The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-01-29
SENT TO THE CRAVE
The Initiative and Referendum Bill
Buried at Its Birthplace.
1T NEVER LEFT THE HOUSE
Lots OF Red Fire and oratory-The
Vote Was ~ to 27 for. but
Two-Thlrds Was Re-
ouired to Garry.
1T NEVER LEFT THE HOUSE
Special Dispatch to the standard.

Sleclal Dispatch to the Standard
Helena, Jan. 2S-The event OF the
day in the house was the funeral OF the
bill for the initiative and referendum.
The friends of the measure insisted by
repeated calls of the house that every
member should go on record and they
were successful. Nearly the whole of
the afternoon was taken up in consid-
Grafton of the measure and lots OF red
lire was burnt. After the defeat OF the
measure. the vote being al to %. the
consideration of the Broadwater meas
ure was taken w in committee of the
whole.
After the call of the roll a request
was made that Humber OF Deer Lodge
he excused. Evans of Silver Bow OBJ
jected unless some sufficient reason
was given, saying there was business
of Importance To come before the house
and every member should be present.
Objection was also made to excusing
Whitesides, but 1t was finally granted
as he would be within call of the house.
Elliott of Silver Bow said IL was the
duty of every member to he present.
and that no amount of committee work
could compensate for a members alb
sence from the house.
granted leave Of absence. Elliott
moved to lay the motion on the table.
Langhorne raised a laugh by asking II
the gentleman from Silver Bow under
stood that that motion carried the gen.
tleman from Deer Lodge with II. The
motion to lay on the table prevailed.
The printing committee reported as
properly printed house bills 81. Sc, 81
and l2s. The engrossing committee re-
ported the bill for the initiative and
referendum.
Chairman Dee, from the committee
on mines and mining, reported back
with amendments Buckley's bill for
the protection of miners requiring an
additional shaft for use in case of ac-
cidents. The report was received and
adopted.
Clark. from the committee on rail-
roads and transportation. reported ad-
versely II. Il. 127 requiring railway
companies to clear their right of way
of dry grass. The report was adopted.
An adverse report was also made on
the bill for a constitutional amendment
relative to the assessment of railway
property.
Armitage OF YELLOWSTONE, the father
OF the bill took the floor in defense of
of the most important OF any so far
introduced. Under the present system
railroads were getting of without pay
ing a fourth as much taxes as was
paid on other property. by his bill.
which provided for assessment by
county assessors OF railway property
In each county, they would be made to
bear a portion at least Of their just
taxes. All that he wanted was that
their property should be taxed like
other property.
Gilna of Granite moved the adoption
of the report of the committee in order
to get the question before the house.
Clark, chairman of the committee,
stated the reasons for the adverse re-
port. He said that the present system
of assessment by the board OF equali-
zation was the only just and equitable
method and while the state has un-
doubtedly been defrauded In the past.
the remedy proposed was not the right
one. IL would be easy, he said. for the
railroads to buy up an assessor and
rush their rolling stock into that coun-
ty for assessment and 80 get off by
paying even less than they are paying
now. The right remedy would be to
place the proper safeguards and re-
strictions around the board OF equali-
cation.
Armitage said that the purpose of
his bill was simply to unite the hands
of legislators that they could pass the
proper legislation.
Wamsley of Teton called attention to
the fact that under the provisions of
the bill the railroads would have to
buy up not only the assessor but the
whole board Of county commissioners,
who were always jealous OF reducing
taxation.
Leehey of Silver Bow used this argu-
ment against the bill saying that the
desire of the commissioners To Increase
the valuation in their own counties
would lead to deals whereby the rail-
roads would rush their rolling stock
into that county which gave them the
lowest valuation. With the possible
exception of the Northern Pacific he
thought the other roads paid pretty
good tax.
Stephens of Missoula objected to pro-
posing so many amendments TO the
constitution. Campbell of PARK moved
the previous question and IL was hnal-
~ voted that the bill be printed. The
roll call which was demanced on the
question, resulted;
Ayes. BOURNE. 'dihPN'h' ''o' N, ~
ner' Kelly. Kennedy, W. J.; Langhorne,
Leehey, I.ongstaff, McCabe. Metlen,
Owsley, Penwell. Power. Ramsey,
Sboylin, stanton. Stephens, Warren
Is. Noes: Armitage, Bartlett. Brown,
Bruffy. Buckley, Butler. Caldwell Car
roll, elem. Cochran. Dee, Edwards. FL
lott, Evans. Gilna, Greenfield. Hart,
Hewett. Hill. Humber. Kelly, j. N;
Kennedy, ]. NJ: Lindsay, Lewis. Loeb.
Marcum, Mcintyre. Mcmahon, McNal-
ly. Morgan. Morton, Mulyille, Newton,
OMaIley, owens. Perrine, Phillips.
Sanford. Shifelbin, Stork. sullivan,
Taylor. wamsley. Watkins, Whipple,
White. woods-47. Absent. Whiteside,
OConnor.
Brown, from the committee on agri-
culture and stock growing. reported IA
vorably senate bill No. ) relating TO
grand larceny of cattle.
The committee on state boards and
officers reported unfavorably II. Il. 129
relative to compensation OF the lieu
tenant governor.
The following report was made by
Chairman Cochran OF the committee on
appropriations:
Your committee on appropriations,
TO whom was referred deficiency bill
No. Il sundry accounts. respectfully re-
port the following bills. and recon-
mend that they do pass: n bill for an
act approI,riating money for the pay
ment Of TIE claim of W. X. Dwyer. ac-