The new North-west., 1897-02-05
OUR HELENA LETTER
INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM BILL
DEFEATED IN THE HOUSE.

| OCFCAI Ell TN f7E HOUSE,
The Broadwater County Bill Passed the
House by Vote of 48 to 12-A Biu to
Annex Portion of the Grow Reserya-
tiOn to Yellowstone County,
Special Cor. of THE NEW NORTHWEST
HELENA, Feb. 3.--The last week of the
first month of the session of the Mon
tana Legislature was really productive of
results, although the results do not an
pear in the great number of bills passed
during that period. For a long time past
the fact that few measures pending has
hampered the work oi the members, for
they were on the general file, and both
sides were shy of taking them up. But
the issue on the initiative and referendum
was drawn during the week and the bill
was defeated. That alone will have the
effect of expeditlng business for the rest
Oh the session to greater degree than
most persons believe. The friends of the
measure, which originated in the begin
ming in the populist party, made deter
mined effort to get their bill through
The debate, which consumed two DAYS,
was warm and interesting There were
many speeches on both sides. The issue
was drawn in committee of the whole
when the motion to report the bill favor
ably was voted on, there being then a
vote of 81 ayes and 26 noes. The hopes
OF the opposition were high then, for
they believed they would win surely, but
they did not count on some of the losses
they met the following day, when the
final vote was taken and the bill getting
Al votes, only lacking five of the two
thirds that constitutional amendment
must have to pass either house. But the
initiative and referendum is not yet dead
as some suppose, for within few days
Senator Ramsdell of Flathead county is
going to introduce into the senate bill
similar in its details to the Elliott house
Dill, except in the number of voters il
VIII require to take the initiative.
Next to the initiative and referendum
the house disposed of the Broadwater
county bill. The vote was taken imme-
diately after the committee of the whole
reported the bill to the house. under a
suspension of the rules, it being lust four
to one, 4S ayes and 10 noes. The bill
goes to the senate for disposition and will
come up within ten days there, it is not
doubted. In the meantime the Powell
county bill, which has surprised every
one by the strength it has mustered at
the last moment, will be up for disposal
in the house. 1t will be close fight. no
one doubts now. The opponents and ad-
vocates of the bill have been very active
ever since the session began, but it has
been noticed recently that the conting gent
OF the opposition has been reinforced at
times when the lines seemed to be weak
enlng, and that the expressions of conf
dence that the bill would not make
showing have been giving place to ex-
pressions of doubt or hope for the result
There is one more county division
plan before the house-that to create
Rosebud county-but it is not slated for
an appearance for some time vet In the
senate has been introduced bill by SEN
ator Babcock proposing something new
in the county annexation line. 1t con-
templates that portion of the Crow In
dian reservation lying west of the Big
Horn river shall be added to Yellowstone
county. The friends of the bill claim
that for a long time past the codes have
decreed that the section of the reserya-
ton mentioned has been part of Yel-
loWstone, but they are not very clear in
their assertions that it follows that there
lore it should be taken from Custer
county. There was supreme court de-
clslon recently in the case of the United
States VS.. Pleasant Draper, who was ac-
cused of murder committed on the Crow
reservation, in which the court held that
the state had jurisdiction over its citizens
residing on the reserve. There is now
pending suit instituted by Custer county
against certain cattle owners to recover
taxes on cattle that grazed on the reserve.
and the decision in the Draper case leads
to the belief that the county is likely to
win its action for taxes. That has i'm
PEELED the people of Yellowstone county
to assert themselves in time to secure. as
they hope, a share of the taxes to be paid
upon the final determination of the liti-
cation.
The house during the week took up
and disposed of the bill intended to re-
duce the salary of the governor from
$4,000 to $4,000 a year. The vote on it
was 35 to 81, after the committee of the
whole had voted to report it favorably to
the house.
The eight hour bill was another meas
ure to go through early in the week.
The house passed it, after an active fight
ON the part of the opposition, by vote of
36 to 81. 1t will have harder fight in
the senate, however, and may never be-
come law.
The bill introduced by Mr.. Armitage
of Yellowstone to compel the taxation of
the same as other property is
assessed and taxed, caused lively dis
cuSSiOn, Under the Dresant svstam all