Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-02-04

Among the measures now before the
legislature that promise to furnish little
of life and relieve the daily l.,onotony are
the bills that if enacted will licence gam
bling again, the Rosebud and Powell
county bills, the salary bill, the initiative
and referendum measures and possibly
the bill that seeks to increase the number
of justices on the supreme bench to five.
The county division or county creation
bills will Of course furnish the most ex.
citement, especially the Powell county
bill. 1t is not unlikely that before this
bill is disposed of it will be the means OF
undoing all this era of good feeling that
has succeeded the late senatorial un-
pleasantness. The advocates of the bill
will be on hand with a strong lobby ana
propose to make a stronger fight with
better chances of success than two years
ago. The opponents of the measure will
also be in evidence.
The gambling bill will find strong |
lobby to face The ministers of Helena are |
up in arms and propose to lead in the |
fight against the bill. They have passed
resolutions and appointed committees TO
keep the sentiment red hot here ard all
over the state. 1t does not seem possible
for the bill to pass Speaking of gambling
the games that have been running in
Helena wide open are now closed tight
as the traditional drum. 1t is whispered
around that the grand jury which is still
in session has been investigating the
wide open violation of the law and that
something is liable to drop pretty close to
those who have been making it possible
! to bet on a case card in the capital for
several months past. Rumors are not un-
common that certain officials through
whose connivance the games have been
permitted to run will be considerably
worried before this grand jury winds up
! it's work. Hush money is the word used
when knowing ones speak of the un-
brdled manner in which faro, roulette,
stud poker, craps and "Klondilie" games
have been running under the very eyes
of the law makers. If any of the reports
circulating through the congealed atmos-
phere of Helena prove true the sensations
did not all die with Whiteside.
Senator Stanton, whose fellow SER
want bill went down to defeat IN the
senate on Thursday, does not propose 10
give up the fight. He gave notice in the
senate yesterday of his intention to in
troduce a bill defining the term "fellow
servant" His new bill will be awaited
with interest. 1t will probably oe killed
in the senate, but will have more mourn
ers than the other measure did. The
railroads appear to have plenty of friends
in the senate.
! The committee on corporations put the
finishing touches yesterday to Phillips
bill regulating the transportation rates
on coal in Montana by reporting 1t back
with the recommendation that it pe in
definitely postponed. The senate sus-
tained the report.
The senate judiciary committee also did
little work in the killing line yester-
day.
The Torrens bill was laid away on the
shelf, as mentioned in these dispa tches.
The bill in regard to arid land bonds met
a similar fate at the hands of that COM
mittee. So did the bill that proposed to
dispose of the money turned over TO the
state by the joint Investigating COM
mittee and the house bill (Truscots),
amending the game laws as to fish and
certain game.
Whiteside's bill, having to do with the
powers and duties of county officers, re-
quiring reports and Inspections ran up
against Dewey in the shape Of the
same committee.
Some of the senate committees appear
to be presided over by veritable watch
dogs, who sit down hard On any iaroYa-
tions in legislation. And still the inno-
cents introduce more bills.
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