The Western news. [volume] (Stevensville, Mont.) 1890-1977, 1906-04-11

SlSStlou pIoNSu "
be fluke in more ways than one.
According to an opinion handed
down by Attorney General Galen, in
response to the query of the Missoula
authorities, women are not ,elig IDLE to
vote upon the high school question.
Acting in conformarce with this opiu-
ion the women were not permitted to
vote on the high school question in
Missoula county last Saturday.
Local lawyers have contended all
along that the election would be illegal
if the women voted. If the election
was conducted illegally, then there
was no election and the high school
question is still pending. Hence Ra-
valli will probably have to try again
in due time.
An unusually heavy vote was polled
all throughout the county. In Hamil-
ilton All automobile and numerous We
hicles of all kinds were kept busy all
day hustling the people to the polls.
A joint committee, representing Stev-
ensville and Victor covered those com
munities and the adjoining rural dis
tricts with rigs carrying people to the
polls.
The people of Stevensville, some Of
whom first originated the high school
movement, and of Corvallis about
week prior to the election, feeling that
Hamilton was certain to win, held
meetings and decided to abandon their
candidates. for the place of location
and vote solidly against the high
school.
To this end they made a thorough
canvass of the rural districts, melting
opposition to the high school. The
| Joint committee also Hooded the coun-
ty with a manifesto, or circular letter
by means of which the inference was
broadly conveyed that the proposed
high school would cost 10 mills or $40
per thousand assessed valuation, for
maintenance and that hundred
thousand dollar school building would
be erected. This manner Of campaign
ing had marked effect as evidenced
| by the returns. In more than half of
the districts of the county the nigh
school proposition received goose eggs
and was defeated in the entire county
by a una iority of between three and
four hundred.
Only County to Vote it Down
Ravalli county may enjoy the dub
ious distinction of being the only coun
ty in the state that has thus far voteo
down proposition to establish FREE
ounty high school. Up to the close .
1905, high schools had been esta ablishet
in II counties. Last Saturday, Daw
son, Yellowstone and Missoula will
scarcely any opposition voted. TO estab
Ilish high schools. This makes IA Coun
ties out of the 27 in Montana that have
a dopted high SCHOOLS. Never before
in any county d,d he movement NEE
with organized opposition and in every
instance the county seat was chosen
wit thout opposition, for the site of thu
high school.
Disregdrding the feeling of rivalry
that proba bly, aCtuated many in th
lower valley towns it is only fair t
ass ume that a l1rge number of voter
Throughout the country must hay
; been laboring under misapprehen
sion as to the probable cost of main
tenanCe of the school. That those VIII
claimed that levy of ten mills woul
be required to maintain the schoo
were mistaken or guilty of gross mis-
, representation is shown by the fol
| lowing figures taken from the fnanC
ial statements for 1905 of the severa
counties having high schools AM
which are now on file in the office o
Clerk and Recorder Geo. A. Reese.
What is the Matter with Ravaii9
In Broadwater county with an as
sessed valuation of s., 392 ,583. the hig
school levy was two mills. In Beaver
head county, where they have erecte
a SAC, 900 school building the levy wa
one and one-half mills. In Custe
county the levy was one mill. In Che
teau county it was one and ene-quarte
= mills. In Flathead county where the
= have $4,000 building, it was on
and one-tenth mills. In Granite cour
ty, the levy was two mills. In Gala
tin, where they have built count
high school building costing 5000
the levy was only one mill. Jefferso
county's high school levy was thret
quarters of mill. In Powell count.