The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1909-03-03
DOINGS OF LEGISLATURE.
Large Proportion Of Bills Meets With
Unfavorable Action.

Large Proportion Of Bills Meets With
Unfavorable Action.
HELENA, Feb. 23.-Todsy's session
OF the senate was char acterized by the
slaughter of two important measures
the Christler publicity bill on the
ground that it was unconstitutional,
and the s2,500 appropriation for q
bison range in Flathead county.
Another measure met death at the
hands Of it's suthor-senate bill No.
3S, relating to power of councils of
cities of the fret class, the committee
on counties and towns, of which DON
Ian is chairman, bringing in an ad.
verse report.
The senate transa acted a large am
cunt of routine business, which was
unham pered save by brief debate In
committee of the whole on the bison
range bill. 1t was opposed by Long
on the ground that it was idle for the
state to spend money simply to buy
bison that easterners may come out
and see them. He said that 20 miles
square in Flathead county had been
set apart by congress for a range for
the buff alo and that this state had
done enough 10 the premises. Rae
also opposed the bill telling a story
of twins in family of twelve to illus.
trate his point that there was already
enough. Edwards defended the meas.
ure, saying that $4,000 was being
raised by other states to preserve the
species In Montana, and that the
money did not come from the general
fund, but from the fish and game.
Long said this furnished an addi-
tional reason for it's defeat-that the
fish and game fund had been so de-
pleted by such appropriations that
there was not much left to provide for
q fish hatchery in Flathead county,
which, if done, the people from every
part of Montana could be supplied
with fresh fish within "a hours after
being taken from the lakes of Flat.
head county. The committee divided
on a report on the bill being recon-
mended for passage and it was de-
feated by vote of II to 8.
Owing to the absence of the lieuten.
ant governor, President Pro tenn Ever
EFT presided.
HELENA, February 24.-Through an
error in counting, Berkin's bill to
permit of the use of slot machines was
passed by the house this morning. but
the senate unanimously killed the
measure this afternoon, which insures
no more tinkering with the auti.g am
bling law this session. The house
recommended for passage. in commit
tee of the whole, Berkiu'o bill to ex-
tend the limit of race meets from IA to
30 days, the vote on the bill being %
for to l6 against. 1t likewise recon.
mended the Cockrell local option law
to permit cities TO vote on the saloon
question Independent of the counties,
The Muffley miscegeu alton bill was
passed on third reading by the house
this morning, by a vote of AZ to Is,
and the senate this afternoon con-
Cured in the house amendment. The
bill will shortly be ready for the gov.
ernor. AS amended it forbids all
mixed race marriages within the state,
hl,t o. 10, xo1i1 fhoSn l.,
other states except when residents of
Montana leave the state for the pur-
pose of making such an alliance.
The Only reason the slot machine
bill was passed by the house this
morning was because it's enemies did
not realize it was defeated, and to be
able to move reconsideration, DR..
Smith of Fergus, before the vote on
third reading was announced, changed
his vote to aye. The vote was then
announced 20 ayes and % noes. When
the bill came over to the senate and
Secretary Godfrey began reading the
measure, Senator Sanders moved that
VI euCI Vu0 C1Sur0
be indefinitely postponed and the mo.
ton was unanimously adopted.
HELENA, Feb. 25.-In the house this
a resolution was introduced
by Berkin of Silver Bow county to
Instruct the state game warden to ap-
point Mrs. Peyton. widow of the deputy
game warden killed by the Indians, a
deputy game warden for four years at
q salary of 1925 per month. Later the
was recommended for pas.
sage in the house. There is now a
bill in committee appropri sting S., 900
for Mrs. Peyton and her children, but
It has been stated that the bill is un-
constitutional, hence the resolution.
The house this morning passed the
antitrust bill introduced by Shoemak.
or of Lewis and Clark. This bill pro-
hibits the formation of trusts for the
-