Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-03-01

e!ectlng a chairman and secretary,
'thereupon any proposition for the sale
or lease, or mortgage. or Exchange, or
disposition for other property, or for the
whole or a part of the capital stock
of any other corporation, domestic or
foreign, or to otherwise dispose of the
whole or any part of the mining ground,
mills, smelters or assets of any descrip-
ton, may be considered and acted upon
at said meeting You will observe they
are not confined to the proposition made
IN their notice sent out to each stock
holder. Any act thus done at such meet
ing, no word or animation of which was
put IN the published notice, may be car
rled through as effectually as if full no.
tee had been given. An absent stock
holder is not afterwards notified of what
was done at such meeting, although it
may have been against his wishes; yet
he must come within 20 days and dissent
in writing from what was done. or he is
deemed to have assented. But the advo-
Gates of this bill say the secretary has to
file a statement of what was done at the
meeting with the clerk and recorder. Yes,
that is true, but when does he have to file
it? SO far as this act is concerned, he may
not have to file his certificate with the
county clerk for a year, but the poor de-
luded stakeholder must make his objec-
ton within 20 days or forever hold his
peace.
Let me again appeal to you to con-
slider what you are doing. The haste with
which this measure has been rallroaded
through both houses ought to be a warn
ing that something is rotten in Denmark
1t has been rushed through under whip
and spur and every corporate lobbyist is
at its back. Even our national holiday,
set apart for the observance by our peo-
pie of the anniversary of the birth of the
immortal Washington. was deSecIated by
: tho naSCoo 90 Of this hill THAT GaV which
recalls the patriotism and devotion of
Washington to the cause of his country
was not a fitting day on which to pass a
bill destined to serve the selfish interests
of corporations and put a yoke upon our
people more CALLING than Egyptian bond
age. l had hoped the people of Montana
might be spared at least for many years,
the power of the Standard Oil ~nlagnates.
They control already the lamplights of
America and by controlling the produc-
ton OF copper they propose to control the
electric lights of the world, as well as the
electric power and the thousand other
uses to which copper is applied. If they
could, they would obscure the god of day
and deny us daylight. If you do not as
sert your manhood and independence
now and defeat this measure, it will be
too late when the tentacles of this octo-
pus have fastened their fangs on the
strong limb of this fair oun common
wealth.
Seeing, as I do, the dangers in this
bill and knowing full well how vicious
and unconstitutional it is, and knowing
that many of you are deceived by the
fair phrases in it's caption, 1 write yo1
thus at length to warn you of the dan
gers where you stand. Instead of belns
entitled AR act to regulate, mortgage
sell, lease or convey corporate property
and protect minority stockholders i
should be entitled An act to reverse tn
supreme court and to encourage ant
facilitate the formation of trusts AM
: combines and to legalize the confisca
ton of private property for private use
f in the state of Montana
For the reasons set forth in this mes
sage. / must refuse to give this bill NJ,
| approval. Very respectfully,
e "ROBERT b. SMITH, Governor"
e The action of the house was prompt, a
e it passed the bill over the veto of his ex
cellency by a vote of 81 to 10. The rumo
t is current that the governor, who has ha
e his veto message prepared for severa
e days, stated yesterday to opponent
o of the measure that he had concluded no
e to send it in, as he did not want it passe
: over his veto and was assured that h
+ would be sustained in the house, but in
stead of that he fell five votes short. In
senate sustained the action of the hous
by a vote of q to 8. The governor ais
IL vetoed H.. B. No. 124, Days bill pre-
IS scribing the manner in which appeals ca
II be taken to the supreme court. he classe
u this bill as a companion of 49,, a piece {
,e vicious legislation instigated by corpora
- tons.