The river press. [volume], March 05, 1913, Image 1

About The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current

Image provided by: Montana Historical Society; Helena, MT

                
Vol. XXXIII.
LAWMAKERS AT WORK.
Thirteenth Assembly Has Many Bills
Under Consideration.
Helena , Feb. 25. —In the senate to
day, the majority report of the com
mittee on oapital and labor, recom
mending that 8. B. 12, O'Shea, one of
the compensation bills, be indefinitely
postponed, was adopted.
In committee of the whole the ssnate
recommended for eoncurrenoe H. B.
101, Prescott, exempting from personal
service the earnings of judgment
debtors, and recommended for passage
the following bills:
S. B. 141, Stevens, for the regula
tion of traotion engines and machinery
propelled or operated by gas or oil.
S. B. 97, Abbott, to divide the state
into congressional districts.
S. B. 77, Boardman, to create Rich
land county out of a portion of Daw
son.
S. B. 162, Dearborn, to establish the
office of state fire marshal and allow
ing deputies.
S. B. 164, Duncan, to regulate the
fees of county clerks.
Not a notice or a standing commit
tee report was received in the house
this morning, for the first time in
many days. Sub. H. B. 50, by Stevens,
regulating grain elevators and pro
viding for grain Inspection, was con
curred In.
The Whiteside bill to authorize
county commissioners to levy a tax of
less than one mill for county fairs
and the McNally bill fixing a nine
hour work day for women were reo
ommended for passage by standing
committees.
A telegram was received from E. F.
Burmeister of Shawmutstating: "Let
the people decide by vote whether they
want Wheatland county or not." It
was referred to the committee on new
counties.
Two bills, one In the senate and one
In the house, both providing for an
appropriation for the purchasing by
the state of an executive mansion for
the governor were passed on third
reading yesterday. The senate bill
provides for an appropriation of 150,
000 for the purohase and the Spogen
measure in the house for 120,000. The
bills do net necessarily provide for
the erection of a residence, but for the
purchase of one.
It is rumored that should one of the
measures pass, the state would buy
the residence occupied by Governor
Toole during his tenure of office.
Helena , Feb. 26.— By a vote of 40
to 40, resolutions introduced by Love
lace and Annin, extolling Representa
tives Kirschwing and Durkan for their
action in "doing what they considered
to be right" on the state fair bill and
condemning in the strongest terms the
citizens of Great Falls and the press
of that city, were declared lost in the
house this morning. The debate was
most bitter.
"You are a dirty liar," shouted
Word of Lewis and Clark at King of
Chouteau, who had asserted that Word
asked him, previous to the Introduc
tion of the Mains bill to Introduce a
bill removing the fair to Great Falls.
King let the challenge go, but said he
would make the assertion under oath
and then Word could deny it if he
wished to. Later Word withdrew his
language and apologized to the house,
but still insisted that he had not asked
King to introduce such a bill.
The house killed H. B. 115, by Crip
pen. increasing salaries of district
judges to $5,000. S. B. 113. by Burl
'lngame, abolishing capital punish
ment, was killed.
The following bills were passed by
the house last night: H. B. 119, by
Meaders, to compensate owners of
animals killed because of tuberculosis
or glanders. II. B. 309, by the com
mittee on state institutions and
grounds, for submission of a constitu
tional amendment increasing the rate
of taxation for a period of ten years
for the support of educational Institu
tions, ( platform measures. ) H. B.
105, by Lovelace, creating a state tax
commission.
The situation In Mexioo was brought
to the attention of the house of repre
sentatives this morning, by the intro
duction by Representative Crull of
Musselshell county, of a joint resolu
tion asking that congress intervene.
The McNally bill to regulate the
hours of employment for women al
most met its death in the senate in
committee of the whole today, when
Larson moved It be Indefinitely post
poned. The motion prevailed by a
vote of 13 to 12, but later Muffiy saved
the bill by moving it be re-referred to
the steering committee, after it had
been amended by Donlan to provide
that women can work in excess of nine
hours but must be paid over time.
The Spogen bill providing for $20,
000 for an executive mansion was
recommended for concurrence, with
The River Press.
an amendment Increasing the amount
to »30,000.
Helena , Feb. 27.— The Klley bill
patterned after the Fawley law in New
York, allowing 12 -round boxing ex
hibitions under the supervision of a
state commissioner, was passed on
third reading In the house today by m
vote of 44 to 26. Cooklngham and
Pope led the fight against the bill on
the ground that it would tend to be de
structive of ideals. Cooklngham
said he was a boxer, and ohallenged
anyone in the house to a friendly bout
but said he did not want professional
boxing.
On third reading the house concur
red in or passed the following meas
ures:
S. B. 89, Taylor, relating to liens
for service of stallions.
S. B. 61, Stevens, providing a sum
mary method of obtaining the right to
erect grain elevators on railroad
rights of way.
S. B. 29, O'Shea, providing that in
terest at the rate of 2i per cent shall
be paid on deposits of publio moneys.
H. B. 234, committee on judiciary,
providing for the filing and renewal
of chattel mortgages.
H. B. 280, committee on fish and
game, amending the game laws.
H. B. No. 196, by Durkan—Regulat
ing appropriation of water for power
purposes.
The conference committee on S. B.
10, the Byrnes publio utility bill, re
ported unanimously recommending
that the house recede from its amend
ments. The house adopted the report
and concurred in the bill in its origin
al form. There were 65 ayes and 12
noes. Those voting against the bill
insisted it was not suoh a measure as
the people wanted, and they could
best get their own measure by initiat
ing it. Connor referred to the bill as
a "broken promise."
The senate passed the house bill es
tablishing a. board of examiners for
nurseries, the Brower bill requiring
the registration of farms and ranches,
and senate bills to create Riohland
county out of a portion of Dawson
and Wheatland out of a portion of
Meagher and Musselshell, the White
side bill providing for sale of property
for delinquent taxes, and one provid
ing for the employment of six addi
tional game wardens.
H elena , Feb. 28.—Senator Donlan,
of Missoula, had the bill drafted which
was introduced in the house by Mains
for the removal of the state fair from
Helena to Great Falls, it developed
today, after the house had denied
King's request to incorporate in the
journal an affidavit he made, charg
ing that Word of Lewis and Clark had
requested him to introduce such a bill.
Word then stated that he was auth
orized by Senator Donlan to say that
he bad the bill drafted which was
given to Senator Stevens, who, in
turn, handed it to Mains. After this
explanation the incident was declared
closed. Senator Donlan corroborated
Mr. Word.
The senate bills creating Wibaux
and Phillips counties were placed on
general orders by the house this morn
ing, after it had rejected, by a vote of
28 to 50, Holt's motion that the matter
of new counties be not considered
until after all platform measures had
passed both houses and been trans
mitted to the governor. It is up now
to the steering committee to say when
they shall be considered.
A number of members who voted in
favor of considering the bills at this
time reserved the right to vote against
them when they came up, declaring
that they were opposed to the crea
tion of new counties by special legis
lation.
On third reading the house passed
H. B. 271, Murray, relating to the in
spection of steamboats, and H. B. 36,
the Drinkard highway law.
Other bills passed on third reading
were: H. B. 300, to regulate the sale
of oil; H. B. 273, to compel hospitals
to receive all patients; H. B. 270, pro
viding for appointment of park com
missioners in cities of the second
class; H. B. 230, to prevent bond elec
tions in the winter time; H. B. 213,
appropriation for old Fort Benton.
On third reading the senate passed
H. B. 84, Spogen, appropriating 930,
000 for an executive mansion; H. B.
31, McNally, limiting the hours of em
ployment of women: S. B. 15, fixing
the time in which the railroads shall
adjust and pay freight overcharges;
S. B. 169, providing that moving pic
ture houses in towns of less than 1,500
population 6hall not be required to
pay licenses.
The senate killed H. B. 327, EUing
son, prohibiting the selling of liquor
in places where other business is car
ried on; H. B. 307, to prevent discrim
ination between shippers by railroad
companies; the Minor hail insurance
bill; and S. B. 124, fixing a standard
for milk, cheese and butter.
Fort-Benton, Montana, Wednesday, March 5, 1913.
H elena , March 1.—Just before the
adjournment of the house today the
appropriations committee reported
the general appropriation bill that is
to provide for the maintenance of the
state government for the fiscal years
of 1913 and 1914. The total appro
bation for the two years amounts to
•3,363,000, not including the «137,000
for the expenses of the legislature.
The estimated revenue for tbe two
years is 13,211,200, showing a possible
deficiency of nearly $290,000.
Among other bills passed by tbe
house today was an anti-cigarette
bill, prohibiting the sale of olgarettes
or cigarette papers in the state. The
vote was 61 to 16.
The house also passed a bill pro
hibiting members of the state railroad
commission from engaging in other
business.
Tbe senate passed the Leighton bill
prohibiting procreation by Insane,
Idiots and criminals, the bill codify
ing the state school laws and the house
bill providing for a special tax for
the support of state educational in
stitutions.
The committee on federal relations
reported for concurrence S. J. M. 6,
McKenzie, asking congress to increase
the amount of land on the Fort Assln
nlboine reservation to be given the
state for an agricultural and manual
training school from one section to
2,000 acres.
H. B. 129, codifying the school laws,
was amended in the senate so as to
provide that eighth grade pupils shall
take the examinations before the
board of examiners, but that they
shall be graded 50 per cent on exam
ination and 50 per cent on school
work. The amendment was urged for
reason that pupils well up in their
studies in the class room might pass
poor examinations before the board
through fear or nervousness.
On third reading the senate passed
H. B. 309, to increase the rate of taxa
tion for a period of ten years to raise
revenue for the support of the state
educational institutions; H. B. 159
and 169, Gould, creating the depart
ment of labor and industry and tbe
department of agriculture and pub
licity.
FAVOR NEW COUNTIES,
Thirteenth Assembly May Attempt To
Change Montana Map.
Helena , Maroh 3.—Wibaux county
was considered in committee of tbe
whole this afternoon. The only
amendment allowed was that chang
ing the date for fixing the indebtedness
from February 1 to April 1st. The
bill for the creation of Phillips county
will be considered later and it is ex
pected that it will be recommended for
concurrence.
If the majority members of the com
mittee on new counties correctly re
flect the sentiment of the house, this
session will create, in addition to
Wibaux and Phillips counties, Rich
land, from a portion of Dawson coun
ty, and Wheatland from a portion of
Fergus, Sweet Grass and Musselshell.
Four more wrangles are in prospect
in the house today or tomorrow. Mis
soula members are charging that the
appropriation bill, as introduced, for
the support of state institutions, gives
the university less money than the
committee agreed it should have, and
that it gives the agricultural college
more money. Kirschwing's bill for a
license tax on copper, lead and zinc,
and the Annin bill, submitting a con
stitutional amendment relating to the
taxation of mines, are the next meas
ures on general orders, and may come
up this afternoon, and the bills creat
ing Wibaux and Phillips counties will
be placed on general orders sometime
today or tomorrow.
The fourth row will be precipitated
over S. B. 120, by Muftiy, making a
judicial district from Broadwater and
Meagher counties. The report of the
committee of the whole recommending
this bill and 17 others for concurrence
or passage was laid on the table Sat
urday. Camp moved this morning
that the report be taken off the table,
but the motion was lost. It is under
stood that a similar motion will be
made some time this afternoon or to
morrow. If It does not carry, the 18
bills will be killed. None, however,
is of great importance.
The house refused to concur In sen
ate amendments to H. B. 309, increas
ing the rate of taxation for a period
of 10 years to provide a tax for the
support of state educational institu
tions. It was stated that one of tbe
admendments had the effect of vitiat
ing the purpose of the measure.
Roal Pride.
No mnn has ever done anything to
give him the right to feel as proud as
a girl feels when she hears that some
body has ueen making a fool of himself
because of her.—Chicago Itecord-Her
ald.
CROWDS GREET WILSON.
Presisent-Elect Receives Cordial Wel
come To Washington.
W ashington , Maroh 3.—President
elect Wilson and his family arrived
at the Union station at 3.46 p. m.
They were met at the train by Thomas
Nelson Page, who escorted then
through a lane of Prineeton university
students to the president's room in
the station, where a reception com
mittee greeted them.
Bands were playing, soldiers were
marching from inoomlng trains and
thousands of visitors in holiday array
were parading the streets today under
a brilliant sun and cloudless skies,
awaiting the arrival of Woodrow
Wilson, who is to become president of
the United States tomorrow.
So heavy was the traffio on all rail
roads converging into the capital, that
many trains were late, delaying the
arrival of thousands of visitors and
participants in the inaugural parade.
The arrival of the new president and
his family, attended by 560 students
from Princeton university, and the
Essex troop of New Jersey, waB tbe
magnetic event of the day.
Norris Not On List.
W ashington , March 3. — Vice
Chancellor Lindley M. Garrison of
New Jersey is to be secretary of war
and Franklin K. Lane of California,
at present a member of the interstate
oommerce commission will be secre
tary of the interior, aocordlng to un
questionable authority. Tbe same
source of Information gave the re
mainder of the cabinet slate as fol
lows:
Secretary of state, William Jennings
Bryan.
Secretary of the treasury, William
G. MoAdoo of New York.
Attorney General, James G. Mc
Reynolds of Tennessee.
Secretary of commerce, William C.
Red field of New York.
Secretary of the navy, Josephus
Daniels of North Carolina.
Secretary of labor, William B.
Wilson of Pennsylvania.
Postmaster General, Albert Burle
son of Texas.
This leaves but one post, secretary
of agriculture, about which authorita
tive information is lacking. This, it
is believed, will go to a college pro
fessor."
Last Day of Congress.
Washington , March 3.—With less
than 24 hours to live the 62d congress
today found itself entangled in amaze
of reports chieily on the big supply
bills, which ordinarily must be finally
disposed of before tomorrow noon.
Much of tbe day was devoted in the
house to consideration of bills under
suspension of rules.
With the adjournment of congress
Tuesday noon, the end will be written
to two years of epoch-making struggle
within party ranks, and to three ses
sions of effort, only partially success
ful, to adjust the difference between a
democratic house, a senate under
democratic-progressive control, and a
republican president.
The Sixty-second congress opened in
1911 with a special session called by
President Taft to consider Canadian
reciprocity; it ends with an extra ses
sion of the Sixty-third congress only
a few weeks away, to be called by
President Wilson for a general revi
sion of the Payne-Aldrich tariff law.
Attacks Harvester Trust.
Washington , March 2.—The pow
er of the International Harvester com
pany, the to-called harvester trust,
which the federal government is seek
ing to dissolve under the Sherman
law, lies in its monopolistic position,
its superior command of capital, in
cluding its connections with J. P.
Morgan & Co,, and John D. Rocke
feller and certain objectionable com
petitive methods, according to Luther
Conant, Jr., commissioner of corpo
rations, in his report of the opera
tions of the giant corporation, submit
ted to President Taft today.
The harvester investigation was
made in response to a senate resolu
tion adopted several years ago. The
combination, the report deolares, was
arranged in 1902 by the former owners
of five leading competitive concerns
and was not as frequently asserted "a
mere sale of their properties to new
interests."
Dodson Idea: Water from the melt
ing snows in the hills north of Dod
son came down Dodson creek Monday
and threatened serious damage to the
railroad grade about a half mila east
of town, and also to the irrigation
ditches. The water backed up in the
south part of town until it was bub
deep to a wagon just south of the
Ereaux livery barn.
MANY DEAD IN FIRE.
Quests In Omaha Hotel Had No
Chance To Eacape.
O maha , Feb. 28.—It Is believed that
nearly twenty persons were burned to
death here tbis morning in a fire which
destroyed the Dewey hotel, a second
olass hostelry. So swift and terrible
was the march of the fiâmes that two
went insane from fright.
The fact that the hotel register was
destroyed will make It hard to obtain
a list of the dead and though the man
ager says about fifty were registered,
others who were about the hotel de
clare that many of the guests were not
registered and that the total number
was nearly seventy-five. Of these not
more than twenty-five are known to
have escaped.
So suddenly did the flames reach
every part of the building that few of
those asleep had time to reach win
dows and none were able to get to the
fire escape. One man, Charles Cum
mings, a bartender, plunged from the
third Btory to the>lde walk. He struck
head first on the concrete walk and
was killed Instantly.
After six hours,{during which from
six to a dosen streams were kept con
tinually playing onjtbe ruins, it was
not possible for the firemen to enter
the burning building. How many
bodies will be foundjwas still a matter
of conjecture and It was not known
positively that more than fifteen were
in the ruins.
At noon only about 25 out of 60
persons estimated tolhave been In the
building hadtbeen accounted for defin
itely, but it was known that a score
or more of those who had escaped left
the neigh bor hood ^without revealing
their identities.
No More Free Seeds.
W ashington , Feb.}|28.—Congress
ional distribution of seeds was ended
by the senate by eliminating from the
agricultural appropriation bill a pro
vision providing $256,125 for that
purpose. Among the more important
amendments adopted was the bill by
Senator Hoke Smith creating a bureau
of markets in the department of agri
culture. The bill as it passed the Ben
ate carried $18,000,000, an increase of
nearly 111,000,090 over thelhouse bill.
Paper From Waste Wood.
Washington , Feb. 28.—The possi
bility of more thoroughlyiutilizing the
enormous quantities of>waste resinous
wood production in the lumber indus
try, has been disclosed by an investi
gation just completed by the bureau
of chemistry of the agricultural de
partment.
Tbe annual waste, it Is estimated, is
not less than 8,000,000 cords. This
can be maufactured into paper pro
ducts with nearly 9300,000,000 profit,
say the investigators.
Cabinet Members Packing Up.
W ashington , Feb. 28.— President
Taft and the members of bis cabinet
are paoking up in anticipation of tbe
exodua next week. The departure of
the president and his official advisers
and their families will leave mfiny
gaps in Washington society. Many
of the present cabinet officers have
held a residence in the capital for ten
years in various capacities, while the
secretary of agriculture has held his
post for fifteen years consecutively.
The time for their retirement is at
hand, however, and the most of them
will probably leave Washington for
good.
Suffragists End Long March.
Washington , Feb. 28.— "General"
Roalie Jones and her suffrage army
marched triumphantly into tbe capital
shortly before noon today, through
the capital grounds and down Penn
sylvania avenue, with an escort of
local enthusiasts and citizens which
fairly choked tbe streets. It was one
of the most remarkable demonstra
tions ever seen in Washington.
A presidential inauguration could
hardly have presented a more enthus
iastic spectacle than Pennsylvania
avenue from the capital to the treas
ury building, after the plucky, dis
reveled band of suffrage pilgrims
swung wearily around the Peace monu
ment for the final stage^of their 250
mile march for the cause of equal
franchise.
Storage Butter Seized.
Chicago , Feb. 27. —Recent seizures
in Chicago cold storage warehouses
of more than 250,000 pounds?of butter
by revenue agents are expected to re
sult in a score of prosecutions, ac
cording to a statement of a federal
officer today.
It is charged that the butter is adul
terated with more than 16 per cent
water. The penalty is a fine of $5,0C0
and a tax of ten cents for each pound
adulterated. In addition, a tax of
•600 a year is Imposed on those de
teoted in wholesale adulteration.
Millions of pounds of butter have
disappeared from the warehouses slnoe
the government began its Investlg^
tion. In December about 25,000 ,000
pounds, nearly half the supply la
storage in the United States, was held
in looal warehouses. Since then four
fifths of the product has been removed
from the olty.
Rostron Gets Gold Medal
W ashington , March 1.—Presi
dent Taft today presented to Captain
Arthur H. Rostron the gold medal
authorized by congress for his cour
age and gallantry in rescuing the sur
vivors of tbe Titantio and bringing
them safely to New York on his own
ship, the Carpathia. The president
made a brief speech quoting the re
port of the senate Investigating com
mittee to show the bravery, the pains
taking care and the kindliness exhibi
ted by Captain Rostron. It was a re
cord, he said, worthy of the best tra
ditions of England's seafarers.
Wilson Expects To Be Busy.
W ashington , Feb. 27.— President
elect Wilson ban deolined membership
in the exclusive Chevy Chase club in
Washington to which former Presi
dent Roosevelt, President Taft, prac
tically every member of the diplomatic
corps and most of the high officials of
the government belong. Some time
ago the board of governors asked Mr.
Wilson to become an honorary mem
ber whioh would give him the club
privileges immediately. Mr. Wilson
declined the invitation, stating that
he expeoted to give up all his time In
Washlngton to public business.
GUESSING AT CABINET.
Name of Governor Norris Does Not
Appear In List.
W ashington , Feb. 26.— The person
nel of President Wilson's cabinet, as
partially made known last night by
information reaching congressional
quarters, Btood today practically un
changed, namely:
Secretary of state, William j.
Bryan, Nebraska.
Secretary of the treasury, William
G. McAdoo of New York.
Secretary of the navy, Josephus
Daniels of North Carolina.
Postmaster General, Albert Sydney
Burleson of Texas.
The names of Representative A.
Mitcbel Palmer of Pennsylvania and
Robert H. Henry of Texas as cabinet
possibilities also became definitely
established during the conferences
held at the capitol early today. Mr.
Palmer was tendered a cabinet posl*
tion, but declined it. He had been
mentioned as attorney general, but as
the tender did not cover this portfolio
but another which he did not regard
as in his line of work, he concluded to
remain in the house oflrepresentatives.
[jJAs to the interior department, word
reaching here today was that the
secretary for this department also had
been definitely determined upon. Al
though the name wasjnot disclosed, ^t
was said to be not any of those promi
nently mentioned in that connection.
Secretary Fisher's name has been
mentioned as ajpossible cabinet hold
over, but it is now stated that neither
he nor any other member of the pres
ent cabinet will remain. It will be a
new cabinet from top to bottom.
Washington News Notes.
Washington , Feb. 27.— The con
ferees on the legislativejappropriation
bill have finally agreedl to continue
tbe Helena and other<assay offices un
til Dec. 31, 1913. The> house wanted
to abolish them outright, but the sen
ate objected and the above compromise
has been reached and reported to
both houses.
The interior department has awarded
a contract to the Three Forks Portland
Cement company of Ogden to furnish
50,000 barrels of cement at Trident,
Mont., at 91.15 a barrel, for projects
in the northern division.
Senator-elect T. J. Walsh of Mon
tana arrived In Washington last night
and registered at the ^Cochran hotel.
Today he went to thejjcapltol and was
introduced to manylsenators by Sena
tors Myers and Dixon, spending a
large part of the afternoon around
the senate. Senator Walsh wlil have
as his private secretaryjMiles Taylor,
who is now private secretary to Sena
tor Dixon and who previously was
private secretary to Senator Gibson
of Montana. Mr. Taylor is recog
nized as one of the most efficient men
among private secretaries in Washing
ton, being especially well informed on
Montana matters and with reference
to legislative and departmental pro
cedure.
No. 20