The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1917-03-09

all corporations in the state aggre-
gate from $75,00O,000 to $125,O00,-
600. according to the best estimates,
and the bill should bring in from
S75O,0OO to $1,000,000 or more
taxes. The two other revenue bills,
that to tax express companies at two
and a half per cent OF their net in
comes, and the private car company
bill to tax such concerns five per
cent of their net incomes, will add to
that. Dodds' six per cent tax bill on
mines and all other tax measures
were killed.
The tax and license commission
bill introduced by Representative B.
c.. White of Fergus county passed
the house in the last week but one
of the session, and was recommended
in the senate for passage. 1t carries
an appropriation of $4,000 to pay
the expenses of the commission for
the next two years. The commission
is to report to the next legislature.
In the senate the bill was amended
by the insertion of the names of G. B.
Mcnamara of Helena, sheepman and
capitalist; Charles r. Leonard of
Butte, attorney and republican lead
err and William Lindsay OF Glendive,
wealthy stockman and former cand1-
date for governor, as the commits
sioners.
On the fifty-seventh day Of the
session the house passed to two big
appropriation measures, that to sup
port the executive and judicial de-
partments for the next two years,
carrying appropriations Of approx
mately 100000 year, and that to
maintain and furnish new buildings
to institutions and colleges of the
state, carrying about $1,600,000 a
year in appropriations. The first
measure provides for the two new
judicial districts. The appropriations
were not much increased over two
years ago. The latter bill carried in
creased provisions for nearly all the
state schools and foundations. The
Missoula university is given 1914, 600
more than two years ago. The state
publicity appropriation is cut from
$4,000 to $4,000. The senate was
still to pass on these measures.
One of the notable incidents of the
latter days of the session occurred in
the house when Speaker James
O'Connor descended from the chair
to address representative from the
floor and urge them to keep party
pledges to economy, and B. G. White
followed his lead with similar eX-
hortation, part Of which he directed
to the Equity members in the house.
l Crismas had moved the revival of the
bill to combine the dairy inspection
department with the livestock SAM
tary board, killed day or so earlier.
Lusk moved the revival of two other
economic bills that had been killed
that to abolish game wardens and
put their work on the sheriffs, and
that to combine the publicity com
missioner's office with that Of the
labor commissioner. The house re
fused to resuscitate the latter two
measures, but went so far as to res
tore the dairy consolidation bill tc
life, and then to send it to a standing
committee.
The general game law bill, intro
duced in the senate, was passed by
both houses, and probably will be
DoSOAAiS
law. 1t imposes a close season on al
feathered game but ducks for two
years, and shortens the season or
,, deer. 1t is very lengthy, and many
changes in the game and fish law are
made by it,
The bounty law went through botl
houses during the next to last week
of the session. 1t carries bounty o.
SIS on wolves and $3.50 on vol
pups and coyotes of all ages. 1t alst
carries bounty Of $40 on mountain
lions.
The general highway commission
law passed through the senate dur
ing the seventh week of the session
went through the house on the eight
week, together with the genera
highway law A provision of $37,
600 to put it into operation was made
in the measure first named. Twelve
commissioners are to be appointed
: under it by the governor, one from
each of the IL districts in the state
. These form the commission, and ere
ate an executive committee to trans
act it's business between annua
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