The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-03-04
tBy W. b. Fsrsuson.)

The Fifteenth Legislative assembly
has closed and Aftssoula county IN.
little occasion to be ashamed OF hel
representation In that body. Rattle,
the people should be proud Of the mel
who represented them In house and
senate. Judging their work from tn,
standpoint Of influenEAs.on lsgislation
there IL no doubt but the Mtssouis
men outranked every other delsgatior
tn the state.
Although nissli4es Of the minorit,
side Of the house. Ronald Hisgins wal
one OF the chief figures In the assem-.
bly,. OF course It must be taken into
consideration that he has had the ex.
pesieace Of past sessions to guide him
but the fact remainA that there were
very few men in the lower body with
hts influence. His stand was not al
ways with the majority by any means
which, In q session OF the legislature,
cannot be interpreted as meaning that
he was in tie wrong,
Others Old Well.
The other four members OF the
house, were all men for. whom the
county of Missoalla need offer no
apologies. Dwight N. Mason OF Ro-
nan. Addison X. Lusk Of st. Ignatius,
Henry Buell. and Dan McQuarrie. both
Of Missoula, made an exceedingly good
showing. Owing to their previous ex-
perience Mr.. Mason and Mr.. Lusk were
more effective. but the two new mem.
bers from the county would not suffer
by comparison with any Of the other
inexperienced men in the house.
Drewsr's Record Good.
Senator A. J. Brewer also served the
county with great credit to It and him.
self. His 10 per cent interest bill was
killed by the senate. but his bill pro-
yiding for the abolition Of the weights
and measures department and taking
care OF this work in a more economical
manner was passed and became law.
It was largely. through his efforts that
the bill providing for the equalization
Of railroad fares for students attending
any branch Of the University of Mon.
tana was brought back to life and
passed. Missoula county is to be COM
plimented on the work of her senator.
Higgins Helps University.
Representative Higgins influence
and support on the floor of the house
assisted the university and education
In general very materially. His great.
est achievement along this line was
the passage Of the measure submitting
to the people the question Of a bond
issue Of s1,500.O0O for the construction
Of buildings at the various educational
institutions Of the state. He was the
introducer OF the measure for the
equalization of railroad fares which
was killed in the senate and revived
by Senator Brewer.
His most notable achievement, how
ever. was the fight made by him for
the adoption OF a graduated mine tax:
The speech made In support Of his
amendment was the best delivered on
the floor Of the house during the entire
session and had the cards not been so
cleverly stacked his appeal might not
have been wasted. It was a very well
arranged. logical talk and one which
was literally complimented even by
his opponents.
Among the other measures intro
duced by Higgins were acts amending
the law SO as to permit only free
holders to vote at city, elections, de-
io}r l~1o OlrN fc%3 ,c. &c.
heritance tax, safety appliance act for
electrical workers and bill permit
ting graduates of the pharmacy school
at Missoula to. practice without ex-
ANIMATION.
Owing to the congested condition Of
affairs it is not certain how many OF
these will become u law. although the
safety appliance act has been signed
and the equalization of railroad fares
is almost certain to be signed by the
governor.
Dwight Masen's Work.
By virtue Of his previous service in
the house and legal training Repre-
sentative Dwight NJ Mason was Sc
lccted by the speaker as chairman OF
the judiciary committee. position
which he filled very acceptably and
with great credit to himself. This
committee-the; most important in the
house Of ACKNOWLEDGMENT a
record on the number OF reversals It's
decisions met with on the floor Of the
house.
The following bills were introduced
by Representative. Mason and their
worth is attestcd to by the fact that all
OF them passed the house and were
either signed by the governor. or killed
by the upper body.
An act fixing maximum rate OF in
terest at 10 per cent: eight hour law
for engineers: requiring publication OF
adulteratcd or misbrandcd foods; re-
lating to tho Investment of common
school funds In farm loans: a bill pro-
viding for the revision Of the codes Of
the state and the board of equalization,
act. In addition TO these measures
Mr.. Mason was prominently connects cd
SO co-author Of the bills for mothers