The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1915-01-22
SENATOR BR0WER
HARD At WORK

SOula representative IN the senate,
Hon. A. j. Brewer of Roman, that tells
something of what our townsman is
doing. Since the article was printed
the senate killed his bill providing for
licensed abstractors, but that does not
mean that it was not good bill and
the agitation started at this time will
undoubtedly result in a. similar one
being adopted at some future time.
the record says:
Senator A. j. Brewer of Missoula
county is one of the quiet but effective
workers in the upper house of the
legislative assembly. He has evil
IDENTIFY given much thought to the
bills which he desires enacted into
law, and he has inaugurated the inno-
walton of submitting a printed state
ment to his colleagues, or, in other
words, a clear concise outline of what
his bills contemplate, what he wants
and the reason therefore.
One of his bills is of especial i'm
portance to the motherhood of this
state, particularly widow women with
children under the age of Is years. In
order that these mothers may remain
at home and take care of their chill
dren, Senator Brewer has introduced
bill providing for the partial sup
port of mothers who are dependent
upon their own efforts for the main
tenance of their children.
The money for the purpose is to be
raised by the county commissioners,
presumably by taxation, and in no
year is to exceed $4,000. Where she
has one child under Is she is to re-
ceive SIS month, and where there
is more than one child under the age
named, there is to be an allowance of
$40 month additional to each child
| The child or children must be living
with the mother; the allowance is
! only to be made when, by reason OF
it, the mother will not be required tc
work out regularly, but may remain
at home; the mother must be fit per-
| son morally, physically and mentally
to bring up her children; the allow
ance must be necessary in the judg-
ment of the commissioners to save the
child from neglect; no person is to
receive the benefit of the act who has
| not been a resident of the county in
which the application is made for at
least one year. The law is applicable
to only mothers dependent upon their
own efforts for the maintenance of
the children. An appeal from the de-
cision of the commissioners granting
an allowance may be taken to the dis
trict court by any tax-paying citizen,
and the mother has the right of an ap-
peal to the same court, if the commits
sioners refuse her application.
The senator from Missoula has also
demonstrated that he has the financial
interests of the state at heart, and
one of his bills, if it is enacted into
law, is destined to save thousands of
dollars annually to the commonwealth
1t is calculated to abolish the office
4 of the sealer of weights and mean
ures and his IL deputies and to make
the secretary of state ex-officio state
sealer of weights and meanures, with
authority to appoint an additional
deputy at salary of $3.50 a month";
and with the further provision that
the county assesscr shall be deputy
sealcr of weights and measures, with
out additional salary or charge. The
balance of the old law remains prac-
tically the same. Whatever fines are
collected are to be turned into the
state treasury for the purpose of pay
ing the deputy state sealer.
Referring to the present law, Sen
ator Brewer in his statement says:
"Under this law there has been ap-
pointed one chief deputy, at a salary
of one hundred fifty dollars a month
twelve district deputies at a salary
of one hundred and twenty-five dol
lars a month, all deputies to receive
in addition necessary expenses. The
salaries of the present officers cost
the people of Montana eighteen thou
sand six hunderd dollars a year be-
sides all their necessary expenses
The law provides a penalty for VIOLA
tion of this provision of not less than
twenty dollars or more than one
hundred dollars for the first offense
and not less than one hundred dollars
or more than five hundred dollars fol-
the second offense. The total income
of this department in the state for the
year of 1914, collected in fines, etc.
is three hundred forty dollars ane
one cent, showing almost conclusively