The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1911-01-18
WEDNESDAY, JAN. IL. 1911.
FIGHTING COUNTY DIVISION.

However great the merit OF q county
division 8 submitted to the
twelfth legislative assembly, it will
meet with opposition from the "in.
visible influence that usually con-
trolls q Montana legislature. That
appears to be the situation which has
developed since the assembly met two
weeks ago.
1t is current gossip In Helena that
the Musselshell county bill is likely
to be the only new county measure
that will meet with favor 1t this ses.
Zion. This proposition, it 10 under
stood, is being urged by Milwaukee
railroad people, who have close bust
ness relations with the ''invisible In.
fuence." Confirmation Of this rumor
appears in q Helena news item which
says the committee OF new counties
met Monday evening, . few hours at.
ter the committee was appointed, and
agreed to make q favorable report up.
on the Musselshell county bill.
The campaign against the creation
OF new counties was started by the
Anaconda Standard, one OF the recog.
nized mouthpieces OF the 'invisible
influence, "iseversl weeks ago in an
editorial assailing the present plan Of
representation In the state senate. It
was submitted that one senator from
each county is unjust, for the reason
that It gives the email or spsrsely set.
tied counties equal representation with
the large or populous counties. These
conditions we're declared to be unjust
and indefensible, and It was inciden-
tally remarked that the creation of
any more counties-esch of which
would have one member In the state
senate-would make the situation
worse.
The keynote of the anti.new.county
campaign having been sounded by its
Anaconda contemporary, the Butte
Miner followed with several editorial
illusions along the same lines. In
one OF these the Miner etates it's posi-
ton pretty plainly in these words:
"There are some fifteen county d.
vision schemes now before the legisla.
ture, and II these counties should be
created each one of them would have
. senator, no matter what its popula-
ton might be. 1t looks as though It
might be necessary in order to pre-.
serve representative government in
this state to stop creating any more
counties until the senate is placed up.
on a basis of representing people In
stead OF territory"
The editor of the Butte Miner is one
of the members of the legislative as.
sembly from Silver Bow county, but
whether his views upon this matter
are shared by other members of his
delegation Ia not known.
Without entering into q discussion
Of the ~justice or ~expediency Of the pre-
sent method of senatorial representa-
tion in the assembly, 1t may be sub
mitted that It .has been in operation
since Montana became a state and
with fairly satisfactory results. The
action of the ''invisible influence" II
raising this question now looks sus
picious; it evidently fears that its con
troll of legislation is threatened by ar
increased number OF state senators
and a reapportionment Of the house
on q basis that will enable the people
OF Montana to govern themselves.
A change in the present plan o.
senatorial representation requires 9
constitutional amendment, q slow pro
cess that would extend the power O.
the "invisible influence" in shaping
or defeating legislation. The fgh'
for popular rights is on, and if tn,
special privileges undertake to def,
the will of the majority they ma!
arouse hostility that will bear bitter