The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-01
THEY'LL TURN LOOSE MONDAY
All Hands at Helena Are on Deck and They Will Soon
Be Ready to Take Upon Themselves the Biennial
Job Of Making Laws for the Dear People


60 at length into the states finances |
and offer various recommendations for |
increasing the states income. There is
no denying that the present revenue is
inadequate. The governor may also
renew his request for the creation of n
board of insane asylum commissioners
with power to select site for the asy-
lum.
The watt-Anderson contest for the
senatorship of Meagher county is a
pretty complicated affair. Watt was
elected senator of Meagher county in
1896 for the constitutional term of four
years. When Broadwater county was
created out of Meagher and jefferson
counties. Watt found himself a resi-
dent OF Broadwater county. He has
lived in Broadwater county ever since
he is now a resident of Townsend.
Broadwater's county seat. Watt is a
populist. When II came time to nomi-
nate county officers last fall. both the
republican and democratic conventions
of Meagher county. acting on the the
ory that Watt had forfeited his seat in
the senate by non-residence, nominated
candidates for senator to fiji Watts un-
expired term. ]. T. Anderson was the
democratic candidate and wen out.
Anderson and his friends say that Watt
gave the democrats positive and ex-
plicit assurances that - Anderson was
elected he would willingly let him have
the seat: but that IL the republican cam
he ala ha (Nattl
would claim the seat-he proposed TO
fight the right of any goldbug to be
his successor. OF course Watt is the
| prima facie senator-his name is on the
| roll call and will be called at the or
| ganization of the senate on Monday.
Anderson therefore will be forced TO
bring a contest to get possession of the
seat. AS to the legal merits Of the case.
| lawyers are divided.
There is also the Flathead county
contest of Geiger VS.. whiteside. The
J Flathead county commissioners de-
clared whiteside elected by a majority
of one. and issued him a certificate of
election. Geiger, the republican candi-
date, alleges various Irregularities in
the counting. There are no contests
i'm the house, but there is a question
of redundancy whether jefferson
county is entitled to two or three men,
bers, and whether Meagher county shall
seat one or two. The trouble, as has
been explained in the Standard, grows
out of a defect in the 1897 bill provid-
ing for the apportionment OF members
in Broadwater, Jefferson and Meagher
counties. II it is decided to cut out the
two extra members, the question arises
as to how it shall be done, whether by
lot or by sending home the two Meag-
her and jefferson men who respectively
received the smallest majorities. The
latter plan would retire Mr.. Moore Of
Meagher and Mr.. Hill Of jefferson, both
democrats, of course. ~
II Senator Watt retains his seat
in the legislative assembly-Senator
Watt of Meagher and Senator Connol-
ly of Granite. Senator Connolly CAV,
the democrats of Granite county a
pledge in writing to the effect that Il
no populist United States senator could
be elected, he would vote for the dem
ocratic caucus nominee, whoever h
might be. Senator Watt has not an
} nounced his position on the senatorial
question.
Somebody is sure to introduce a wo
man suffrage bill-as usual. The vo
man suffragists are as active as ever
they have been sending quantities o
their propaganda to the successful can
didates ever since election day. A wo
. mans suffrage bill stands about a
: much show of passing this legislatur
as it would of passing through a fer,
: furnace in the unscathed condition o
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Tn
members have also been receiving lit
: erature from the Seventh Day Adven
turists back East. who want a bill pass
ed reducing Sunday to the ranks. o.
the other hand. a gentleman in Helen
has been sending printed circulars {
the members. urging them to close "a
everything tight as a drum on Sunday
Presumably-althoug he did not sa
so in his letter-this enthusiast is aim
;. ing at the saloons. The bounty la'
!, will come in for its usual share of crit
icism and overhauling. There is
standing quarrel between the shee
!, men and cattle men as to the relativ
/, destructiveness Of wolves and coyo.e
a The cattle men want the bounty q
o wolves increased to a good big SUI
a and the bounty on coyotes taken OF a
4 together. They say coyotes are incaps
e BILE of doing any more damage tina
e flies or mosquitoes; a propositio
= which the. sheep men say may be sppl
e cable to heavyweight cattle, but Gel
n tainiy is not to Mary's little lamb. y
a eight hour bills are expected TO bob u
Ie and there is no initiative and referei