The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-02-22
DIVIDING MONTANA
FOR CONGRESS
ABBOTT'S BILL PROVIDING CON-
GRESSiONAL DISTRICTS IS
A CLEVER SCHEME.
(Staff Correspondence.)


Helena, Feb. 21.-Senate bill No. 80,
introduced by Senator Abbott of CAL
latin county, has as it's purpose the
dividing of the state into two con-
gressional districts. The bill pro-
vides that one district shall be com
posed of h counties of Teton, Cas-
cade. Hill, Blaine, Valley, Dawson,
Chouteau, Custer, Fergus, Meagher,
Musselshell, Park, Sweet Grass, Vel
loWstone, Rosebud, Big Horn and
Carbon. This would leave the other
district to be comprised of Lewis and
Clark, Broadwater, jefferson, Gallatin,
Madison, Beaverhead, Silver Bow,
Deer Lodge, Powell, Granite, Missoula,
Ravalli. Sanders, Flathead and Lincoln
counties. ,-..
At the last election the district first
suggested comprising the northeastern
half of the state, was carried by the
republicans in the congressional cleo
ton, while the southwestern half was
carried by the democrats, n as the
Abbott bill appears to meet with the
approval of the bipartisan combina-
ton in control of the senate, and will
eventually pass that body, it would
appear that it is the anticipation of
this combination that the same politi-
cal control will prevail at the next and
succeeding elections, which would
mean a division of the congressional
delegation from this state between the
democrats and the republicans. There
would seem to be much merit in the
idea that the district embracing the
southwestern portion of the state,
Which includes such corporation-con-
trolled counties as Silver Bow and
Deer Lodge, and such, strong demo-
cratic counties as Jefferson, Broad
water, Gallatin and Madison counties,
would continue Ito be democratic.
And tits equally reasonable to assume
that the other district, which includes
the progressive and republican vote of
the state, will continue to be anti
democratic, but it is not to be assumed
that it will continue to be a republican
district, for, Judging by the showing
made at the last election by the pro-
gressive party, it Isl almost a two-to-
n bet that two years from now it
will Fbe controlled by that party, and a
prog ressive congressman will be
elected.
1t is commended by some of the dis
corning ones that the bipartisan COM
bination in the senate has some other
object in view thar the mere division
OF political spoils in dividing the state
as proposed by the Abbott bill. This
feature seems to have impressed a
friend of Congressman-elect Tom
Stout from Fergus county, who has
suggested that %inasnAuch as Mr.. Stout
will two ears from now be in the dis
trict which will be either progressive
or republican,, it was evidently in
tended to make sure that he would not
have any chance to succeed himself.
And the same party also advanced the
suggestion that in view Of the appar-
N strong democratic aspect of the
other district, it was evidently in
tended to make sure that Joe Dixon,
who would be a resident Of that dis
trict, should not by any chance be
elected two years from now to repre-
sent it in congress. There would APP
pear to be much wisdom in this
thought. -+-.,,
The bill in question has been favor
ably recommended for passage in the
senate. where it will probably pass,
and then be sent to the house for it's
consideration, but as the house men,
bership is of an entirely different
temperament than that of the senate.
it is probable that it will be pretty
well picked to pieces and made over.
In that event it would be returned to