The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1921-02-18
STATE SENATE SWINGS AXE
ON HIGHWAY COMMISSION

ON HIGHWAY COMMISSION
CONTINUED from Page u
bill had been read in full and had been
amended in several particulars, Mr..
Cooney prefaced his remarks by stat
ing he wanted it understood that this
bill is separate and apart from the tax
program before the house, that the
bill seeks to give a commission the
powers already given to the board OF
equalization and which cannot be
changed except by constitutional adj
justment. 1t merely therefore, creates
ar advisory board, he said, and de-
clared that it is a matter to be handled
by men who have made a life study of
taxation.
George r. Allen of Madison county
said the people are the sovereign power
an last fall this power spoke in un-
mistakable terms against a tax COM
mission and it would be an insult to the
sovereign power to say the people did
not know upon what they were voting.
Passes House.
By a vote of Sc to Al, the huose on
Wednesday afternoon passed on third
reading house bill No. 5, providing for
the creation of a state tax commission
to be appointed by the governor.
Eleven were absent when the vote was
taken. At the conclusion of the roll
call, c. c. Conser of Fallo county
moved for a reconsideration. Calvin
Crumbaker of Chouteau county then
moved that the proposal to reconsider
be tabled and C~rumbaker's motion pre-
vailed, closing the last n for fur
ther action in the house. The measure
now goes to the senate.
The house also passed on third read
ing the house bill providing for a tax
of one cent a gallon on gasoline and
distillate; the bill advancing the date
of city tax l~evies; substitute for the
cent passenger rate per mile, and the
house bill limiting railroads to a three
house bill lowering the salary of GER
tain executive officers.
Opposes Cement Plant.
All bills considered in committee of
the whole went through smoothly until
Longs bill to create a state cement
commission to investigate the matter
of building a state owned plant was
reached. Senator R. P. Heren of Gus
ter county branded it as a socialistic
measure and said all such schemes had
been failures. He moved the bill be
killed.
Raps the Highway Commission.
The senate Wednesday unanimously
adopted the partial report of the spe-
cial committee investigating the state
highway commission, criticizing it for
extravaganza and unbusiness-like
methods. Only after a long debate,
but then by a large majority, the SEN
ate adopted a joint resolution present.
ed by the special probe committee di-
recting the chief engineer of the high
way commission to enter into no fur
Their contracts until the legislature and
the governor have passed upon pend
ing highway legislation. The resolu-
ton as presented also directed that all
employees of the commission except
those necessary for the carrying out
of contracts now in course of perform
ance to be discharged at once. This
section was eliminated. The resolu-
ton as carried authorizes the employ
ment o fauditors to go over the books
of the commission.
Trade Board Bill Out.
After reposing since the early days
of the session in the judiciary commit
tee, Slattery's bill abolishing the Mon.
tana trade commission was reported
out by the judiciary committee We'd
nesday with the recommendation that
the bill be printed. This recommended
ton automatically carries the bill to
general file. If the measure be enact
ed, the case now pending in the su,
preme court Of the United States, in.
v~olving the right of the commission tc
regulate prices, will automatically be-
disposed of, the supreme court declin.
ing to pass upon defunct questions.
Would Split the State.
Seeking from the congress of ths
United States an enabling act author
ling the division of Montana into two
states, one to take up the m%ountainou,
or western part Of the state with it,
mining interests, and the other to take
the eastern or prairie section of the
state with its agricultural interests
house joint memorabilia. Is has beer
introduced by Representative John l.
Scotield of Powder River county.
The proposition is not a new one, i
having been discussed at times in tn,
past decade, but it is understood tina
this is the first time a memorial tt
congress requesting such Legislation
has been introduced in the Montana as
sembly.
The memorial was referred to tn,
committee on federal relations.
Chauffeur Bill Up.
No person under Is years of age, O.
any person not physically or mental,
competent to operate a motor vehicle
would be permitted to drive such
vehicle upon the highways of the stat,
under the provisions of H. B. 297 in
PRODUCED Tuesday by f. II. Richard, o
Roosevelt county, by request.
Smaller Congressional Area.
Division of Montana into two con
gressional districts of equal territor,
is to be proposed in a bill which i
now being drawn by R~epresentativ,
r. c. Dillavou of Yellowstone county
At the present time the state is so di
vided that the First or western distric
contains but little more than a fourtI
of the area of the state. Under tn
roposed re-districting the western dis
trict will then contain practically al