The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-01-06

FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 1899
ence to the railroad commission and it's
powers as passed by the legislature Of
California. I do not believe that it is
necessary to impose additional burdens
or offices upon the people Of It's stste in
order to create such q commission. The
state officers of Montana arc perhaps
worked as hard al any similar officers
IN any commonwealth in the Union,
but | believe. as far as I can judge from
the temper of the people of this state,
that it we shonld impose upo,pany of
those officers the duties Of railroad com
m%issioners and prescribe those duties.
they would cheerfully undertake and
faithfully discharge the trust, without
additional cost or burden to the people;
but if, in your wisdom You should see
fit to make such Offices separate, either
by appointment or election. i am salts
fled that your action would meet with
the approval of the citizens of orr COM
monwealtl. Trusting that you will
give to this question such considera-
ton as the Importance IF the subject
demands, and that, if such meets with
your approval, you will pass such laws
as will give protection and equal and
exact Justice to the corporations and to
our people alike.
state Bounty Law,
In 1897 / felt called upon to make
certain recommendations with refer
nee to the bounty upon gray wolves
and coyotes. During 1896. 1926
claims for the killing of coyotes had
been filed with the secretary Of state.
At that time ! pointed out the posi-
bility Of paying this bounty with the
revenues then at the command of the
state, This suggestion in my message
was met by the statement that the coy
otes Of the state had been almost de-
stroyed. and that from that time for
ward we would see {, large reduction in
the number of bounty claims for the
few coyotes killed. In order, however,
to produce more revenue, an additional
mill and a half was imposed upon the
stock interests Of the state for the pur-
poss Of paying these bounti.55s. During
the past two years it was proven, by
the arrest and conviction of at least one
person, and the imprisonment of two
others at Bozeman. that our state boun-
ty law was defective and that numer-
Gus frauds were being perpetrated by
reason of the failure of the law to
throw sufficient guards around these !
bounty claims. Coyote skins have been
fraudulently imported from Chicago
and Salt Lake in order to secure the
bounty our state pays.
The records of the office of the secre-
OF state show that during 1897
there were 22,082 coyotes and 6,112
gray wolves killed in tile state. for
bounty claims were filed. And
that, during eleven mouths Of 1898, up
to and including November, 20, 797 coy
otes have been killed and 1856 wolves,
to which should he added the claims
will be filed during the month of
1898. This will undoubtedly
the total number up to the num-
Der given for 1897. The total cost of
claims for 1897 is 1874. $50, and
eleven months of 1898, SIS, 45a. 1t
will thus be seen that the maximum
humber Of coyotes killed had not been
in 1896, as we were assured at
time was the case. The increase
has been more than 4 1000 per annum
that year.
| am constrained to believe that the
bounty on coyotes should be reduced to
81, for this reason: The present reve-
Tue is ne sufficient to meet.the present
demands. The old bounty claims,
amounting to about $40, 900, remain
the new bounty claims are
continually increasing and the hunters
md trappers under these conditions are
compelled to discount their claims.
Another reason for this recommended
ion is, that in hunting for the gray
wolf, the coyote will be destroyed al
most as effectually as he is today. The
anne poisons and the same traps that
ire set for the wolf will destroy the
and the hunter who is hunting
or the wolf will never allow a coyote
Q escape if he can prevent it. In my
opinion, the bounty on coyotes should
'e reduced to 81 and the bounty on
ray wolves increased to SIS. This
increased price, with the assurance of a
ash payment for their claims, will in
luce q more systematic and thorough
earch for these destroying pests, which
will eventually result in the destruc-
ion Of as many coyotes as at present,
at the same time will so relieve the
'ounty fund as to make it possible to
meet the accrued demands; and such a
aw, if properly guarded with reference
0 gray wolves, would remove the great
emptation Joy paid as bounty upon
oyote claims. Our neighboring states
'ay only about 81 per capita for such
ounty claims, whereas we are paying
8, and the i~nducelIent to import