, 1899-02-02

state, was read section by section. put
upon its final passage and passed with
but two negative votes Roberts Of
Uinta and Halbert of Sheridan.
Mr.. Lewis received unanimous con-
sent to introduce house bill No. So. to
amend and re-enact sections I and 10 of
an act entitled IAN act concerning the
public lands of the State of Wyoming.
and providing for the care. lease and
control of same" etc.
The house went into committee of the
whole with Gardner of Crook in the
chair, to consider bills on the general
file.
House bills Nos. I. providing that
state engineer shall cover certain fees
into the general fund; II, prohibiting
the printing of reports not expressly
authorized by law, and 3, Mr.. Woods
bounty bill, we're all recommended for
passage.
The procedure in connection with
the bounty bill was marked by a stormy
and extended discussion, lasting fully
al hour and a half. Mr.. Baird asked if
the question of constitutionality in con-
nection with that section of the bill
~delegating power to the various coun-
ties to offer additional bounties. had
been inquired into. Unless it had been,
and satisfactorily, he was not prepared
to vote on it. He stated that under the
constitution the legislature has no au-
thority to delegate such power to the
counties.
Mr.. Butler of Albany, insisted that
the amount asked for-$iO. 600 is eX-
orbitant and that the Cattlemen are
asking for more money out of the state
taxes than they pay in. He stated that
while the assessors rolls of 1898 show
the return of only go, 900 head of cat
tie, the records at Omaha and Chicago
show that 100, 900 head were actually
shipped there from our state in 1898.
He stated that the valuation is only
half what it should be and moved that
the appropriation be reduced to $25 900.
Mr.. McDermott stated that we must
not overlook lands that stoCkmen pay
taxes on, and also land rentals paid by
them.
Christian, Sullivan, and others argyll
ed in favor Of the measure.
Baird offered an amendment to re-
duce the amoun to $4,000, and stated
that this is the amount paid in Mon
tana, and that it is raised by taxation
OF cattle directly-stockmen paying it
themselves. He insisted tina this meas
ure is not just. That if cattlemen are
entitled to this money, then merchants
are entitled to money for protection
against fire-their natural enemy. He
said this is equity. He claimed that the
stockmen were not taxed one-half what
they should be and that it is generally
known to be the case.
He insisted this is class or special
legislation and should not be tolerated.
and that it is by M means the duty of
the state to pay the stockmen for doing
business within its borders. He was
willing to pay a little, but cautioned the
cattlemen not to ask too much: to be
reasonable. He advised them to follow
the lead of Montana and bear the ex-
pense themselves; such a law would be
constitutional and easy of enforcement.
! Let a tax of three mills be levied on
the cattle of the state and a sufficient
sum would be realized to meet this
bounty expense. Let the cattlemen be
fair and reasonable in this matter.
measure were to go before the people
at large for approval it would be voted
down overwhelmingly and would not,
in his opinion, get one-fourth Of the
vote of the state. Suppose a bill re-
quiring the sheriff of each county to
appoint watchmen for each crossing on
the railway, to be paid by the state.
were to be introduced, how would it
look? And yet, this is just similar to
the bounty law. Don't carry it too far.
The people will stand a little. but not
$40, OOO-the last straw will break the
cancels back. Turn to your stock for
assessment, or raise the valuation and
submit to a tax which will throw the
expense on yourselves, where it be-
longs.
Mr.. Baird's amendment is copied YER
batim from the Montana law and is as
follows:
Strike out of line /, section 9 the
ten" Add to section 8, The fund
herehy created shall be known as the