The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1953-06-26
By GRETCHEN G. BILLINGS


The State Capitol resembles a stone
mausoleum this week. With little or
no news coming out of the place,
walked over to see if l could dig
some up.
Sam Mitchell was in his office. He
was in a bit of disgruntled mood
about things in general. He looked
over his glasses at me and accused us
of not approving of the new sight for
the Governors Mansion because ours
wasn't chosen. | tried to convince
him that because our sight was not
picked had nothing to do with the fact
that we think the one they chose was
lousy For a time, of course, thoughts
of a few extra dollars in the eXchecker
looked tempting, but the benefits of
move to us were nil, so as long as the
Board of Examiners felt they couldn't
afford what our Board asked, there
are no hard feelings. Even if Sam
misunderstood our feelings, he's
darling. Many are the budding poll
ticians who have stood back and
watched Sam campaign for the wo-
mems vote and then looked question
ingly in the mirror and wondered
how many gray hairs they would need
to be able to emulate the master cam
paigner.
Sam said that letters had gone
out to the architects in the state ask
ing them to submit plans for the Gov
errors Mansion. 1t isn't going to be
an easy job to draw plans. The home
can't be built just for the needs of
Mrs. Aronson, the Governor and Rika,
because who knows, another Cover
nor might have five children. The
problem of erecting any kind of a
mansion with available funds be-
comes greater every day, and more
The very minimum fee
for an architect would be $500 dol
lars and will no doubt be more than
that. Architectural fees run about
6 p %. AS of now it doesn't look as
if any building will begin on the
mansion till next year.
| left Sam, assured he still loves
me. (even if don't like the Mansion
site) and walked across the hall to
Mary Condon's office. Mary is still in
Washington. Somebody had said she
is interested in running for Congress
from the second district. I was going |
to ask her about it. After the last
rather gruesome campaign Mary said |
she would never run for public Of
flee again. She has what it takes to
be a good congressman tho. There |
is certainly nothing devious about
the woman. A spade is a spade and
when digging with the kings english
she sometimes leaves her listeners a
little breathless by her directness.
But in spite Of the fact her type of
is considered poor "poli-
tics" there's never any doubt about
her stand.
With Mary gone, no news there.
So l trotted upstairs to the Supreme
,isions of interest in their hands.
Judge Adair could not tell me when
any of them will be coming down. Re-
cess time is scheduled from July first
% September first, but the Chief said
he court didn't have any idea when
II if they would recess this summer
1t all. Three times during his tenure
IS Chief, he said, the court has stayed
n session all summer. There is no
assurance he may not have to hold
hem this summer, unless they are
lble to agree on some decisions be-
ore too long.
I am interested in the decision on
he legislative council which was
.rgued in the supreme court some !
ime ago. This decision is holding up