The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1933-03-17
LOCAL LAW MAKERS
REPORT

Dear readers, we, your senator
and representatives of Sheridan
county beg leave to respectfully
report as follows:
. Inc session just past proved to
ne The most strenuous, exciting
and worthwhile that has taken
place at the state capitol for a
number of years.
Owing to the unusual conditions
unusual legislation was proposed
ana as a result some were enacted
INTO law. Measures relating o
economy Revenue and Taxation
were predominant thruout the ses~
sion. Bills relating to reduction of
salaries Of the legislature members
the chief justices of the supreme
court and reducing the salary of
the governor along with the chief
OFFICER of the state. All passed
the senate by large majority but
the House failed to pass these
economy measures for the lack of
votes from the Democratic mem
oers. The Republicans voted for
these bills almost to a man, as
sisted by the progressive Demo-
Gratis, but failed to pass the House
only lacking a few votes.
The Senate consisted of Sc men,
bers-34 Republican and % Demo
crat-their occupations were as
follows: Ia farmers, a stoclmen
and ranchers, 10 lawyers, six mer-
chants, 2 insurance men, one no.
tel manager, two lumbermen, four
bankers, one druggist, one elevator
man, three implement dealers, one
real state dealer, one physician,
one. theatre manager, one grain
dealer, one police judge and two
mining engineers.
In the senate Sheridan county
was represented on the following
committee, Agriculture, Dairy and
Dairying, Enrolling Horticulture
Public Lands and Taxation.
The House consisted of 101 mem.
members, 70 Democrats and &c
Republicans. They gave their home
occupation as follows: 28 farmers
ID ranchers and stockmen, ID mer-
chants, eight lawyers, six rail
road men, two newspaper men,
real estate men, four engineers
two blacksmiths, three bankers
four hotel men, three accountants
one druggist, one salesman, one
teacher, one miller, one contractor
one fur grower, one gas and OF
man, one clerk and few others.
In the House Sheridan county
was represented ON the following
committees: Constitutional Am
endments, Privilege and Elections
Ways and Means, Livestock and
Public Range, Petroleum Oil ant
Gas, Revenue and Taxation, Banl
and Banking, State Boards ant
Offices, Insurance, State Lands
Township and County, Public Utili
ties and State Commissions an,
Federal Relations.
Two hundred and four bills wer
introduced in the Senate. On
hundred and twenty four kille,
and vetoed. If the rest are APP
proved Ply the governor 70 S. B
will become laws of Montana
Three hundred forty-five H. 3
were introduced, Of that number
1876 were killed and 220 becam
laws of Montana, or a total ID
200 laws. But of course the majo
part of these bills are creation
and amendments of present law
on the statutes and small change
10 fit our ever changing condition
In every day life.
There were 20 bills passed tina
directly help eastern Montana es
| peciallv in these trying times. TIL
first was S. B. No. 8, relating t
cancellation of penalty and inter
est on delinquent taxes. This BIZ
passed the Senate in the early pan
of the session with the provisio
extending the time limit to NOV
30, 1884. But met with a storm
journey in the house that Taste
over 40 days and finally the pre-
gressive Republicans and Demo
Gratis were able to save the Bi
from being killed by a comprc
mise by shortening up the time t
Nov. 30, 1888. The arguments Q
the opponents of this bill was
it was left until 1884 no one woul
pay amy taxes even if they coul
until the fall of 1884.
Another bill that met with TIRE
mendous opposition was S. B. IL
relating to assessment onl publ
utilities for taxation purpose sam
as rate making purposes. Thi
bill passed the senate but met tn
hardest fight i'm the House tina
any bill has been subjected to fo
many years. The firht roll ca
was AZ to AZ and the final figf
was on. The call of the House wa
demanded, the door barred, sci
geant-at-arms was instructed I
bring in the absent members Z
the end Of an hour. The call wa
suspended and the vote was agai
recorded, so to so and the bi
failed to pass.