The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-01-24
THE WEEK IN HELENA
Sehsming Of All Sorts Going on
at the State Capital.
THE POPS ARE RAMPANT
The Proposed Capitol Commission
investig MISUNDERSTANDING
Bill Likely to Be Killed
No Doodle In Sight.
Special Dispatch to the Standard.

Special Dispatch TO the Standard.
Helena, Jan, 23.-The third week Of
the legislature has witnessed no end
of plotting and scheming and playinr
for position. There are lust enough
pops in the house, is, to make them an
object to be sought after by members
who don't care how often they trade
their own votes. or how ridiculous the
position, politically or otherwise. such
trading puts them in, so long as they
can make votes for their own pet bills
was held for the purpose of calling
down members who were supposed 20
he tying themselves up TO the initiative
and referendum hill and other populist
schemes. The pops themselves hold a
caucus every day or two. and II is said
that their meetings are characterized
by some remarkable displays of orator.
ical fireworks. They are mad clear
through at the intimation that Cover
nor Smith proposes To give some OF the
best appointments To democrats. Some
of the pops. like Pat Meaney, believe i'm
serving notice on the governor that he
Is no longer considered a populist. hut
a traitor whom IL will afford the mons
the highest qualification 10 stab In the
back at the next and every opportun-
ity. Probably Governor smith will
make no more appointments until to-
ward the close of the session-not how.
ever. on account of any threats Of the
pops. He will hold them hack pending
the passage of bills intended to reduce
the salaries or the expenses of the
various offices. II is for this reason
that the senate has postponed The con-
firmation OF John Byrne as mining in
spector. Goyernor smith and the sen.
ate have reached an amIcable under
standing in the matter.
The massage of the Initiative and ref
erendum hill Inv the bonse is regarded
days ago, when II looked like an abso-
Lutte certainty. The pops have worked
for this measure with indefat tigable zeal
and industry. Direful consequences
are threatened upon the head Of any
man who shall hereafter run for office
II he votes against it. About the mid
die of the week 1t looked as II the pops
had stainpeded the house. Then Chair
man Ramsey called a democratic eau
Gus and the Initiative and referendum
business received a setback. Some
democratic members. however. like
| Humber and Marcum of Deer Lodge.
| the Powell county pushers, are believed
| to he tied up to the pops so firmly that
they could not break away even II they
should so desire. In consequence Of
the activity and aggressiyeness of the
pops and their allies. the house IL often
in an unruly and turbulent mood. try
ing the patience of Speaker Kennedy,
who, however continues TO preside
with vigor and dignity. The senate is
as quiet and unrufiied as the house is
stormy and exciting. There is little or
no speechmaking. Motions are made,
put, lost or carried. and the next bust
pess proceeded with. President Spriggs
has developed into n model presiding
officer.
laws will he left ON the statute hooks
of Montana in full force and effect.
Chambers bill repeating them and
making gambling a felony will prob
ably be killed In the senate this week.
A similar bill introduced in the house
is being held by the ways and means
committee. 10 which IT was referred,
pending the action of the senate The
gamblers themselves do not appear to
be making any special effort to defeat
the Chandler bill. they have no lobby
that anyone knows anything about;
seemingly al least they are indifferent.
But some OF the best men IN the SEN
ate are IN iaVor OF leaving the law as
"a. Ihey say ,nes uo,i see now ,he
s,a,. ca. pnssioiy alaoru 10 pe uePIiNed
W .nu sov,vVo or son;VvV income from
sann.,Ins licenses. rinancially " rs
ai,,ni .i -, 'a,'a 70 III
Iii, -, ... ~, ,, ~" so,',e
,,,, u a, m,sn neense sam sn,
| rass TIT aasi,iau,, ..lsani-,, ~ Isl
,ia,,,.,,, ,a,.oras, .h' ",''' P"i
minors IN gamhIing ho,,sas rha
chances are thai the session viii, close
without witnessipg any change what
stand nj nresent
| As has already been reported in the
Standard. the school-book question has
been practically settled Inv the prepara.
| tion Of n compromise hill which will
| doubtless be passed by both houses
without obiection. The charge that
both the senate and house committees
on education were hacked in the inter-
| est of the American Book eompany
| and that this concern was about 10
| indulge In a carnival of corrnption.
fails TO the ground for the reason thai
the new bill takes away from the leg
| books, This duty deyolyes upon n
commission Of educators 10 he an
pojnted NV the rovernor- and n IL
| honed and believed that the povernor
will annoint men who like Caesars
wife viii be above suspicion. school