The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1909-01-20
report so that adjournment could be
taken early,

House bills Nos. II, IL and 13,
passed yesterday, were signed by
the presiding officers Of both houses.
The committee on affairs of cities in
the house recommended the passage of
house bill No. 3, by Gray, Cascade
making the use of the voting machine
optional with cities. The report was
adopted.
The committee on judiciary report.
ed, concurring in house bill No. 81,
relating to sxation of mortgages, and
house bill No. Is, relative to taxation
OF mortgaged property, and moved
the reference of both bills to the COM
mittee on ways and means.
House bill No. SO, providing for the
payment OF the per diem and mileage
of the presidential electors, was rec.
commended for passage by the appro.
priations committee.
House bill No. 81, relating to the
election of directors of irrigation dis
tricts, was reported favorably by the
committee on irrigation and water
rights.
HELENA, Jan. 18.-By party vote
of fourteen to seven the senate this
afternoon adopted the majority report
OF the committee on privileges and
elections on the Donlan bill relating
to the election of federal sen ators and
the bill goes to general orders with
two amendments. 1t was the first
political division in the upper body.
DOMAINS bill differs materially
from the Oregon law to which the
democrats are pledged. According to
the Oregon law the Legislature is
bound to elect United States sen ator
in accordance with the vote of the
majority of the electors of all counties.
DOMAINS bill provides for the election
by the majority of counties. Donlan's
bill provides for the electors, and by
it the democrats claim that a legisla.
ture of one political complexion
might choose senator of its own
party, even though the majority of the
electors through the state had pre-.
ferred one of the opposite party.
In the house today number of no.
tices of important contem lated
legislation were given. One OF the
most important was of a joint resolu-
tion, by Bogert of Missoula, which sets
forth that it is the sense of the
Eleventh legislative assembly that the
state board of equalization should fix
the assessed valuation of the railro ads
operating in Montana at a figure fifty
percent higher than was the assessed
valuation in 1908.
A motion of Chrissler's was adopted
for the appointment of committee of
three to ascertain why Canada, Spo.
kane, and other places are drawing
settlers away from Montana. The
will b. appointed later.
House bills Introduced:
Witmer-'Ho amend section 2O54 and
2O55, revised codes, relating to con.
tracts for taking: care of the poor.
Hutchinson-ro amend sections SS7l,
1872, 1913 and SS74, Revised codes, re.
lating to noXiuus weeds.
Piersou-To amend sections 1889.
1890 aud 1891, relating to the state
livestock sanitary board authorizing
slaughter Of diseased animals or ami
mails exposed to disease and repeal
sections.
Gray-to amend sections 1853 and |
1859, relating to road supervisors.
Gray-'ro amend section 2OS2 defin-
ing a legal fence.
Thompson-To provide for the estab.
shment OF grades and streets in unin-
cities.
kelsey-Appropra ating 1855 for the
payment of the bounty claims of
Frank Cole.