. Some of the populists them
selves are conservative business men
and viii not endorse any radical or
revolutionary propositions. The initia-
tive and referendum proposition stands
just about as much show of passing the
senate as woman suffrage bill The
anti-gambling bill will probably pass
both houses. AS things look at present
the Broadwater county bin will prob
ably pass but the chances of all other
county division schemes are pretty
slim.
Helena is dun. painfully dull. The
First National bank failure hurt a
great many people Some well-to-do
men. or supposedly well-to-do men. are
said to be cramped even for the neces-
saries OF life. Next to the session of
the legislature nothing could be more
opportune for Helena this winter than
the mildness of the weather. The alb
sence OF any amusements In town is
distressing. There Is not hing TO do of
an evening but hang around the hotels.
the club or the saloons. At the upper
end OF Main street Is a one-horse beer
hall. called by courtesy a concert gar
den. where a pianist and violinist
have performed so far without getting
shot. Occasionally woman. whose
face would stop a freight train and a
voice that would rasp a saw mill comes
out and assists the pianist and violinist
in increasing the agony. The saloon
keepers are complaining that this is
the bummest legislature they ever saw
the members are so slow In getting
down to the business of blowing in
their stun. Possibly this may be ac-
counted for by the presumption that so
far there has been no distribution of
stuff to blow in. The saloon men re-
call with fond recollections the palmy
days of the session of 1893 when il was
nothing unusual for certain members
who had been properly seen to blow in
from 500 to 5000 a night apiece. For
the next generation by some men In
Helena every legislature will be
guaged by its saloon propensities. the
famous session of '93 being taken as
the standard OF perfection. But while
there are no attractions at the theater,
II should be said In defense of Helena,
that there is promise of emusements
galore In the immediate future. For
next week a church sociable Is an
nounced. As soon as enough snow falls
sleigh rides will probably he arranged,
and there is talk of candy pull and a
neck-tie party. The gay season at the
state capital Is little slow in arriving
this winter, but when 1t comes II Is ex-
pected TO come with a rush..
| ste
Much comment has been heard dur
ing the week on the failure of the sem
ate to elect a chaplain. II was the de-
sire OF the democrats ard popuists 10
tender the position TO the Rev Mr..
Hickman. the cOntesting senator from
Ravalli county. in case he should be de-
MED seat. When that event came to
pass Friday afternoon. Mr.. Hickman
was waited on by several senator's and
strongly urged 10 accept the chaplaincy
and he now has the matter under con-
sideratlon. II he declines II Is prob
able that the senate will pay no fur
ther attention To the Chaplaincy. hut
run along without family prayers un-
less the ministers of Helena volunteer
their services. The Rev. Mr. Hannah
senator from Sweet Grass Is very pro-
nounced In his views. He thinks a
chaplain is generally an expensive SUI
perfluity.
In the decision'o Of the senate contests
il is probably true that many senators
who could not make up their minds as
to the merits Of the case were swayed
by political considera tions. The demo-
Gratis gained a point by knocking out
two republican holdOvers. They los,
one democratic holdover and gained
one; for IL the contention that senators
from new counties are not elected fOi
four years had prevailed either Han
nah OF Sweet Grass or Bowlen of Car
| hon would have drawn a short term