Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-01-14

OIL the attdcneS OF DOtN nOuSeS
This amounts to $4,000. This was House
Bill No. 6. Some one jocularly rema rked,
when the speaker announced that he was
about TO sign the bill, There's one sal
airy bill that wasn't stolen,'' limiting at
the scandal of the last session. With the
first installment of their pay in their
jeans the lawmakers will probably feel
kindlier disposed toward their duties. and
manage to do more business daily. OF
the score or more of measures in the
hands of the different committees that
must run the gauntlet of the two houses
after having been reported by the COM
mittees, hardly any are considered Of
very great Importance. All have briefly
been referred to in the Inter Mountain
dispatches. When they are reported
back for consideration by the two houses
and stand a possibility of passing, more
interest will be felt in them. Thus far
there has been an absence of attempts
at fad legislation. The bills so far in
troduced appear to possess on the whole
some merit. Many correct palpable de-
fects in previous pieces of legislation.
The bill introduced by Senator Court
ney creating a metropolitan police COM
mission in cities of over $4,000 popula ton,
has been reported back by the committee
on judiciary, to whom it was referred.
This is one of the most important meas
ures SO far introduced. 1t will probably
encounter more than passing opposition
in both houses. It's friends, however, be-
lieve it will be passed. AS it will affect
only the city of Butte, the other munich
1 n a of I,nc cfoto Al l,,
taking any great amount of interest
in it.
| Whitesides bill for horticultural COM
mission will probably meet with opposi-
| tion from representatives of commun-
ties that never see any fruit unless it is
shipped in. 1t might be of benefit to the
| western portion Of the state, where fruit
culture is carried on quite extensively;
otherwise it's virtue is not apparent. The
bill proposes to divide the state into five
districts, each to be represented by
commissioner appointed by the governor
These commissioners are to appoint in
spectors to oversee the character of trees
and plants shipped into the state and
planted, and to be on the lookout for
parasites and diseases affecting fruits
The bill has the sanction of the Western
Montana Fruit Growers association,
having been drafted at the last annual
meeting at Missoula. The members of
the commission receive no pay, being al
lowed only their actual travelling ex-
penses. They are to meet at least twice
a year-in the spring and autumn. None
must be interested in any way in the sale
of trees or plants, or represent any east
ern nursery.
If a bill introduced by Senator Clark
becomes law it will not be such an easy
matter thereafter to change county seats
in this state. The bill requires that petit
/ lions to county com mssiOners, asking
them to submit the proposition of chang
ing the county seat to the electors must
be signed solely by taxpayers. This an
pears to be right, as the taxpayers are
the only citizens who have to suffer the
extra expense attendant upon such re-
mOVal.
The first joint memorial was introduced
by Representative Hedges 1t calls upon
Montanas representatives in congress to
vote for the ratification of the peace
treaty and for the retention of the Phil
ipplnes. The public will be interested in
Knowing what disposition will be made
OF the resolution by the democratic
| house. The spectacle of democrats yot-
| ii.
AS the resolution pays trbue to the valor
| OF the American arms it is hard to see
how the legislature although overwhelm-
| inSly democratic will have the temerity
| to vote it down.
The railroad commission bill has not
put IN an appearance. 1t is due. Almost
| any day it will probably knock for con-
| sideration. The railroads propose to
! make warm fight against it, They NAV
succeed in killing it off in committee but
that is hardly likely. An insurance bill
will also be introduced in a few days max.
ing number Of changes in the present
law governing insurance companies. This
bin will also probably stir the third
house.
Above all legislation towers the sena-
torial contest. This fight intensifies as
the days pass and no, man can tell the
outcome. 1t overshadows all else and rel
egates to the rear those interested in the
different pieces of legislation that may
deserve consideration at the hands of the
| legislature. 1t is absolutely impossible
to predict the fate of any measure until
this regular fight over the honor of rep
resenting Montana in the upper house OF
the federal congress is settled The re-
cent senatorial disclosures unearthed by
the joint legislative committee, while af-
fording a temporary Interrogation point
in further proceedings. seem to have been
practically forgotten. Only few days
have passed since the eventful Tuesday
| when Representative Whiteside made his
dramatic speech and like modern Cicero
pleaded for the punishment of modern
Cataline but the sensational episode
seems to have been forgotten. The pass
ing days appear to but add to Clark's
vote The strength of the Butte man has
cast terror into the ranks of his oppo-
nents. Unless what the gamblers call a
n hon q he Ia ho
lief that Clark will carry off the honor re-
gardless of senatorial eXposures. the fear