500 



MISSOURI. 



MONTANA. 



and these proceedings, if allowed to continue and 

 reach their anticipated and ultimate develop- 

 ments, would result in his imprisonment and his 

 being subjected to involuntary servitude and to 

 punishment. 



The Guarantee Investment Company. 

 This company, which has been doing business in 

 the State for two years, was stopped in its opera- 

 tions in July by the closing of the money-order 

 and registry offices of the post-office department 

 against it, and in October nine of its officers 

 were indicted by the Federal Grand Jury in 

 Chicago. Beginning in Nevada, Mo., in 1891, 

 with a capital of $2,000, it soon had offices in St. 

 Louis and Chicago, had placed 50,000 bonds of 

 the denomination of $1,000, and was in the re- 

 ceipt of $60,000 a month from its subscribers. It 

 had taken in over $500,000 on initiation fees, and 

 about as much more on account of payment of 

 monthly installments, and had paid out $206,000 

 for the redemption of bonds. It was gaining re- 

 cruits at the rate of 3,500 a month, each appli- 

 cant paying in $10 as a " starter." The Govern- 

 ment holds that the business is plainly of the 

 nature of a lottery. 



Legislative. The Legislature was made up 

 of 28 Democrats and 6 Republicans in the Sen- 

 ate, and 92 Democrats and 48 Republicans in the 

 House. The session began on Jan. 4, and ended 

 on March 23. Francis M. Cockrell was re-elected 

 to the United States Senate by a vote of 109 to 

 49 for Chauncey I. Filley, the Republican can- 

 didate. Among the important acts passed were 

 several amendments to the criminal laws. 



The old law prohibiting the sale of liquor to 

 Indians is extended to include " habitual drunk- 

 ards." 



Several measures in reference to elections were 

 important ; among these the Corrupt Practices 

 act attracted general notice. It is the most 

 radical law that has yet been enacted upon the 

 subject, and some of its provisions are in ad- 

 vance of any views of reform that have been pre- 

 sented in this relation. It provides that every 

 person who offers a bribe or otherwise illegally 

 attempts to influence a voter's conduct shall be 

 deemed guilty of a felony, and shall be punished 

 by a fine of $500 and imprisonment in the Peni- 

 tentiary for not less than two or more than five 

 years. 



But this law is principally remarkable in the 

 matter of expenditures for election purposes. 

 Full publication of all campaign disbursements, 

 both by candidates and by committees, is re- 

 quired, under oath, and no certificate of election 

 can be issued to any successful candidate until 

 he has made this return. It is provided that no 

 candidate for Congress or for any public office in 

 the State or in any county, district, or munici- 

 pality shall expend' more than $100 where the 

 number of voters is 5,000 or fewer, $2 for each 

 100 voters over 5,000 and under 25.000, $1 for 

 each 100 voters over 25,000 and under 50.000, 

 and 50 cents for each 100 voters over 50,000. 

 The person receiving the next highest number of 

 votes to that cast for his successful competitor 

 can, at any time during his term of office, by 

 affidavit to the Attorney-General, cause an action 

 to be brought for violation of this section, and 

 upon proper proof the guilty person will be de- 

 prived of office. 



Other acts affecting elections make false per- 

 sonation of a voter at the polls a felony, with a 

 penalty of five years. 



An important law creates the Southeast Mis- 

 souri Land Commission, one member each from 

 Cape Girardeau, Ballinger, Scott, Mississippi, 

 Stoddard, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Dunklin, But- 

 ler, and Wayne to be appointed by the Governor, 

 who shall have made a topographical survey of 

 the swamp lands, with proposed canals and other 

 schemes for the reclamation of the lands. 



Inspection of grain is provided for by a law 

 declaring all private grain warehouses of 50.000 

 bushels or over to be public warehouses, and 

 they are to come under the inspection of the 

 State Railroad and Warehouse Commissioners. 



An act to prevent abridgment of the legal 

 rights of workingmen by their employers pro- 

 vides for the fine and imprisonment of any em- 

 ployer or agent who forces an employee, under 

 threat of discharge, to withdraw from any lawful 

 organization or union of which he may be a 

 member. 



Elaborate laws go into effect for the protection 

 of trade-marks, labels, etc., of manufacturers 

 within the State. 



An important law was one creating the office 

 of excise commissioner, who will be appointed 

 by the Governor. It takes the licensing power 

 out of the hands of the collector of St. Louis. 



A joint and concurrent resolution was adopted 

 asking for an appropriation for the improvement 

 of St. Frangois river ; and one submitting to the 

 qualified voters of the State an amendment to 

 the Constitution providing for increased tax levy 

 for roads. 



MONTANA, a Western State, admitted to the 

 Union Nov. 8, 1889 ; area, 146,080 square miles ; 

 population, according to the census of 1890, 132,- 

 159. Capital, Helena. 



Government. The following were the State 

 officers during the year : Governor, John E. 

 Rickards, Republican; Lieutenant -Governor, 

 Alexander C. Botkin; Secretary of State, Louis 

 Rotwitt ; Treasurer, Frederick W. Wright ; Au- 

 ditor, Andrew B. Cook ; Attorney-General, Henri 

 J. Haskell ; Superintendent of Public Instruc- 

 tion, Eugene A. Steere ; Chief Justice of the Su- 

 preme Court, William Y. Pemberton; Associate 

 Justices, W. H. De Witt and E. N. Harwood. 



Valuations. The valuation of real property 

 in the State for 1893 was $71,805,939; of per- 

 sonal property, $52,642,613 ; and of railroad 

 property, $9,953,355. The number of range 

 horses in the State was 179,839, and their value 

 $4,446,407; number of cows (common), 22,833, 

 value $501,835 ; stock cattle, 753,268, value $13,- 

 770,704: sheep, 2,252,527, value $5,974,316 ; hogs, 

 9,914, value $58,984. 



The railroads were assessed per mile as fol- 

 low : Northern Pacific, $2,835 ; Great Northern, 

 its Pacific extension and Neihart branch, $4,000; 

 Montana Central, Montana Union, and Oregon 

 Short Line, $5,000. Northern Pacific branch 

 lines were assessed at $4,000 per mile. 



Legislative Session. The regular business 

 session of the Legislature began on Jan. 2, and 

 adjourned on March 2. As neither Republicans 

 nor Democrats controlled a majority of the 

 Lower House, there was some difficulty and delay 

 in effecting an organization of that body. The 



