The Ravalli Republican. [volume] (Stevensville, Mont.) 1894-1899, 1897-08-04
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Washington, July % - Special CO

session OF Ulle ooln c9tl1IcS> mas pass
ed into history it may not be anlss
to refer to the work accomplished.
|Outsidc or the tariff bill little ]cnis-
lation Was'cnactcd that would benefit
our state. This is not surprising
when it is considered that the scS-
sion was called for the express pur-
pose Of framing a just tariH bill. For
this reason very little attention was
given to other legislation and in. fact
it was impossible to secure C0nsidcra-
tion OF any measure that VA, not of
the highest Importance. What was
true Of the session Just closed was
equally true Of the short session
which terminated on March 4th.
A that session the Work was con-
fined to the appropriation bills and
although all tho time was consumed
in their consideration four Of them
failed to become laws and were
i]lIltlSSt ltOH Il W CillS ullDli
us an inheritance. It is needless to
say that republican administration
passed the bills and no cmbarrass-
ments followed. Tho Montana dele
cation was interested. in = number Of
measures which had to 90 over with
a mass Of other bills On the calendar:
but at the long scss Jon which con-
vcnes next DeCemberI these matters
will DC taken up AND disposed Of.
During the last hours Of the session
Senator Carter succeeded in securing
an appropriation of fs5, 900 for the
improvement Of the koutcnai river
in the vicinity Of Jennings. In the
Upper KootenAi river near Jennings
is a rock on which the Rustlcr, Ruth
and GWendoline, three steamers en-
gagged in transporting lead ore from
British Columbia, have been wrecked
within the last year lnu this appro-
priatun is to be used in removing
the obstruction This is a matter Of
much Importance as all the orc which
these steamers Wcrc under contract
to carry was consigned to the Great
Ealls; bonded smcltcr.
Senator Mantle ccpred the passage
Of his bill providing for the erection
Of a public building :l} Butte, but it
failed to pass the h0use, having been
held up by Speaker Reed, as were
numerous other bills OF "a like nature.
The delegation agreed upon and
will secure the passage o. d bill pro-
vidiny for holding two terms o! L. S.
court at Butte and two terms at
Helena each year. This leaves the
matter in such shape that there are
no arbitrary division lines in the
state and the people can then CON
suit their own convenience and do
! thcii business in whichever court is
nearest, thereby SAVING expense in
the matter Of mileage, etc,
1t has daWncd u]on the senate
that Montana has one Of the best
teams in that body. Senators Man
| tie and Carter are recognized as lead :
ers on the floor and i any informa-
tion is desired in regard to public
lands or the laws ,elating to the
same Senator Carter sought as the
source from which rdiablc inforna-
! tion can be secured. ii it is in re-
gard to Indian affairs mines or MIN
ing or wool. Senator Iantle is called
upon. These men have been idcnti-
fed with the west so long and have
| been so intimately connected with
It's development that they are per
| feet encyclopedias Of knowledge up
on every subject VII ch pertains to
the west. They are in perfect ac-
cord and il one be a,Scnt from the
chamber he knows fu we'll that his
colleague is on the ground and will
protect the interests Of Montana and
her people.
If your readers vii pardon the di-
grcssion ! will cndcaror to got back
on the track aud write Of the tariff
bill which diSpiaccs The outrageous
German Wilson affair. During its
! discussion both senators were very
active, Senator CGrtcr particularly
50 before the caucus and committee
while Senator Mantle was generally
heard upon every proposition, viz:
lead, hides, barley. cyanide Of pCt@s-
SUM. lumber and wool, and upon
every interest generally speaking in
which the west was concerned and he
was also very active in the general
debate on the bill. IL speaking Of
the tariff / may refer to the fact
tnat when the bill was presented to
the senate it only c2rfic1 the proyia-
| ion for one cent duty on lead. This
was too small and Senator Mantle
| Immediately introduced an amend
nlcnt providing for QUO and onc-halt
ccdlS per pound Senator Cartcl