The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1907-01-16
THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE,
MEMBERS OF TENTH ASSEMBLY
ADVISED AS TO NEEDED
LEGISLATION,

".0INo VI ICN
ADVISED AS TO NEEDED
LEGISLATION.
State Executive Explains His Views
Upon Railroad Commission Law.
HELENA, Jan. S.-Governor Toole's
message was read before the Joint
session OF the Legislature this after.
noon. The reading of the document
took upwards of half an hour and
while it was devoid Of anything sensa.
tional or peculiarly interesting, it was
listened to with close attention by all
the members.
The clause referring to the creation
of the railroad commission bill, at.
tracted attention in that the governor
r~eiterates his reasons for the famous
veto OF two years ago when the legis.
lature passed q railroad commission
bill.
The governor has not changed his
views with regard to the powers ap.
%purtenant to the executive and he
trusts that the objections then and
o made may be obviated in any leg
lation which may be enacted at this
session."
The fact of the strong republican
majority, however, in the present SEES.
sion sets aside all danger of a veto
at this session, unless the railroads
may develop some peculiar influence
with some of the members.
After defending his position of two
years ago on the railroad bill the gov.
ernor says: ~ may add that the com.
mission in my opinion ought not to
have more than one member OF any
political party upon it if we are to ex.
pect with confidence any equal and ex-
act justice to the people on the one
hand and the railroads on the other.
Governor Toole's message advises
a complete revision of many laws, in.
GLIDING the meat and milk inspection
statute. He recommends the repeal of
the present primary law and the en-
actment OF a new one. He. recon-
mends that interest on public funds go
to state, county and city, respectively,
and that the bond of the state treas
urer be increased to $3.50, 900. He
favors limiting the hours of railway
employees and state inspection of loco.
motive boilers.
He urges the enactment of a rail-
road and warehouse commission law,
patterned after the national law, and
suggests hat the commissioners be
named from the three leading politi-
cal parties. The governor econ
mends that telegraph, telephone and
interurban electric companies be SUBJ
jected to its operation.
He calls attention to the fact that
there is an investment of S35, 900, OOO
in the sheep industry and approves
the action of the formation of a com
mission association to handle its own
output.
He refers to the decision invalida at
ing $4OO, 900 of educational bonds and
expresses the hope that the United
States supreme court will act in the
matter so that necessary legislation
may be enacted to protect innocent
purchasers in cas- the decision is af-
firmed. He urges the adoption of q
resolution praying congress to submit,
an amendment to the constitution to
the several states so that senators
may be elected by direct vote.
He calls attention to the vast areas
in this state included in forest re-
serves and urges that a percentage Of
the receipts therefrom should go tc
the counties in which they lie. HI
recommends that priv ate banks be
placed under the same supervision al
state banks.
The governor calls attention to thu
fact that while public sentiment favors
the repeal of occupation taxes, excep
liquor licenses, the state requires thu
revenue from that source. Attention
is called t the constitutional provi
sion which provides that when tn
states assessed valuation reache
$500, 900 900 the state levy will be re
duced from . mills to II mills. Will
the evenu from the direct tax Is nov
1856 900. it would be S135 900 less thai
/ it now receives with the assessment a
$500, O0O, 900 and the levy reduced on
I mill.
The governor recommends q law re
ducing the number Of judges in tn
first judicial district in which Helen,
r Is located from two to one.