The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1923-01-24

Inc C6ndlS lnVeSblSdb 1Ou SOiAAhAO
tee recently appointed took the first
step towards inquiring into the condi-
tons of state government by direct
ing letters to all heads of departments
of the state government asking for
information as to the appropriation
for each list of employees and data as
to the necessity for each, the salary
Of each, and the amount expended
each year by each office.
The committee appointed under the
resolution adopted by the Senate call
ing for an Investigation Of these de-.
partments is composed of Senators
Paul of Powell, Dowlin Of Rosebud,
and Clark of Toole, and the letter adj
dressed to the officers and heads of
departments.
The letter goes to all elective Off
GERS in the executive department and
to Adjutant General Charles l.. Sheri-
dan, State Purchasing Agent j. E.
Wood, Commissioner of Agriculture
Chester C. Davis, Superintendent of
Banks L. @. Shelton, Land Register
H. V. Bailey, State Engineer c. S.
Heidel, Law Librarian A. X. Barbour,
Historical Librarian j. u. Sanders,
and Parole Commissioner Ludwig
Rose .
With the r~econvening of the legis
lature McEday afternoon, every indi-
cation points to five or perhaps six
days crammed with action that will
result in many new laws appearing on
the statute books of the state. AS
yet there has been no real test of the
factions in the lower body and only
an indication of power in the upper
body, but before the ensuing week
ends much conjecture as, to what will
be the actions of certain representa-
tives and senators will have been put
at rest.
The committee OF revenue and taxa
ton IN the House will report out a
substitute measure for II. B. 5, the
administrations tax commission bill.
When the bill appears on the floor
of the House it is generally conceded
that at least one change viii have
been made by the committee. This,
change will be a reduction in the pro-
posed salaries of the three men who
under the proposed law will form the
commission. from $4,000 per year to
$4,000. Other changes no doubt have
been made, but whether the commit
tee has in its substitute measure
placed some limitations on the pow
ers of the commission is not known.
The original bill gives to these three
men powers such as have never been
held before by any man or men in
the state.
1t is generally conceded that Mau-
ry of Silver Bow county will attempt
to r%esurrect his repeal of the metro
pOhtan police law. The members
seem to be receptive to any amend
ment5 that may be offered to remedy
the defects in the present statute
That such amendments will be offered
IS a %foregone conclusion and they viii
no doubt be introduced upon the sue.
cess of Mr.. Maury's attempt to bring
his repeal measure on the floor once
again.
In the Senate the week will be feat
ured by the introduction of a numbel
Of resolutions, the general purpose O.
which will be to limit the powers O.
certain state officials and to max,
some drastic revisions in certain de
partments of the state government.
Committee reports will be made Of
the proposed McQuitty measur
which will limit the salaries and mum
bers Of county offiicala Just hov
these measures will be recommends
is like many other economy measure:
a matter of conjecture. That Nc
QuIttys measures would effect a saw
ing, probably not as large as he con
tends they would, is admitted, bu
many Of the Senators think that tn
tlrs and second class counties can nc
stand such a cut in the number q
their employees.
Inc Boseley measure in the Hous,
redistricting the state into judici;
districts and cutting down the nun
Der of these districts to Is. is eau,
ing considerable alarm in certain Sc,
tons Of the state. In fact the b.
associations Of the counties of Par
Sweetgrass and Saltwater will ser
Two representatives to Helena to figl
the adoption of the measure. The,
counties will be dorectly affected