Gilpin observer., 1903-10-08

State liquor licenses are being rap
idly collected by the office of State
Treasurer Newton. At present there is
from 5000 to 5000 day coming in from
this source. On the 5th instant there
were eight licenses brought in. and this
is about the general average for the
day. This is the first time that the Ii
censes have been collected by the state
and the results are gratifying to the
state officials. The license for the
state is $25, and saloon keepers all
over the state will be required to pay
1t. The clerical force of the treasur-
er's Office has been busy for some time
sending out notices to the saloon keep
ers.-Denver Republican.
Curator VIII C. Ferrill OF the State
Historical Society recently received a
letter from Mrs. l.. f. Harvey, secre-
tary and librarian of the State Library
OF Montana. inquiring how the state OF
Montana received its name. The letter
recites an excerpt from the report of
the labor commissioner of 1900 OF Mon
tana. in which Gen. J. w. Denver is
credited with having given Montana its
name. 1t relates that Senator Douglass
of Civil War fame was looking for a
name for the new territory, now Mon
tana, which was to be added to the I'm
Ion. General Denver. in converse
ton. suggested the name Montana. and
SO 1t was named when the bill passed
congress In 1864. The writer OF the let
ter has doubts as to the authenticity OF
the story and asks to be enlightened.
Mr.. Ferrill will search through the
archives Of his library in the basement
at the state house and will find the In
av,I .rIs ~.
writer of the letter.
Upon a question Of absolute privi-
lege." under which there can be no
libel. Judge Johnson has entered a rul-
ing in the case of Frank N. Irish
against Robert Colder. which virtually
dismisses the suit. Mr.. Irish was re-
moved from the Office of superintend-
ent of the State Industrial School for
Girls some time last winter, after
sensational Investigation OF conditions
at the school in which the Governor
took hand. He claimed that some
of the charges preferred against him
emanated from Colder, and that they
were false. He accordingly brought
suit for $780, 900 damages. alleging SLAM
der and libel. Golder's attorneys raised
the question as to privilege. in the mat
ter of investigating Irish's conduct.
claiming that the examining commit
tee acted as a court and with full
power to summon and examin wit
nesses; and that therefore an absolute
privilege was vested in 1t to speak
freely on all matters connected with
the inquiry. Under those conditions
Judge Johnson has ruled that Colder
was incapable Of libel.
Attorney General Miller has given nm
opinion to State Auditor Holmberg.
to the effect that he could raise the ap-
preparation of the Soldiers and Sail
ors' Home to the second class. This
will mean that the $50 900 which Is duo
the institution for the biennial period
will be paid by Auditor Holmberg. In
the opinion which Mr.. Miller gave no
stated that he believed that the Legis-
lature meant that institutions of this
sort should be paid their full appropri-
alton before any OF the building addl-
ton funds became available. The in
mates of this home can not. by reason
OF their incapacity. leave 1t and It is
the duty Of the state to support them
and the home. In the second class
there are building and improvement
appropriations which ought not to be
put in ahead of the maintenance fund
OF any institution, and It was ON this
ground that Attorney General Miller
decided that the appropriation should
be raised In class and paid. It might
have been paid otherwise. but the
members of the bn"rd of control OF
the institution did not want to take
any chances on the matter and for this
reason asked that It's class be raised.