The Ronan pioneer., 1917-02-09
MEASURES FIND
FARMERS FAVOR
FARM FEDERATION CONFER
ENCE DECIDES UPON LEG
ISLATIVE PROGRAM.
Two Equity Societies, Farmers Union
and State Grange Participate in
Conferences; Farmers Strength
Will Be Behind Measures APP
proved.
Legislative Bureau Of J
the Montana Newspaper !
Association, Helena

GRAFTON, through it's executive
committee, has decided upon it's
legislative program. The fed
GRAFTON committee met few
days ago. Representatives of
the Farmers Society of Equity,
the American Society of Equity,
the Farmers Educational and
Cooperative Union, and the
State Grange, all of which Or
ganiZations are affiliated in the
federation, were represented at
this meeting, which was called
by l.. w. Robinson of Forsythe.
After an exhaustive discuss
sion the committee endorsed the
following measures and will
make every effort to secure
their enactment into laws:
O'Shea's bill providing for
state insurance on all public
buildings.
O'Shea's bill providing for
state hail insurance.
Edwards bill providing for
state bonding of public officials.
Whiteside's bills providing for
the adoption of the Torrens'
land title system; the invest-
ment of state funds in farm
loans; providing for the con-
struction of storage elevators
under state control; and the
usury law, making eight per
cent the maximum interest rate.
Whites optional herd law.
Hollis bill, widening the scope
of farmers mutual insurance
laws.
Hawks bill providing for oil
inspection.
Hurd's bills relating to load
ing platforms at railway sidings
and reciprocal demurrage; au-
thorizing the public utilities
commission to fix toll rates for
grain grading.
Meadows bill providing for
local control in road matters.
Meadows bill providing for
compulsory hail insurance.
1t was decided to await the
report of the house special COM
mittee ON taxation before taking
any action.
While Montana was passed up in
In the matter of the location of the
federal state bank for this section
Of the west, Spokane getting the
plum, Montana man will have the
of it, which is almost
as much to the advantage of Mon
tana farmers as though the bank
was located in Billings, or Missoula,
or Lewistown.
Senator Daniel O'Shea of Carbon
county has been offered the presi-
dency of the Spokane farm loan
bank, and has gone to Washington
to confer with the federal farm loan
board.
Much federal recognition is being
accorded Montana men by the Will
son administration recently. The
of former Attorney Gen
eral Joseph Poindexter to the fed
eral judgship of the Hawaiian isl
ands, the announcement of which
was made in the columns of this
a week before the Asso-
ciated Press carried the news, has
been confirmed, and now comes the
of the selection OF
Thomas Arthur of Billings as g
member of the commission which
meets in Philadelphia once every
four years and passes upon samples
of all coins made at the United
States mint.
Senator Hogan's bill, looking te
the submission of the question Of
holding constitutional convention
to the electors, was killed in the
senate.
II the absent voters law is made
more adaptable to Montana condi
tions, as is proposed, the voter living
in the remote place can mark hi
ballot and send it to the county clerl
by registered mail. The clerk de
posits the mail ballot with the elec
tion judges, and the voter is saved
a long trip to the polls. 1t is esti
mated that at the recent primaries
some rural communities cast onl,
about 20 per cent of the total voting
strength.
Maggie Smith Hathaway has tn,
distinction of being the first woman
in Montana to have presided over ;
legislative body. She was chairwom
an of the committee of the whole tn
other day and handled the house lik'
a veteran.
A bill has been introduced which
will permit of the financing of coun
ty fairs. If the bill becomes Law
the boards of county commissioners
at their discretion, may either ap
propriate $4,000 to defray the ex
pense of the county fair, or they ma,
levy a tax of one mill for the sam
purpose.
Another bill provides for the con
solidation of city ana county govern
ments.
Among the new bills Introduce
are the following:
By Belden-To establish a stat
normal school at Lewistown.
BY Shaw-Relating to the inspec
tion of horses when moved from on
county to another.