Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1917-02-23
BANKERS FAVOR
LOWER INTEREST
BUT BOTH OF THEM HAPPEN TO
BE MEMBERS OF SENATE;
HIGHWAY COMMISSION
Bill Introduced Which Would Divide
State Into Twelve Road Districts;
Fight on Game Warden's Office
Starts; Blodgett Is for Unrestrict-
ed Matrimony.
Legislative Bureau Of
the Montana Newspaper
Association, Helena

atOr A. j.. Brewer of MiSSoula cOun-
ty and Senator Daniel G. O'Shea of
Carbon county, the first-named a re-
publican and the second a democrat,
advocating on the floor of the senate
a reduction of the legal rate of in
terest permitted in Montana from IL
to 10 per cent recently was presented
when house bill 10, introduced by
Representative Dwight N. Mason of
Missoula, was before the senate for
consideration. The bill amended the
present law for IL per cent and re-
duced it to 10. Senator John E. Ed
wards of Rosebud county declined TO
vote on the measure because, he said,
he is interested in the subject as a
banker.
The land office of the state is the
subject Of considerable attention at
this legislature. Two bills, one by
Ashby of Lewis and Clark, and the
other by Baxter of Meagher, have
been enacted into laws. The new
statutes, however, have not proved
altogether satisfactory, and a new
bill has been introduced in the SEN
ate by Senator Junod to nullify their
effect. This rarely happens al a legis-
lative session. The bills that became
laws took from the state land board
the power to appoint the assistants in
the land office and placed it in the
hands of the register of lands. The
Junod bill is designed to return the
power to the board.
Senator Junod, who Is from Madi-
son county, lost his first fight on the
bill. President of the Senate Mellow
ell had referred the measure to the
judiciary committee, and Senator Ju-
nod moved that 1t be referred to the
public lands committee. This was
opposed by Senator Edwards. Sena-
tor Junod made a lengthy statement
to the effect that the purpose of the
bill was to correct an error made ear
lier in the session by the legislature,
and said the public lands committee
was entitled to have the bill for con
s%ideration. His motion was voted
down, nearly all or quite all of the
democrats and some republicans vot-
ing against him.
After discussion, in which Senator
O'Shea warned his confreres that a
law lowering the interest below 10
per cent might oon follow if this
rate were rejected, and that most of
the states had rates of eight per cent
or less, the senate killed the measure,
which had a stormy time in the
house, and merely got through that
body by the skin of it's teeth.
Representative F. e. Blodgett of
Silver Bow county Is one of the young
lawyers in the house. When the bill
for a 50 marriage license fee was
under consideration in the lower
chamber, he opposed its passage.
There has been no charge for a mar
riage license for a considerable peri
cd in Montana, though for a long time
So was charged. He thought weddings
should continue free SO far as the
state is concerned. Some of his fell
low members joshed him in the de-
bate, and to play back at them he of
fered an amendment to make the
bill effective in 1920. Representa-
tive Mcmahon. one of his Silver Bow
colleagues, suggested that the
amendment was intended to allow
Blodgett to get a license free in the
meantime. Representative Eliel oil
Beaverhead raised the point of order
that the amendment was dilatory
IkUpI t56nIdtlNS DCluCA VI u q uS oult
it was a class legislation, and the
house recommended the bill for a 81
fee.
The long-threatened bill to abolish
the game warden and his deputies
and put their official duties upon the
sheriffs and deputy sheriffs of thu
state finally made it's appearance il
tho ANs.cn fafhornd NV Harmon ~
Gallatin, Buell. of Gallatin. Johnston
OF Ravalli and Clark of Chouteau. L
is probable that considerable oppo
sition to the measure will arise, since
the fish and game commission ant
many sportsmen are for the presen
system.
Senator D. G. O'Shes OF Carbon
county was the recipient of congratu
lations upon his return from Wash
ington, his fellow members of tn,
senate crowding round to shake hi
hand when he appeared in the sen
ate chamber, it being presumed h
had been or would be appointed
manager of the federal farm LOAF
bank at Spokane. He would nei
Their affirm nor deny the appoint
ment, but he was called to Washing
ton to confer upon the farm LOAF
banking district of the northwest, an,
he is eminently fit for the station
named, 30 1t is almost certain tn
place Is his If he desires it. Senate
O'Shea said the managers of the farn
loan banks probably will be appoint
ed, or the announcements made
about March l.
This has been a rather notable ses
sion of the legislature from on
standpoint-the t%roublous times an
rigorous ways upon which some O
the newspapers reporting the pre-
ceedings have fallen. Lately the Mis-
soula Muscular came under the dis
pleasure of Representative Cults
appointed by Governor Stewart to tn
vacancy in the house made by tn
death of Representative j. ]. Flann.
80 OiIuar pAu, aNypfy Tho pauys