The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1909-03-03

bill creating Lincoln county from the
north western part of Flathead, but
the fight is coming on the senate bill
for the creation of the same county,
Senator Long is leading the fight for
the passage Of the bill, and Fred
Whiteside is the leader of the oppon.
ents OF the measure. Last night the
committee held q warm meeting.
There Is large delegation of Flat.
headers here for and against the bill,
and others who want the county
created but are divided on the ques.
tion of whether Eureka or Libby shall
be the county seat.
The death of the Christler publicity
department bill In the seaate was not
unexpected. AS q m after of fact, the
bill passed the house more out of com.
pliment to its author than for any
reason, for If the house had believed
it would be be seriously considered in
the senate, it would not have sent the
bill to that body. And when the at
torney. general render an opinion at
the reques, of,the senate committee on
ways and means, to which the me asure
was referred, it became q certainty
that the publicity measuse, the apple
OF the eye of the gentleman from
Chouteau, would not have long to live.
The attorney general expressed the
opinion that the bill in its present
terms would be imperative, and the
sena committee, glad of the oppor-
tunity to administer sleeping potion
to the bill, gave that as the reason
for recommending it adversely. In
adopting the report of the committee,
the senate killed the bill.
HELENA, Feb. 27.-In the house q
number of bills of general interest
were passed. These included that of
Byrnes providing for ore sampling,
Halls measure restricting the sale of
cocaine and other drugs to orders by
physicians, and Hunters bill provid-
ing that county commissioners shall
devote all their time to the duties of
their Office. The bill does not become
effective Until 1915.
The butter bill was the subject of
lively debate, a recommend alton of
the sanitary committee that it be in
definitely postponed being voted down.
Governor Norris notified the house
that he had signed number of bills.
Though there are only few more
days of the session, & lot of bile we're
introduced, most of them appropria-
tion measures, but one of them is of
general interest, being the state wi dc
prohibition bill of Harbert.
The governor this afternoon for the
first time used his veto power, return
ing to the house withou. his appro-
val House Bill No. Al, by ByrneS.
The bill amends the law relating to
escheated property The governor
gave several reasons for his action,
the principal one being that if it were
enacted it would permit actions being
brought against the state for the re.
covery of property escheated prior to
1895. The veto was sustained by q
vote of 81 to 5.
House bill 80, the antitrust meas
ure, was considered in the senate.
Everett offered an amendment defining
"article of commerce." so as to include
gas. water, water power, electric lights
and power, and it was adopted. This
bill was also passed on third reading.
Two bill were introduced:
Donlan-Relating to the granting
of franchises by cities. It provides
that freeholders may grant sidetrack
and spur franchises without special
city election.
McCarty-Relating to the building
of state road and the employment of
convicts thereon.