davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-12-19
SLOT MACHINE MUST GO,

Helena Herald: Uncle Sam may
take a hand in solving the slot ma
chine question. From time to time the
slot machines have been the subject
of judicial notice in this state, al
though for a number of months their
owners have not been disturbed. The
slot machine now seems to have enter
ed the domain of national legislation.
Congressman Weeks proposes to
abolish it under the authority of con
gress to regulate interstate commerce.
He has introduced a bill prohibiting
slot machines, cor any other device
to be used for unlawful gain or gam
ing purposes" from being transport
ed from state to another. The pen
atty provided is a mere bagatelle-
only SIS, 1000 for each offense-but if
collected, say once a day, the slot
machines would not earn very large
dividends. Montana officials will be
saved much embarrassment if con
gress will kindly consent to shoulder
the slot machine responsibility with
it's other troubles.
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-12-19

ownership the railroads advance one
pretension after another, all having
the common end of raising the rates
of transportation, there is a public
opinion being formed not unlike that
which existed before the passage of
the interstate commerce act. It would
be wise for railroad managers to rec
ognize the existence of this and to
make some needed concessions to it,
lest it's demands should assume a
form which it might be harder for
them to satisfy"
The popular sentiment in favor of
legislation increasing the authority
of the commission and making the
law more effective was never strong
er than now and it will not decline.
That it will ultimately secure what it
demands is not to be doubted and
railroad managers who oppose any
concessions to this sentiment are
making the gravest possible mistake,
since that course operates to intensity
public opinion regarding the necessity
for a stronger law.
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-12-19
THE INTERSTATE LAW.

Omaha Bee: There has been no
movement at the present session of
congress in regard to amending the
interstate commerce law, and there is
reason to fear that nothing will be
done to make the law more effective
by this congress. Representatives Of
commercial interests are about to re-
new their efforts to secure amend
ments to the act, but the prospect of
accomplishing anything this winter is
not particularly favorable. The New
York Journal of Commerce remarks
that it is being made every day more
plain that such powers as the courts
have left to the commission need en-
largement and were it on no other
ground than the necessity for furnish
ing a counterpoise to the growth of
the autocratic power of the railroads
some increase of the authority of the
Interstate Commerce commission
would be obviously defensible. That
paper says: "As under the new
of community of interest or of
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-12-19
A SWEET LIFE ENDED.

Aside from the circumstance that
she was the wife of the man who was
Americas greatest military chieftain
and twice it's president, Julia Dent
Grant had other and stronger claims
on the people of the nation. In her
were typifed AL the qualities that go
to make the American woman the
noblest and grandest member of her
sex the world has ever produced.
When poverty was the principal guest
OF the Grant household, when the man
whom fate mad singled out as the one
upon whom to shower fame, honor
and wealth was still an unknown in
dividual struggling with adversely and
feeling the pangs of misfortune and
utter want she was his true friend,
his loyal companion and wisest coun-
sellor. Her fortitude and hopeful
spirit were the aids that buoyed a
sinking heart often forced to the
depths of despair and her love and
devotion eve ceased. When for
tunes wheel turned and all the world
lavished it's honors and praise upon
the companion of her humber years,
she remained the same sweet, simple,
sensible woman and with a gracious
ness that will ever abide in the social
history of the nations capital carried
herself in the new position in which
she found herself. Again when in
the declining years of his life mis-
fortune one more was his lot and it
seemed as if the poverty of their earli-
er lives was to be the need of their
allotment at the close the same cour-
age and nobility of soul and mind that
before had distinguished her again
showed themselves and predominated
her life. With him she remained dur
ing the sad weeks on Mount McGregor
while all the world was sorrowfully
awaiting the end and soothed him in
his suffering until death came to claim
lis victory.
lie it we'll that she should rest be-
side the man whose proud name she
oore and whose dearest friend, sweet
'st companion and helper she was.
like him she was worthy while in
life to receive all the honors a nation
could bestow upon her as one of the
Jest of it's noble womanhood and in
leath her memory is worthy the rever-
nee a people can pay to one who
vas of the highest type Of wife, moth
n, companion, friend.
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-12-19
TANGLE IN The CONTESTS
CLERK OF THE COURTS is UN.
ABLE TO UNRAVEL 1T.
Law Directs Him to Appoint Two
Justices to Take Testimony, Their
Terms About to Expire.

Butte, Dec. ia puzzling condi-
ton of affairs has arisen in connection
with the contests over the offices of
state senator and representatives in
the legislature. The law provides that
statements of the contests shall be
filed with the clerk of the courts and
that the latter shall designate two
justices of the peace to act as a com
mission to take testimony and deposit
lions. The contestees are entitled
to at least 20 days notice, but not
more than 80 days from the date set
for the hearing and taking of evi.
dence. The law does not state when
or how soon the appointments for the
commission shall be made, but even
if made at once, the appointees will
be disqualified from acting, as the
terms of Office of the present justices
of the peace will expire by the time
the necessary notice to the contes-
tees is given. Knowing that the COM
mission now to be appointed could
therefore not act, Clerk Roberts has
not yet made his appointments and
is uncertain what to do.
If he waits until the new justices
into Office On the first Monday in
January, it will run into February,
under the 20 or 80 days notice, before
any testimony can be taken. By the
time the evidence is taken, TRANSCRIPT
ed and transmitted to the secretary
of state and by him to the legislature,
as required by law, the legislative
will be near its adjournment
and the contests, if brought before
the body, will long have. been dispos-
ed of.
Mr.. Roberts is trying to find out
"he is at"
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-12-19

If a union passenger station at Bill
ings is still considered to be as val
liable and much needed an institution
as some people have protested to be-
lieve in the past the way to secure one
has been pointed out by the house
of representatives. Perhaps the gen.
tlemen controlling the affairs of the
two roads and the prospective third
one might be induced to run their
trains into a depot costing not quite
SO much as the one Washington may
have. At least it is worth the trying.
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-12-19

held to apply to the situation and
which plainly Mr.. Batter has forgotten
in his reading. The constitution of the
United States is VIGOROUSLY elastic,
and it has not always proved neces-
sary to undergo the formality of an
amendment in order that the will of
the people should be expressed. They
have it in their hands to change the
supreme law of the land whenever it
seems good to them, but Mr.. Baer
warned them further on in this very
speech that it was a cumbrous pro-
cess and that the mine owners would
see what could be done if such an
outrage against the divinely appoint
ed agents of the Lord in the coal
felds-we do but quote a previous at
titude of his-were attempted by the
people. The people have set up in
terpreters of the supreme law and
these have not yet finished with all
the applying sections. There are 9TH
er provisions which might apply. Mr..
Baer might carefully study hat Sec
ton wherein congress is given power
ito punish piracies committed on the
high seas" Poetic and exact Justice
would suggest that the black flag may
be hauled down when found on the
high seas of Pennsylvania.
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-12-19
BAER,~ MONARCHiST.

St. Paul Dispatch: Really if Mr..
Baer, Of the Pennsylvania & Reading,
thinks as he says he thinks, he should
be furnished with a passport to some
fttingly autocratic government at
once. He never opens his mouth to
remark upon the laws of the land,
but that he interprets them in strict
accordance with monarchic institu-
tions. He has from time to time CIV
en- such indications of his tempera-
mental defect, until it becomes an
open question whether or not it would
not be better for the welfare of the
state if he were Crusoed. Mr.. Baer's
latest confession of faith ran in this
wise: There is a constitutional
limitation which if not respected by
the masses will be protected" We
believe it was with just such termin-
ology that the ministers Of Louis XVI.
spoke to the Paris mob, and it is ever
in such terms that the individual puts
himself above the people. Probably
Mr.. Baer refers Ito provision GOV
ering powers 10 delegated to the
United States" But e should recall
that these. "are reserved to the states
respectively or to the people" States
sovereignty is not an applicable doc
trine.
There are several other "constitu-
tional limitations" which might be
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-12-19

No doubt it would be manifestly un-
just and unfair to impute to them mo-
tives other than those of respect and
regard for the Office rather than the
men that prompts railroad companies
to be usually sc generous in the mat
ter of transportation for senators and
representatives, but all the same in
this instance it may be said to be
strongly suggestive of casting bread
upon the waters. OF course, the ma
tons capital should have the finest
railway station in the world and it
may be only proper that it should be
built at the expense of the nation,
still the common people, the ones who
pays the salaries of the senators and
representatives and who do not ride
on passes, would probably have con
tinued to be satisfied to arrive and
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-12-19
THE VENEZUELA MIDDLE.

While a diplomatic fiction may hold
that actual wal does not exist between
Germany and England on one side
and Venezuela on the other, the hap
penings of the last few days at some
of the coast cities OF the South Amer
lean republic are strongly suggestive
of actual hostilities. Under the claim
that they are attempting only the
collection of honest debts justly due
them the two allied nations have gone
to the extent of destroying Venezuela's
ships and bombarding it's cities. When
the time comes that Castro will yield
to the demands making upon him a
new and puzzling question will arise
the payment of the added Indebted
ness which those two nations will
charge up against Venezuela as a re-
suit of the expense they have been
compelled to incur in their collection
of the original amounts. Under the
Monroe doctrine this nation will of
necessity prevent them from taking
any of Venezuela's territory as pay
ment and how else they expect to be
recompensed does not appear clear
1t is true that they may seize the
customs collected by Venezuela, but
such a mode of collecting will prove
slow and unsatisfactory, as the re-
public's imports are at best not very
large and may be depended upon to
grow smaller should such a
as that be had.
The situation is becoming decidedly
interesting and the United States may
yet be drawn into the affair one way
or another. Notwithstanding the at
titude Of the British government in
continuing to stand firmly with the
Germans in the method Of coercion
adopted, it is very apparent that the
people of England are not in as full
accord with the ministry as they
might be. In fact they would rather
that Germany had been left to fight
it out alone. They are suspicious that
the kaiser is making a catspaw of
them and that he has some hidden
scheme of German ACKNOWLEDGMENT
at the expense of the friendship ex-
listing between England and the Unit
ed States. Furthermore. they are not
yet well clear of the Boer war and are
not h%ungring for another possible war
this side of the ocean.
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-12-19
REASON FOR THE "GRAFT."

The state board OF examiners has
refused to audit the various accounts
OF sheriffs for transporting prisoners
to the penitentiary, amounting in all
to about $4,000. This is the first
time it has been done, the custom in
the past having been to allow the re-
spective amounts and certify them
to the legislature which body passed
appropriation bills to cover them.
While this has been done there is ap-
parently no law requiring the state
to pay the bills. At least it is very
suggestive that the. item of transport
ing prisoners has eve been included
in any of the appropriations made to
cover the expenses Of the state be-
tween terms of the legislature.
Much has been said in opposition
to the payment by the state for car
rylng convicts to the penitentiary,
those opposing holding that it should
be made a charge against the respec-
tive counties, the same as the cost of
transportation of the insane to the
asylum or children to the state Or
phanage. They claim the present ar
r~angenert to be a graft" CT the sher-
IFS to make as much as possible out
OF the state in addition to the salaries
they receive from the counties they
CnIvo CnD,n IF fbo,, l,11 .l. =. =.
the duty of the sheriffs to take pris-
oners to the ~penitentiary, that they
get paid for it and consequently should
ask from the state or the counties no
more than their actual expenses, even
if that much.
After all has been said for and
against what some contend is now
only a case of graft" the question
comes back upon the state in a way
that it cannot we'll avoid. Faulty
are responsible for the graft"
When the old fee system was abolish
ed and the office of sheriff was placed
upon a salary basis, the legislature
that made the change in it's eagerness
to render the taxpayers a service went
too far and subsequent legislatures
nave not remedied the evil. Instead
OF providing for the payment of the !
actual expenses, attested by proper
vouchers, incurred by sheriffs in MAX
ing arrests, pursuing criminals and
taking convicts to the ~penitentiary,
a system of mileage was adopted. It
is safe to say that there is not a sher-
III in the state who has not repeated-
~ been compelled to go into his own
pocket and make good deficiencies be-
tween the mileage received and the
expense incurred in chasing crimi-
nails n serving papers. 1t must be
remembered that about all this class
OF work that sheriffs must perform
is Off the lines Of railroads, necessitat-l
ing h hiring of horses and often |
drivers and teams. Under the law all
that they can collect is the regular
mileage for the number of miles trav-
eled by them. In no instance of this
KIND is it sufficient to reimburse the
sherlH and he is forced to pay what
rlghtfully and justly should be a
charge against the public. To repay
themselves for this species of l~egaliz-
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-12-19

ed eXtortion the sheriffs have availed
themselves heretofore Of the custom
which has finally resulted in the ac-
ton taken by the board of examiners.
IT the legislature sees fit to uphold
the board and refuse to follow prece-
dent and allow the several bills, it
should be just and fair enough to
change the existing law and make
provision that hereafter sheriffs shall
be treated by the state the same as
the national government treats it's
officers and servants whenever re-
CURED to travel on government bust
ness-pay their actual and necessary
expenses. But better still would be
to pay the bills d~isallowed by the
and amend the law as well.
If the sheriffs have laid themselves
open to the charge of grating" it is
because of the faulty law and not be-
cause of inherent or acquired
dishonesty. 1t is safe to assume that
none will be heard to complain if the
law is amended in accordance with
the suggestion here made. They do
not want the earth. but like other
believe they should have what
they consider belongs to them. Hav-
ing been deprived of this so far by a
law they merely attempt to get it
in another way by taking advantage
of the seeming lack of existence of
another law.
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-12-19

1t is to be hoped for the sake of an
early restoration of peace that the
Butte men who are talking of organic
ing an expedition to go to the relief
OF Venezuela will not communicate the
fact to President Castro. He does
not know Butte people are given to
joking and might be tempted to con-
tlnue his resistance longer than his
good and judgment might die
tate otherwise.
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-12-19

1t begins to look as though the Eng
fish and German naval commanders
who bombarded the Venezuelan town
were to find themselves and their &C
tons discredited. A manifest dispo-
sition seems to exist at London and
Berlin to repudiate them. hut whether
it is sincere is another matter. 1t is
hard to believe that the officers in
question would have gone to the ex-
tremes they did without proper in
structions and authorization. The
truth undoubtedly is that the two
governments are beginning to realize
that they have acted the parts of
cowardly ruffians and to escape the
censure of other nations now seek to
place the blame on subordinates.
Their pleas may be accepted in the
diplomatic world, but from the people
outside of the charmed circle of gen.
tlemen whose business it is to prac-
tice deceit for national purposes they
will receive scant consideration.
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-12-19

Undoubtedly the motives that
prompts them are duly appreciated
at Washington and while no doubt
gratified at the spontaneous outburst
of editorial friendship, Messrs. Roose-
welt ct al, will nevertheless act en-
their own judgment in the Vene-
zuelan matter without showing too
much disregard for the double-leaded
advice that is pouring in upon them
at present.
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-12-19

Inquiry SO far has failed to estab-
lish the fact that any organizer of
the American Federation of Labor
has put in an appearance in these
parts to %actualize the New Orleans
resolution by organizing a union of
cowboys and sheepherders. 1t is prob
ably safe to say the same for other
localities where those classes of en-
ployes are to be found.
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-12-19

1t is very evident that there must
be still a great deal of work on the
farm. AS yet the country has not
heard a single word from Mr.. Bryan
on the Venezuelan situation. Such
utter disregard for duty from the
gentleman who has never once fail
ed the nation in times like the pres
ent is inexplicable.
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-12-19
RATES TO BE EXAMINED,

Minneapolis Journal: The inter
state commerce commission has call
ed the managers of the trunk lines OF
railways east Of the Mississippi tc
meet in Washington next Tuesday
and explain their reasons for ad.
vancing freight rates. For some time
there has been a %stiffening up of rates,
brought about in various ways-partly
by changes in classiication-and
the interstate commerce commission
has decided, in no hostile spirit, that
it is time to ask the railways why
these advances have been made. 1t
wishes to know the reason if there is
any and have the public understand
that there is ar explanation which,
of course, must be reasonably salts
factory.
The commission declares that it
has received no complaints. Bust
ness has been sc active, shipments
SO heavy, and the demand for service
SO much greater than could be prompt
ly met in many instances, that ship
pers to have been satisfied to
pay high rates because the traffic
would bear it.
During the period of advance, how
ever, there has been a great increase
Of the volume of traffic over the
amount of business carried previous
to 1899. When the volume of traffic
is sufficient to overtax the carrying
capacity of all the roads there is
naturally less disposition to cut rates,
but rather an opportunity to increase
them. The assertion of necessity for
increased rates rests upon the claim
that the cost of transportation has
been increased by high prices of ma
terials and a general advance in
wages. The high price of ma
terials has prevailed for some
time, but the general advance in
wages has not been marked until re-
Gently. The roads seemed to have
wisely arranged the increase in rates
somewhat in advance of the increase
in wages. The president of the Santa
Fe says that in the general downward
movement of railway rates. which has
prevailed for some years, a point has
reached at which business could
not be profitably done while materials
and wages were advancing so. rapidly.
Our federal railway commission is
not regarded as an institution of very
much value to the country, under
present conditions. The interstate
commerce law HAIRS been shorn of it's
effectiveness by one judicial decision
after another to such a degree that the
commission is able to exert but very
slight influence upon the railway sit
uation throughout the country. A
rigid examination, however, of the
facts if impartially made, and due
publicity given to them may serve
both the public and the railways, for
the public is willing to pay fair rates
while the railways would be less in
clined to impose unfair ones in the
face of public knowledge of the facts.
-ll-
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-12-19

Of course all the railroads cannot
hope Or expect to enter Washington,
but in view of the generosity of con-
gross in the matter of providing union
stations and paying the companies for
using them, some Of those that are
chasing across the rest of the country
may regret that they are not doing
business in the District of Columbia,
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-12-19

Whatever else may be said regard
ing the similarity that exists be-
tween the two so far as Sinking pay
ment of their debts is concerned. Hell
ena has n advantage over Vene-
zuela. It's creditors will never be able
to back a lot of gunboats in front of
the town and stir up things by drop
ping shells in promiscuous and reck-
less fashion into it's streets.
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-12-19

No matter what the companies may
think Of the subject, the public will
heartily agree with the arbitration
commission that unless they can af-
fore to pay fair wages to their en-
ployes they should retire from the
coal mining business. So far the
testimony has only shown that re-
CARELESS of what their ability may
be in this respect, the operators are
paying wages that only a violent use
OF the imagination can designate as
either fair or reasonable.
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-12-19

The announcement that Morgan and
others have formed a pool of fifty. mil
lion dollars to maintain the money
market will probably be received
with unalloyed joy by the heads of
large families to whom the proximity
of Christmas is always the source of
more or less uneasiness.