The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-01-28
UPPER HOUSE PASSES DOMAINS
BILL FOR DIRECT ELECTION
OF SENATORS.
LAND AFFAIR DISCUSSED
Numerous Motions Are Made Relative
to Investigation Of Affairs of State
Board and Chairman Cluston Out
lines Scope Of inquiry-A Number Of
Proposed Acts Are Introduced.
Special to The Daily Missoulian.

Helena, Jan. DEMONSTRATION OF
sales of state lands and conduct OF
the state land office were the CHIEF
topic in the house today. There were
motions and substitute motions Of
fered this morning and everything wa'
tabled finally, nothing relating to the
matter being before the house bu
notice of joint resolution by Bogart
providing for joint investigation b,
senate and house. with full power
to incur all necessary expenses. Thi
was found to be the only legal method
the house by itself not having tn,
authority to go ahead and incur ex
pense. For this reason also the inves
tigation of the state fair was referred
to the house, and the report adopte<
recommended that each house appoin
committee of five to act jointly
When the land business was taken W
this morning, Cluston, chairman of tht
committee, presented a report outlin'
ing the scope of the investigation, AZ
follows:
Mr.. Speaker, in view of the fact thai
a few members of the house seem de-
sirous of directing the course of pro-
cedure to be followed by your special
committee now investigating the busi-
ness of the state land office, and In
order that the house may be informed
of the course being followed by the
committee, we beg leave to submit the
following report:
Your committee was appointed on
January IA and at once took up the
work of examining the record of evil
dence taken in the hearing at Kalis-
pell. This record consists of 700 type
written pages of testimony and an
abstract of the testimony given by
each of the Al witnesses has been made
by your committee, a copy of which
is hereto attached. Your committee
has also compiled from the records
of the state land office q complete
abstract of the lands sold by the state
to certain lumber companies and in
dlviduals, said abstract showing the
amount of timber on each subdivision
of the land, as shown by the estimates
made by the state and also as shown
by the estimates made by the pur-
N'e'ot'o VI tHC lduNl, do wen DIS eSll-
mates made by other individuals
copies of which abstracts are here
with submitted. Your committee has
also employed X. X. Stout as stenog-
rapher to take and transcribe all tes-
timony and proceedings of the COM
mittee for the use of the house.
Careful Study.
After careful study of the testi-
mony taken at Kalispell and the rec
ords of the state land office, your
decided to call as witnesses
all of the officers and employees con-
nected with the state land office, in
,luding members of the board and also
nine of the principal witnesses who
testified at Kalispell. Seven of these
we're subpoenaed from Kalispell and
.wo from Helena.
In fixing the scope of the investi-
cation your committee decided to de-
ermine the following questions
"First-Has the state received an ad-
,quate amount for the lands and tim
Der sold to the three companies COM
olained of. and has 1t received a fair
price for the lands and timber sold to
'ther companies and individuals?
"Second--W1ll 1t be advisable for
he state to return the purchase money
md take back the title to any of the
ands heretofore sold, providing such
lction could be legally taken?
"Third-Has there been any collusion
'r improper conduct on the part of
my state officer, employe or other in
Iividuals?
"Fourth-Have the records and pro-
eedings of the state board of land
ommerce been kept and conducted as
equired by law, and what changes, II
my, should be made in the present
Methods of conducting such business?
In determining these questions your
ommittee has sought to avoid taking
mass of irrelevant and expensive
estimony, but Is determined that every
'ertinent fact shall be brought out and
hat no guilty man shall escape. If
should develop that legal counsel is
eeded, your committee would like au-
hority to employ such help. and IL II
S the Judgment of the public that
membership of the committee should
re increased, such action will meet
With the approval of the committee"
Bills Passed.
In addition to the investigating COM
nittee feature, the house did a lot OF |
usiness, finally passing the following
ills:
House Bill 74-By Werner; making |
.incoln's birthday, February II, a le-
al holiday.
House Bill 76-By Shoemaker; to pro-
ide for an examination of all insur-
nee companies by the commissioner
f insurance.
House Bill 79-By Lehrkind; to
mend sections 4019 and 4O23, relat-
1g to licenses of insurance companies
nd agents.
House Bill 90-By K!lgallon: appro-
Rating s31 1000 for deficiency claim
{ Mitchell and Mussigbrod.
House Bill 65-Empowering county