The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1939-01-19
With Montana's
Legislature

- q message from Governor Roy E.
Ayers. listing the pardons and commu-
tations of sentences from the state
prison, as required by law. was re-
ceived by the house on the last day of
the first week in session.
Opposition to the proposed school
redistricting law cropped up in the
senate yesterday, although the measure
has not yet been noticed or introduced
in either house. An interested woman
resident of eastern Montana, who dis
patched brief note to the senate, ex-
pressed her disapproval of the proposal.
In view of the noted slowness in pre-
senting bills in. this session, there is
being considered by house and senate
leaders proposal to advance the dead
line for introduction of bills. now set
at the 10th legislative day in the house
and the 43rd in the senate.
George A. Swertele, of MusseIshell
county, gave notice of a proposed
amendment to the state constitution
which would allow legal lotteries to be
conducted in the state.
Notice was also given of the intro
duction later of a joint memorial to
congress, which would request that
body to make certain tariff changes.
The senate heard notice, given by
Senator Robert Pauline of Flathead
county, of a bill which would provide
for lashing with cat-o-nine- tails for
persons found guilty of drunken driv-
ing in the state.
According to Speaker Dave M. Man
ming of the house, conservation of
Montana's natural resources, grass and
water, balancing of the state budget
through economy rather than increased
taxes will be outstanding subjects to
come before the state legislature this
session.
Senator H. A. Simmons Carbon
county republican, gave notice Of a bill
which would force truckers of cattle
from one Montana county to another
to report to the sheriff the number of
head of each class of livestock to be
shipped, Penalties would be not in ex-
cess of $500.
During the first week of the session
there were only three bills introduced
in the house, while two years ago there
were u. Indications are that fewer
bills will be submitted than in 1886
when there were 418.
Heading the powerful judiciary COM
mittee in the senate is II. A. Simmons
OF Carbon county, a republican. Sen
ator Simmons has attained the record
OF having been a member of the judi
ciary, education, and labor and capital
committees each session since first COM
ing to the legislature in 1888.
One bill designed to produce addi-
tional revenue for the state to operate
on is proposal by Representative
Siegling of Cascade county to legalize
and license gambling. He estimated the
gambling licenses would bring the state
a revenue of 100000 year.
Leaders in both the senate and the
house have expressed the opinion that
they believe any proposal to enact
sales tax measure this session will meet
with speedy defeat. Speaker Manning
contends the house stands two to one
against such legislation.
Honor of introducing the first bill in
the senate at the 1889 session went to
Foor of Roosevelt, who is author of
5 B. !, which would direct the secre-
tary OF state, when he has laws of the
legislature printed, to have all amend
ments to existing statutes set in italic
form of type.
A separate department of labor in
the state government will be proposed in
a constitutional amendment by Thomas
Ryan and Paul Cannon Of Silver Bow.
The present labor department is a part
of the state department of agriculture.
The house received its third bill Of
the session, H. B. 3, by Robert c.
Brown and Denis Mccarthy, both OF
Silver Bow, which would require mine
owners and oil operators who do not
own the property on which they work
to post security to guarantee payment
Of wages. A similar bill two years ago
was killed.
The appropriations committee met
during recess of the house to begin
work on committee bill which will
put into the general fund several hun
dred thousand dollars which has been
collected by the state treasurer during
the last two years under new tax bills,
but which has accumulated because the
last legislature did not make proper
for its transfer to the general
fund or to other funds for which it
was intended
"A recommendation that the fiscal
year of the state department Of public
welfare be placed ON a basis which
would make it coincide with that OF
other state departments was placed be-
tore the Montana senate. This depart