The Billings gazette., 1899-01-13
THE LEGISLATIVE NEWS
Continued from First Page.
Thursday-In the House.

Thursday-In the House.
When the house metz notices OF the
following bills were given:
BY Hedges, relating to the reduction
Of the legal rate Of interest from 10
per cent to 8 per cent in the state of
Montana; also, relating to the driving
Of stock through fenced enclosures. and
the closing Of gates.
By Wilson, establishing standard
of measurement of water and defining
the equivalent Of miners inch; also,
creating the office Of state engineer,
defining his duties and regulating his
compensation.
By Walsh, appropriating money for
the relief Of VIM. j. Fransham for
money expended BY him for the relief
of John r. Allen in the year 1897.
By Sweeney, relating to insurance
companies.
By Sweeney, providing for organiza-
tion, government and control Of fire
department. for cities and towns, regu-
lating appointments thereto, and pro-
viding for the creation of disability
fund for the care and maintenance of
firemen disabled in the line Of duty and
to punish frauds thereon.
House joint resolution No i, con-
cerning the Spanish treaty and the
Philippine islands, was introduced by
Hedges and on motion of Day referred
to the committee Oh federal relations.
The resolution reads as follows:
f'Be it resolved. by the house of rep
resentatives, the senate concurring,
That the senators representing this
state in the senate of the United States
are hereby informed that it is the sense
and desire Of the citizens of our state,
without distinction Of party, that the
treaty Of peace with Spain, now pend
ing before the United States senate, be
ratified without unnecessary delay and
that they support such ratification. And
further, that in any measure that may
come before the present congress rela
tive to the status or disposition of the
Philippine islands our people favor the
retention Of said islands gained by the
ardor Of our navy and now held in part
by Montana soldiers, as Of vital inter-
est to the future Of our navy and the
growing importance of our Pacific COM
merce.
H. B. 13, by Woods, appropriating
money for the payment Of the claims Of
certain persons for services rendered to
the state, was read first and second
times and referred to the committee on
appropriations.
Fl. B. IA, introduced by Gibson, re-
iating to the administration of estates
of deceased persons, was read and re-
ferred to the committee OH Judiciary.
H. B. 10, by Lamb, relating to the
number Of judges and. jury panels in
the district court Of the judicial dis
tricts of this state, was read and re-
ferred to the committee on judiciary.
Fl. B. is, by Stone, relating to the
establishment and maintenance of free
kindergartens for the instruction OF
children between the age of and 6
years, was read and referred to the edu-
cational committee.
The house then took a recess to meet
with the senate in joint session 10 vote
on United States senator. No business
Of any Importance was transacted after
being called to order at the close of the
joint session and the house adjourned
until Friday
Thursdays Joint Session.
The joint session Thursday had sew
eral surprises and was IN nowise as
tame as the preceding day. Some OF
the senatorial candidates lost ground.
while others gained Senator Gruwell,
who has been all avowed CLARK man, is
now supporting the multi-millionaire,
while Representative Losekamp con-
tinues to cast his vote for G. S. Hart
man. Three new candidates sprung uI
in the persons of Colonel Sanders, o.
B. Barber Of Madison county and Ma.
jor Maginnis. The former received the
entire republican strength of fifteen
votes.
In the Senate.
About the most important proceeding
in the senate this morning was the
passage of the bill paying the members
their salaries and per diem; also pay
ing the attaches Of both bodies.
Clark's bill amending the law in re-
gard to changing county seats, was in.
troduced and referred. It requires that
in petitions to county commissioners fol
changing the seat of government tax.
payers and not citizens generally must
sign them.
s. B. 10, by Courtney. creating a
metropolitan police, was introduced
and referred.
Clark gave notice OF bill amending