The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1909-03-05

L
The Legislature at our state capitul is
composed of the House Of Representatives
and the Senate. besides which there are
always number of men and women in
terested in legislation, who gather at the
capital to further certain bills and these
are known as the third house"
The third house"is unorganized and
has no president. chairman or official
standing, but does efficient legislative work
at times for all that.
The house bill No. ar. for the purpose
of creating Shaw County from the east end
Of Valley County. and making Culbert-
son the county seat of the new county,
being Of great interest to the citizens Of
Culbertson. il was thought best for as
many business men in the proposed new
county as could get away to go to Helena
and become members of the third house. :"
| Messrs. Paul Babcock and w. Mathews
have been in Helena working in the interest
of Shaw County bill for the past five or six
weeks, and about two weeks ago ]. T..
Bruegger and the editor of the Searchlight
went there on the same mission Mr..
Bruegger did some quick work among his
friends in the city and returned to Culbert-
son the next day after his arrival in the
capital.
On Monday Feb. 22d. Messrs. G. w.
Tanner. L. Brooks Frank p. Miller.
Jack Evans all of Culbertson. and George
L. Zimmerman. of Bainville. arrived at
the capital and joined Messrs. Babcock.
Mathews and Reed. and all repaired to the
Grandon Hotel as headquarters from which
to plan the campaign of Shaw County's de-
legation to the third house."
Representative F. G. Arnett met the de-
legation and made the following report OF
progress up to that time. He said that
knowing that agreement had been entered
into by the Committee on Towns& Counties
to kill all county divisions bills by report
ing unfavorably upon them he had thought
advisable to wait until most OF them were
out of the way before introducing the
Shaw County bill. as there was not the
same political reason for defeating this bill
as there were for others.
This being the case Mr.. Annette had
worked over the ground carefully. and be
come acquainted and did what he could in
quiet way before introducing his bill.
When the bill vas introduced il was re.
ferred to the committee on towns and eoun,
ties. After long wait this committee,
true to its preconcer,ed agreement. re-
ported to indefinitely postpone the bill, Be
fore the report could be adopted Represen
tative Annette arose and moved that the
bill be printed and placed on general or
ders. This motion was passed by an over
whelming majority. thus defeating the re
port of The committee.
In the meantime Steering Committee
had been appointed which has absolute con
troll of when all bills shall be placed OF
general orders. for action in the house
This committee had not placed the Shaw
County bill on general orders up To III,
time that the culberison delegation arrived
in Helena on. Monday Feb. 22d.
The Culbertson men nov got busy inter
viewing members with whom they wer,
already acquainted and making new friend
among the legislators.
In the meantime soon after their arriva
the whole Culber,son delegation waitet
upon Senator Truscott of Glasgow. whit
was domiciled at The Helena" Hotel
Senator Truscott greeted the boys cordially
He was cool. serene. smooth. smiling. and
enthusiastically annnsed IN the hill. a, tn.
same time giving to understand that h
was not active in opposing same. HI
pointed out al the obstacles in the way O
its passage. but said no word of encourage
ment. In fact he said the Culbertson dele
cation might just as we'll 60 home as n
Shaw County bill would be passed a, thi
session.
On Friday morning. Feb. 26th. owing t
pressure brought to bear on the steerin
committee by Representative Annette an
his friends in the house and the Culbertso
delegation the bill appeared on the blacl
board of the house near the bottom o
general orders. and thrill Of pleasure ~er
through our brave boys.
The house worked awav upon bills con
ing up before Shaw County Bill No. a
all day long and As the clock struck p.