Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1931-02-05
BUSY PROGRAM AHEAD
OF STATE LEGISLATORS
Fifth Week of Session Under Way.
With Crowded Calendar
Highway Bill Signed


Helena is now into the fifth week and
the number Of bills submitted to the
two branches indicate that the law
makers will be required to speed up
action if the work before the assembly
is to be properly executed before the
end of the sixty-day period. At many
former sessions it has been neces-
sary to stop clocks in the legislative
halls at the zero hour in order to
clear the calendar Of pending legis-
lation, and this may be necessary at
the assembly.
Two of the principle measures that
have come before the assembly were
disposed of last week when Governor
Erickson placed his official signature
to the s6000.ooO highway debenture
act and the Butte Silver Bow consol- !
idation bill Coincident with the sign
ing of the road measure, the Montana
highway commission started proceed
ings for the sale of the gasoline tax
warrants. The act is to be tested be-
fore the supreme court.
| Among measures presented the past
week was one seeking to prevent en-
ployment Of married women on state,
county, city and school jobs and an
other to impose tax on malt.
Representative Moss of Flathead
was the only witness to the gov
ernor's approval of the highways de-
benture bill. He is chairman OF the
house highways committee and one
of the sponsors Of the bill. Gov
ernor Erickson presented him with the
pen used in affixing his signature.
Malt would be taxed 10 cents
pound under bill prepared by Rep
resentative Fairgrieve Of Carbon. The
proceeds would be used to reduce the
general levy. He said $4,000 pounds
of malt is distributed each year from
Billings alone.
Consideration Of the ACCESSIBILITY
of refunding s2,804,0O0 worth of edu-
cational bonds is asked of the twen-
tv-second assembly in a bill prepared
by the house ways and means COM
mittee, Of which Darlington of Gal
latin is chairman.
For the first time this session, the
name Of Tom Stout, honorary senator
from Fergus county, appeared on
measure introduced in the upper
chamber. 1t was a joint resolution
urging congress to carry out the rec
concentrations Of a factfinding com
mittee of the Musselshell Basin FLOOD
Control association. Stout has nc
vote in the senate. He WAS credited
with recommending the resolution, IN
, troduced by group Of senator's.
Reports reaching the legislator
show that considerable interest is be
ing taken throughout Montana IN tn
bill proposing the appointment Of
! tax commission to study the state
county, school district and municipa
taxation system with the view Q
bringing about a greater equalizatlo
in taxes and make other recommer
dations.
Montana's abstract system may b
an issue in the present Legislature wit
two measures in the senate, one
> provide state regulation Of the bus
! ness and the other to adopt the To-
! rens system of land transfers by regi
tration.
= A list Of lot persons killed in aut'
= mobile accidents in Montana in 10;
!. was left on the desks Of house men
! bers as a suggestion Of the need
!. a drivers license law.
! The Great Falls Tribune has issue
a an appeal to the state legislature
n set aside at least $4,000 from Il
% So 900 900 bonds voted at the last ele
h. ton for the construction Of suitab
building to house the school Of jou
nalism at the state university at MI
" soula.
During the past week bills appears
providing for appropriation for 0
: Grafton and maintenance Of the grea
err university units and providing T
es reapportionment Of representatives
the state Legislature. The commit
on appropriations plans to distribu
X the entire amount available from Il
% three-mill levy, 1928, 900 a yes
among the six university units.
- After emerging from committee
- the whole with wounds from tom
n hawks of rhetoric, house bill 81, viii
would have allowed prosecutors to
troduce evidence OF criminal recol
an finally succumbed before 40 to
he vote.
The bill relating to instructions
expert evidence and the one authe
H. izing sheriffs to investigate rune
ut were among those passed by 7
20 house.
or The natural gas tax and the tobf
co tax proposals have at last ma
J, formal appearance in the legislatu
-. At the same time the bill for
% creation Of a temporary taxation q
:. consolidation commission has adva
: ced step.
Reapportionment Of representa-