The avant courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1871-1872, 1871-12-21
R0zENAN, MONTANA.
THE REGISTRY Law.

TepoTtcF iilc 9I0HtuUtdB. tafdt III fiioio 40
being made lii our Legislature, to obtain the
repeal Of the existing Registry Law.
With yourpermission 4 propose, through
yonr valuable Journal. toconsitler the effect
this law has lad ttseii the finances Of Gallatln
County and tlle probable consequences Of its
repeal While ii would be rash to claim that
every coHlty IN the Territory should be con-.
fined totilc same rules that are proven to be
advantageous to MS; yet it's but fair to sup
pose. that acting under tie same laws the
same results must hare been experienced III
greater or less degree by all.
At the time Of the passage OF the Registry
Law our County Warrants had no fixed value.
II is true that in u few instances warrants
were sold by one nsiahbor to another to pay
taxes for fifty or sixty cents on the dollar,
and in other places for the same purpose they
sold for thirty When warrants were taken
at all of the County for necessaries. they
were Vailed ut from fifteen To twenty-five
cents on the dollar. AZ tor instance Mr.
Campbell was allowed $50 day for rent of
Court room when he would gladly have
taken S. in money. Mr.. Rea was allowed
$T5 a week for keeping the pauper Fry,
while. belicsc.de proposed 10 take SIS. In
Virginia City ard Helena We could neither
yet stationery or printing for County War
rants at any price; and before the passage of
this Registry Law officers had to pay for
such things ont of their own pockets.
1t is true that Immediately after the passage
OF this Law warrants became wholly WORTH
less is matter of merchandise frequent
offers to sell for ten cents OH the dollar being
made without iiiiding d buyer. Slowly but
surely q healthy change was effected. Money
came ia to buy necessaries and instead Of IS
suing four or five dollars for one in warrants,
the County purchased as cheap ii not cheaper
than any citizen of the County. Then came
money to apply on the Register first hum
dreds and then thousands OF dollars. Then
came a demand for warrants which increased
until now they sell readily for from fifty to
ninety cents on the dollar. according to their
position upon the Register. We now have
mn active demand for new warrants, have
money to pay contingent expenses, money
to Day interest Oil oilr Bonds and money to
apply upon our Register. We may certainly
claim to be in il healthy and prosperous con-
dition.
Persons in prosperity should be content,
and II is SO with Counties as well as individ-
na.s. II is certainly rash to change IA condi-
ton ofpIosperity for one of uncertainty.
! Bit il is urged that this law was an act of
injustice to many OF our citizens who had
rendt red services to the County; and that its
passage was procured by spectators in pub
lie securities. who as soon as il became law
rushed 10 the Territorial and County Treas
urers and had their warrants registered that
they might pocket the first money that should
be received. This is undoubtedly true; but
1t is equally trne that these spectators have
been generally paid, and the repeal Of the law
cannot materially affect their Interests; while
the warrants oi small holders have been re-
gistered and are now worth from sixty to
ninety cents on the dollar. according to their
position upon the Register. Do the friends
OF these small holders wish to legislate their
rights away, by forcing their valuable war
rants upon the market in competition with
warrants issued to-day? How much is he my
friend who, after have acquired valuable
right under law that once greatly wronged
ME, will doubly wrong me by taking that
right away
They who perform public services now, do
ii with a full knowledge Of the law, and the
fact that they must wait for their money
their tine upon the Register, or take the
market price for their warrants. they are
not wronged beesus,. IL II part Of their com
tract. And This is the only class Of persons
tllat can be benefited by the repeal Of the
Registry Law. All others must be wronged.
The h,derof the Registered Warrants will
be wronged; the holder of Bonds will be
wrongea; anil he who furnishes the County
with necessaries vii be Wrongea, or the
County VIII be greatly wronged by being
compelled to pay two or three dollars for one.
But according TO any calculation | can
make the repeal OF this Law is more likely to
iniure tliau benefit this class Of persons, 1.-THE
holder Of new warrants; IN WHICH case
.sse,wbosv ssiti be trr2agad' s.
FEM For Instance: suppose tat under the Re-
yistry law $1,000 would come into our
Treasury next year in money. which will
come iii transferred warrants if the law is
repealed. Should the repeal be made With
out provision to pay ii.terest.on Bonds, Bond
ho,tlirs VIII demand a return OF their war-
rants. ard We Will have $4,000 upon the
market, file various holders striving to see
who shall pay most Of this $4,000. II is all
10 be sold liz sinall amounts. wants So b
.tslaf En-