The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1913-03-12
WEDNESDAY, MARCH II, 1918.
THE Thirteenth ASSEMBLY.

The adjournment of the Thirteenth
assembly leaves Montana citizens IL
doubt - to ''where they are al in the
matter of obeying new state laws. A
Number Of bills were passed during
the session, the provisions Of which
q unknown to the general public,
and It is questionable whether the
lawmakers themselves can give an in.
telligent summary Of many of the new
additions to the Montana statutes.
That Is usually the situation at the
close of q legislative session. Apart
from the number and title of a bill,
there is generally . lack of informa.
ton % to the nature and scope of the
proposed law, and II it is passed by
the assembly there islno official meth
cd provided for acqusinting the pub.
lie with tts provisions. The purchase
of . certified copy LOT the enactment.
or q book containing all the laws
passed during the session, 10 the only
way to secure such information.
According to reports from tho state
capitol, the Thirteenth assembly cor.
sidered 612 bills that we're introduced,
and killedAabout two thirds of them.
About 2l0 measures were passed by
the assembly and have been sent to
bhe governor, this number including
the various appropriation bills. The
large number of bills introduced
many Of them of very little public i'm.
portance-suggests the desirability OF
submitting proposed legislation to q
steering or supervisory committee be.
fore it 10 permitted to consume time
that costs the state about $3.50 per
hour.
The Thirteenth assembly was q
turbulent aggregation of law makers,
each OF its political elements being
divided as to the propriety or neces.
sity of enacting certain measures.
The democratic.majority did not work
In harmony, and the members of the
republican, and progressive parties
failed o.vote together on many of the
tmportantsm alters presented. The one
lone socialistsmember OF the assembly
was the only exponent .of unanimous
party action at all times.
As moreithan one half of the bills
passedlby the assembly we're sent to
the governor on the '.lsst day of the
session, 3there will bes temporary un-
certaintyass to theiriinal disposition.
The governor may possibly decide TO
veto some of them-the ~icreation of
four new counties, according to re-
ports from Helena, being especially
liable to executive disspproval.
A newspaper summsrytof the more
important lave enacted by the Assem-.
bly, includes the following:
Submission of eQuslnsuffrage.
Grain inspection andlelevator reeu.
lstion Law.
State highway law.
Dairy commissionllaw.
acknowledgements OF labor
and industryE and agriculture and
publicity.
Blue sky law.
Creation of state tax commission.
Submission of q direct educations
tax amendments.
Creation OF public utilities commits.
eion.
Anti.discrimin alton laws.
Codi6cation of the school laws.
Fixing theimaximum rate of interes,
at II per cent.
INSTRUMENTATION women employees,
One ofithe interesting and instruc'
tive features of the session was the
discussion ofopropositions to reform
the mineitaxation laws. The bills re-
lating to this matter failed Of enact.
ment, but the subject was brough,
to public attention In . manner tina,
promises to make it an issue in future
campaigns.