Montana Legislative Assembly (5th: 1897) records

Montana Legislative Assembly (5th: 1897) records, 1897

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Montana. Legislative Assembly.
Title: Montana Legislative Assembly (5th: 1897) records
Dates: 1897 (inclusive)
18971897
Quantity: .2 linear feet of shelf space
Collection Number: LR 5
Summary: Records (1897) of the Montana 5th Legislative Assembly consist of minutes of the Joint and Senate standing committees; and miscellany, including incoming correspondence and petitions.
Repository: Montana Historical Society, Library & Archives
Montana Historical Society Research Center Archives
225 North Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT
59620-1201
Telephone: 4064442681
Fax: 4064445297
mhslibrary@mt.gov
Access Restrictions: Collection is open for research.
Languages: English
Sponsor: Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

The Montana State Legislature is made up of two chambers, the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Constitution of Montana limits the size of the Senate to no fewer than 40 and no more than 50 members and the size of the House of Representatives to no fewer than 80 and no more than 100 members. Each house is responsible for choosing its officers, creating committees and establishing its own rules. The Montana Legislature meets for 90 days every odd numbered year, beginning the first Monday in January, or the following Wednesday if the first Monday is New Years Day. The first State Legislature convened on November 23, 1889, fifteen days after Montana became a state. Each following Legislature has been numbered sequentially.

The 5th Montana Legislature met from January 4th to March 4th, 1897. The President of the Senate was Archibald Spriggs (Populist). The Speaker of the House was Jacob Kennedy (D).

Sources:The Constitution of the State of Montana as adopted by the Constitutional Convention March 22, 1972, and as ratified by the people, June 6, 1972, referendum no. 68, "A GUIDE TO THE MONTANA LEGISLATURE," The Montana Legislature,; “Montana Legislative Leadership 1889 – Present”.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Records (1897) of the Montana 5th Legislative Assembly consist of minutes to the Joint Committee to Investigate Charges of Corruption Made against Members of the House of Representatives and the Joint Committee to Investigate the Reform School at Miles City; minutes of Senate standing committees; and miscellany, including incoming correspondence and petitions (re Sunday closures of saloons; prohibition of licensed gambling; opposing reduction of salaries of court stenographers; advocating right to vote for women eligible to hold office; supporting free textbooks in the public schools; emendation of delinquent tax laws; advocating laws requiring banks to insure deposited funds; advocating law to allow co-owners of mining claims to work and develop the claim if the co-owners wish otherwise; advocating increase in predator animal bounty; and advocating two-year suspension of hunting of prairie chickens, deer, and antelope).

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

The Montana Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Research Library before any reproduction use. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.

Preferred Citation

[item description and date].Montana Legislative Assembly (5th: 1897) records, 1897. Legislative Records 5. [box and folder numbers]. Montana Historical Society Research Center. Archives. Helena, Montana.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The collection is organized into four series, House and Senate Special Joint Committee Minutes (arranged alphabetically), Senate Standing Committee Minutes (arranged alphabetically), Incoming Correspondence (arranged by legislative chamber), and Miscellany (arranged chronologically).

Location of Collection

51:5-5

Acquisition Information

Acquisition information available upon request

Processing Note

Bill Summers processed the collection in 1988

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

House and Senate Special Joint Committee MinutesReturn to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
1 / 1	Joint Committee to Investigate Charges of Corruption Made Against Members of the House of Representatives	1897 March 1
1 / 2	Joint Committee to Investigate the Reform School at Miles City	1897 February 12-14, 17

Senate Standing Committee MinutesReturn to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
1 / 3	Committee on Elections and Privileges (re contested election of Senators Sligh, Cooper, and Floweree; includes correspondence, certificates of election, and legal briefs)	1897

Incoming CorrespondenceReturn to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
1 / 4	House of Representatives (includes correspondence transmitted by Governor Robert B. Smith)	1897
1 / 5	Senate (Governor Robert B. Smith re claims for mileage)	1897

MiscellanyReturn to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
1 / 6	Petitions (re Sunday closures of saloons; prohibition of licensed gambling)	1897
1 / 7	Petitions (re opposing reduction of salaries of court stenographers; advocating right to vote for women eligible to hold office; supporting free textbooks in the public schools; emendation of delinquent tax laws; advocating laws requiring banks to insure deposited funds; advocating law to allow co-owners of mining claims to work and develop the claim if the co-owners wish otherwise; advocating increase in predator animal bounty; and advocating two-year suspension of hunting of prairie chickens, deer, and antelope)	1897

Archives West Finding Aid

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