The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-05
THEY HAD A COLD TINE
Listening to the Governors Mes
sage Under Difficulties.
GOSSIP IN THE ASSEMBLY
Disappointed Candidates Without Money
Enough to Take Them Home-The
Message Well Received.
Struggle for Places.
Special Correspondence of the Standard.

| Special Correspondence of the Standard.
| Helena, Jan. 3.-If the members of
the Sixth legislative assembly aren't
all sick abed with colds tomorrow it
will be because their constitutions are
strong and Helena whiskey plentiful.
So far as their personal comfort is con-
cerned, they might just as well have
gone out and held their joint assembly
in the open prairie as to have met IN
the Auditorium. The building was
cold-bitter cold. 1t was only their re-
spect for the governor and the occa-
sion that prevented the members from
rising en- masse and fleeing pell nell.
Overcoats and overshoes were power
less to ward off chill that penetrated
to the very marrow of ones bones
The governors message was well re-
ceived and in general commended. Elk
ceptions were taken by many to indf-
vidual parts of it, but as whole 1t
elected praise. 1t was a theme OF COM
ment that this message was more con-
sentative in tone and freer from popu-
listic suggestions than the one Cover
nor Smith addressed to the legislative
assembly two years ago. The governor
was in excellent voice, his enunciation
was clear and distinct, his general man
ner dignified and impressive. He wore
a Prince Albert coat and by great
effort Of will succeeded in standing
there the whole hour required for the
reading of the message without freez-
ing to death. Lieutenant Governor
SpriggS, Speaker Stiff and the mem
| bers of the committee that escorted the
governor to the stage, sat muffled up
to the ears in heavy fur overcoats, and
still couldn't keep from shivering like
poplar leaves. Fortunately the exer-
| cises We're over before 1t became neces-
sary for the good people of Helena to
organize and dispatch to the Auditor
ium an Arctic relief expedition.
If the Auditorium is too cold, the SEN
ate chamber and the hall of the house
of representatives are too hot. 1t is i'm
possible to secure adequate ventilation
for either. The governors announce
ment that the state capitol will be
ready for occupancy by the time the
| Seventh legislative assembly meets, is
cold comfort to the Sixth. But the pres
ent rooms have been put In as habitable
shape as possible. The walls have been
| freshly papered, and painters and var
nishers have impaired an air of new
| ness to the furniture. There is also
said to be a brand new stock of wines,
| liquors and cigars in the subterranean
| depths under the building, besides vari-
Gus reading rooms, club rooms, loafing
rooms and other features of advanced
| civilization.
Most of the applicants for the offices
| at the disposal of the assembly were
| disappointed. Necessarily nine-tenths
of them got left. 1t is no exaggeration
| to say that there were 40 candidates for
| the office of page. There Were nearly
as many young lady candidates for
| clerkships. For the more important Of
| fees the rivalry always narrows down
to two or three candidates respectively.
Many Of the offices are overpaid There
is neither rhyme nor reason in giving
boy 81 day for performing the work
of a page. 1t has a tendency to spoil
the boy in various ways-particularly
by tempting him to go into politics as
business. Most pages bob up again
at the next succeeding session as can
didates for reappointment. AS for that
matter so domost of the other legislative
officers-and in nearly all cases they
fall down, even those who proved them
selves fully competent and trust
worthy; for every legislature makes a
new deal all around. Some poor men
| who held subordinate positions two
years ago came hundreds of miles to
| Helena last week, so sure were they
that their past good records entitled
them to reappointment. Every one of
them failed, and the hat had to he
passed around Monday to pay their
railroad fares back home.
Speaking of pages, even SANDY"
| Goodman of Helena, who has had I'M
precedented success catching on here
tofore, was turned down this time. 1t
| was Sandy who wrote to the legisla-
ture: my father died when I was 3
years old, leaving me to support a
large family
State Senator Hannah, who went 10
Manila as private in the Big Timber
| company, is back in his seas, the pic
ture of health. Military life secms to
have agreed with him. He is tall and
as straight as an arrow, and the full
beard that he has brought back with
him gives him an added air of dignity.
pressed with the Filipinos than some
observers. He considers them superior
to the Hawaiians in some respects, par
tcularly as regards morals. Most cf
the Filipinos he met could read and
write. But he found them poor arith-
meticians. If a shopkeeper was re-
CURED to make change, it required the
united talent of himself, his family and
| his neighobors to figure it out right.
Senator Hannah, although glad to get