The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1905-02-22

the issuance of school bonds. The
committee on finance reported a sub.
stitute for Senate bill 20, relating to
the safe keeping of money. It pro.
vides that the state board of examin.
ers shall designate repositories for
state funds and, so far as possible, In
counties in proportion to the state
revenues therefrom.
The committee on finance recon-
mended for concurrence House bill 81,
appropriating money for the orph ans
home. The committee on public build.
ings reported favorably for Senate
bill q, relating to soldiers home, for
passage, and the resolution for com.
mission to Investigate the water sup
ply for the capitol and House bill l.,
for flagstaff and flag for the state
capitol, for concurrence.
The following bills were introduced: :
Substitute for House bill 10, judiciary
committee, special municipal improve.
ments and House bill IS. creating the
18th judicial district. Mahon moved
the rejection of the latter bill. The
motion was lost by II to 8. a strict
party vote with the exception of Tewey
and Bentall, who voted with republi.
cans and democrats respectively. 1t
was referred to the judiciary commit.
tee.
AT the session of the house this at.
ternoon Communications from the
Montana Federation of Labor and
the Butte Typographical union, pro.
testing against the passage of House
bill 225, were read. This bill provides
for considerable reduction in the
maximum price OF county printing.
The ways and means committee re
ported House bill l12, relating to the
number of deputies TO be allowed
clerks Of the district court in counties
of the first class, recommending in
definite postponmeut. On motion of
Dempster, the bill was referred to the
printing committee.
Sen ator Maddox's bill empowering
the commissioners of the several
counties to expend money for the en-.
couragement of immigration, was rec.
commended by majority of the com.
mittee on immigration, but the house
voted to reject the report. The fol.
lowing bills were introduced:
House bill 254, ways and means
committee, relating to liquor II.
censes.
House bill 255. ways and means
committee, regulating sale of liquors
House bill 256, MacGinnis, primary
election law.
House bill 2577, Richard son, repeal.
ing fair trial law.
The house. on motion of Hewett,
went into committee of the Whole 10
consider House bill! l54, the MURRAY
initiative aud referendum bill. Fen.
nett moved that the bill be reported
favOrably for pass ~. e, while Hewett,
as a substitute. moved that th,. enact.
ing clause he st,i,keu out The sub
eti'u,e prevailed amidst great che T.,
HELENA, Feb. lc.-At last an initia-
tive and referendum bill has been in.
trOd uced in the house which. 1t is be-
lieved. has Il goOd chance ut pas ing
that body 10y the required two-,hirds
Vntn 'InArl4 hnwAv.N Ctil)
ous, fighting minority which may
hinder the rapid passage of the bill.
The conference committee appointed
to bring in a compromise initiative
and referendum bill presented a unapi
mous report today. recommending tn at
the compromise bill which it su admitted
be referred to the judiciary committee
with instructions to report back not
later than Monday. The bill prepared
by the committee provides s per cent
for initiation ia each of a majority of
the counties of the state, and s per
cent for referendum in each of one
third of all the counties of the state.
The operation of no law enacted by
the legislature and referred to the
people shall be suspended unless the
referendum petition bears the names
of IL per cent of the legal voters in
each of one.third of the counties.
An unsuccessful effort was made to-
day to get the railroad commission
bill on final passage. This bill was
favorably reported by committee Of
the whole last Monday, and has since
then been on the calendar for the third
reading. The republicans apparently
have not been able to agree on the
commits sioners to be named in the bill
and were not ready to finally pass the
bill. Canoll this afternoon said that
he time was getting short, and if the
state is to have railroad commission
It is time the bill was passed He
moved that the bill be placed on its
hird reading but this motion wa. lost