The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1947-01-23
The Legislative
Mill in Helene
By Charles D. Rowe

By Charles d. Rowe
HELENA legislative mill
of the Montana Both Legislative AS
sembly has been grinding grisi
rather slowly so far, but indications
are that the output will begin to
increase rapidly from now on There
are certain procedures that must be
followed in the introduction and
consideration of bills and until those
have been observed, little actual
progress can be accomplished. How
ever, while progress has ed
slow. work d, complished by the
House is far ahead of the record Of
the l945 House after the same num-
Der of legislative days. The num-
her of bills introduced and sent on
their way by this session far eS-
ceeds to date the record Of GAS.
The first preliminary work has
been done on a new fish and game
hill am on the fish and game
committee and attended the first
meeting of that committee this past
week The committee was con
siderii.r a bill to increase the fees
charged for the various fishing and
hunting licenses. The members Of
the committee were unanimous IN
the conviction that fees should be
lGised so as to provide larger funds
for the fish and game department.
Rut they disagreed somewhat as b
lust where those increases should
be made. The bill introduced fol-
lowed closely the recommendation
OF the federation of spOrtsmen's
clubs but committee members
thought the schedule of fees for
resident fishing, game bird and big
game should be changed somewhat
from the original bill introduced.
The committee seemed to think that
the fishing and game bird licenses
should be covered by one license,
as at present, and that big game
licenses should cost more than the
price listed in the bill. However,
there is some opposition TO that
procedure and the matter of fees
for licenses has yet to be settled in
committee. There will be other
meetings of the committee to con-
s,der that matter, and of course The
bill will then have to make its way
through the House and the Senate
II is a long way yet from becoming
q law. / expect to attend all the
fish and game meetings and to keep
close check on what is being done
] am also planning to confer with
the fish and game department. in
cooperation with Senator Fewkes.
on the provisions of this bill and
on other fish and game matters af-
fecting Lincoln county citizens.
More about that later
Another piece of legislation that
IS OF great importance to all OF us
is that aiming to re-write practically
the entire education code insofar
as it bears on elementary and sec
ondary schools in Montana The |
chairman of the education com
mittee called its members together |
this week and as l am also on that |
committee, | sat in on its delibera- |
tiOnS with much interest. The bill |
that will be introduced later was
not ready for the committee. stated |
the chairman. II will be so lengthy |
that its sponsors had decided to |
have it printed in full so that |
copies can be placed in all com
mittee members hands. The copies
will probably reach us this week
After which a prominent educator
will appear before the committee
and explain its provisions TIE
chairman called us in session be.
Cause be wanted prelim. nary dis
cuSsion of education legislation in
view of the serious need of re-
of the Montana school
system.
AS explained in this column be-
fore, the proposed law will change
in important aspects the organiza
ton and administration of school
districts in Montana. There is sure
to be considerable objection to some
of those changes. l am already run
ming into some of it in the minds
of other Legislators. A man from
eastern Montana came to me yes
terday to discuss this and other
matters He was suspicious of the
proposed legislation for fear that
il would set up a Hitler-like die
over our urban and rural
schools. He admitted the need of
new legislation but objected to Civ
ms to some distant board power to
iay what schools should or should
lot be consolidated. l attempted !
o explain to him just what could
'e done under the proposed law r
mt he still held to his conviction :
D watch closely that no dictator !
hip be set up over the schools. !,
erhaps that fear will be removed i
hen the provisions of the law be-
Jne better known. But / also
.ncpd that Same fear IF raoir,oan .
Ition and dictatorship over our =
hools in the minds of some of :.
e education committee members. !,
hen the bill becomes available n
r study by the committeeman tn
me of that suspicion, at least,
ay disappear. But it is a foregone
Inclusion that important school % 20
gislation viii come out of this
gisIati1re 10