Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-01-14

long as he and his party were secure
ly ~entrenched In office there was no
special pleading for economy and re-
form. The governor used unneces-
sary space and poetry in ~portraying
the evils Of the Geiger road law,
which everyone admits is a failure.
He calls attention to the weak points
in the animal bounty law. but sug.
gests no remedy other than that the
bounty should be reduced or an effort
made to have the bounties OF adjoin-
ing states raised to correspond with
those Of Montana. or that the county
commissioners be authorized and d.
rected to levy a special tax to meet
the payments in the counties chiefly
interested. Possibly the large stock
counties could assume more of this
tax than they do but that they should
bear 1t all is very selfish and narrow
reasoning. The governor says that
the provision OF the political code
that five percent OF the amount deriv-
ed from the collection of licenses
shall be credited to the bounty fund
is essentially wrong and ''doubly
wrong In view of the fact that such
revenue Is needed by the state"
Evidently the governor would rob
Peter to pay Paul" The stock in.
dustry pays its portion of the taxes
for the maintenance of state govern
ment and whatever Injuries this in
dustry Injuries the %exchequer Of the
state as 1t lessons the taxable wealth.
The mining industry has its exemp-
tions, the stock industry one what
ever.
But the greatest political play the
governor makes is in endorsing and
recommending the initiative and ref
erendum, a populistic and socialistic
fad unsuited to the conditions in this
state III desirable in any.
In the several states where 1t has
been adopted the law is practically a
dead letter, particularly is this true
in South Dakota. In a sparcely set
tied state like Montana, where it is
difficult to ge out a full vote, even at
a general election, 1t is doubtful
whether its operation would result
in securing the sentiment of a ma
jority Of the people, particularly at a
special election. In a state, too,
where one or two cities cast one
third of the entire vote such an in.
novation would carry with it many
dangers not apt to be weighed at first
thought. Inasumuch as Governor
Toole has not heretofore given ex-
preston to such radical views there
is suspicion of mice in the meal"
in proclaiming them now. Possibly
they were made at the suggestion of
his friend Heinze." That there Ia
some merit In the initiative and REFER
endum no one will deny. But condi.
lions must be ripe for their practical
demonstration. In thickly settled
countries Of small area, and In large
cities where there is a tendency to
| dtcra0orl thn xyfuhns ~ fhn nnnnln
by corrupt aldermen 1t would doubt.
less prove beneficial once in a great
while.
But the people of this country are
slow to accept it as q remedy for ex-
listing evils. Our legislature should
go slow in this matter, and II favor
able action is taken the per centage
of signers to a petition asking for
measures to be referred to the peo-
pie should be placed sufficiently high
to prevent the scheme from becoming
an abuse and a positive injury to the
state.
The governor also fayors a primary
election law, which gives the citizen
the power to vote directly for his
choice of candidates for office, doing
away with caucuses and conventions.
Minnesota has this law and
1t is not altogether salts
factory. Under its first
trial it gave the people Of Minneapo-
lis for mayor the notorious Doc
Ames. now a fugitive from justice.
1t would be we'll to see the law per.
fected in that and other states before
putting it into operation here.
The governor favors political
equality, and presents his views in
what the gentler sex would call a
charming" manner. But we will
find no fault with him on this ques.
tion. even though he is opposed by
the Legislature. II a woman Is given
the right to vote at a school election,
why not at a general election? AS a
matter Of fact all of the old argu.
ments used against woman suffrage
have been exploded by the limited
suffrage granted them. No doubt the
Legislation enacted in behalf Of wo'
men In the past thirty years has les
sened the interest in the question by
those most concerned. Yet there are
, a good many who would like the
privilege Of voting on the many moral
and political questions before the
country. as well as for candidates fol
office. Those who do not care tc