The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1910-12-21
WEDNESDAY, DEC. II, 1910.
COUNTY DIVISION MATTERS.

Propositions to increase the number
Of counties in Montana promise to be
IN interesting feature of the proceed
ings Of the next legislative assembly.
II oil the county division plane meet
with favorable consideration, the map
OF Montana will have to be revised to
show the bound aries of ten or q dozen
new counties. :
From Chouteau county will come .
request that two, and possibly three,
new sub divisions be formed. This
proposition has exceptional merit, the
creation of two new counties having
been endorsed by . representative
body OF taxpayers and business men
1t which an agreement upon the lines
of proposed division was effected.
Subsequent to that action there has
been protest against it from the north.
western part Of the county, many Of
the residents OF that section urging
that. while the carving.up process is
under way, q third new county should
be formed for their convenience. These
two propositions affecting Choutesu
county will probably receive attention
by the next assembly.
Another division scheme that con.
Germs the people Of Chouteau county
10 the movement to form q 9 county
with the town of Conrad as the seat Of
government. The plan contemplates
the appropriation of several town.
ships in the western part eff Chouteau
county.
Over In Cascade county there is q
proposition to form what is known as
DAILY county, with Belt as the county
seat. The exact bound aries of the
proposed new county are unknown,
but it is believed they cut into the
southern part Of Chouteau county.
In eastern Valley county there has
been q county division movement for
several years, and 1t is still in pro.
gress. Culbertson aspires to county
seat honors in this connection, but
two other towns are also applicants
for such distinction.
: A county division agitation, with
the town of Roundup as the storm
center, is q subject of interest among
the people of Fergus county. It is un.
derstood to have substantial backing
and will demand attention from the
state Legislature.
Then there is the Wibaux division
scheme in Dawson county; the pro-
petition to divide Madison county; q
plan to make q new county out of ter.
ritory in Custer county; q demand
that the two-year-old county of Lin.
coin be segregated into two parts, and
possibly there are other county di.
vision schemes that cannot be recalled
ct THE writing. They total ten or q
dozen in number-probsbly the larg-
est bunch of such applications ever
prepared for q Montana legislative
assembly.
Lack of familiarity with the condi.
ti0ns that brought about the demand
for creation Of some of these proposed
new counties makes 1t improper to ex'
press an opinion as to the necessity
or desirability of complying with til,
requests OF parties who urge their for
nation. Possibly In some cases th,
benefit to the entire community ie civ
en- less consideration than the welfar
of . few who hope to make persona
gain from the scheme.
So far as Chouteau county is cor
cerned, there was a division plan be
fore the state legislature seven year
ago that was defeated by only on
vote, and there has been more or les
sgitationi of 1.-THE subject since tn,
time. 1t will be up to the next assen
bly, to heed the Chouteau county r
Quest, and take favorable action upc
it early In the session.
APPORTIONMENT QUESTION.