Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1873-04-18


clerk; b'lt that this 4 legitimate subject 9
legislation, there cain be no doub.. It's dss
to this officer that he Be authorized by law t
I. Charge and collect certain fees for his sci
vices, and not be dependent on deception O
> itigants and attorneys for the same.
No subject Of legislation will be presente,
foryour considerations OF so much importanc
: to the prosperity and welfare of the people
as that OF the reduction Of fees and salaries
The unreasonable allf excessive fees air
salaries collected froiglthe people by the Dis
trict Attorneys. Clerks of District CoJn IS. AMI
connty officers, have saddleI upon lie peo
pie of several counties debt of nearly a hal
4 million OF dollars. This burden, bcarinc
i down upon the people year By year, has
| made them restless, and they now demand
4 III unmstakable terms, that the letters which
have bound them shall be broken, and that
debts and taxes shall decrease. The high
price OF living, heretofore advanced as iusti-
\ fication of high lees and salaries, no lonycr
has any foundation. No reason can now be
! put forward why fees in Montana should be
4 but shade higher than those in The new
Western States. As a meas ure of Justice and
economy to the people, he Legislative AS
sembly at the present session ought not to
hesitate to abolish the office Of County Treas
urer. and make the Sheriff ex. officio Collector
OF The taxes OF his county the change 10 go
into effect upon the expiration of terms OF
the. prese. t incumbents.t This plan has been
IN successfnfoperationin many of the new
States. and las met the appreciation of the
people IN every Instance. I do not hesitate
to say; that it would be " ise and economical
TO adopt tin Montana. An attempt, ha G
no doubt. will be made to embariass your
action on this subject by parties interested
and Il ose who hope TO be; but trust YOU
will prose.yourselyes worthy rep ese tatives
1 OF an ofer-taxed people. The argument
eommoflly advanced against a reduction of
fees AMI salaries: that competent men can
not beobtained to fill the several offices, can
no longer nave a,y force until lieW race of
men have been discovered. The exorbiiant
court Ice bill drives from our Courts the poor.
man III pursuit of his legal rights, and bars
him fro the privileges which we proudly
boast are guaranteed to every citizen. Let
The pursuit ot justice be made SO cheap that
ali citizens, no matter what their condition in
liie may be, may obtain the rights and RENE
dies guaranteed to them by The Constitution
and laws. es8
your tehflo a Tie fB5ss st dlt III prdSldg IL f!
some penalty for tie failure OF county officers
to perform tller plat. legal duties. The AS.
stssdrs OF Lewis and Clarke and Choteau
counties, in plain Vi lution Of law, failed to
collect the Statistics of their counties last
year, and there appears to be no adequate
remedy for such iiiilaie. Tie frequent neg
lect OF county officers in making their reports.
is Il SOURCE et ;nlioyaliee to the Territora al
Auditor, and ought To G renleaied.
cam OF believe there can be any difference
of opinion among goed citizens as to the pro-
priety,f such Legislation rs will secure the
observance of the Sabbath day as a day OF
rest. If lie Legislature should take this
view Of the, subject, 1 would suggest that
sporting, rioting, quarreling, and engaging
i'll common labor lworksl of necessity and
charity only eAeepted) OH the first day of the
week, commonly called Sunday, be- prohibits
cd by laW..lg a4a asj E.ta asaa 93.t tt.
There have come to my knowledge but
few exceptions to the general enforcement OF
the laW.thronghout the Territory. + That of
the outrage committed by amob at Bozeman,
iii the month of February, is the most atroci-
o,;s. Two men were forcibly taken from the
Jail Of Gallatin county, and put to death in
the most gl ominious manner. They were
helpless prisoners i'll the custody of the law
and without the means of selt-defense. Com I
demned without. the form OF trial, and exc
cGted by a. mob fthirsting for blood. The
hanging of old man Trplett is especially |
He had been indicted by Grand I
Jury of Gallatn County, and committed to I
the custody of the Sheriff to await his trial at
the next tt rm of the District Court Of said I
A fair and impartial trial waited
him. before a Court of unauestioned ability I
and integrity, and why any good citizen
should deny him his Constitutional right to
be tried by ajury Of his county, is, in thisage
IF Courts and christian civilization, beyond /
The aissraceful col duct Of the mob at
Bozeman, and the tact that the offenders have
hus tarfescaped punishment, suggest the in
1uiry. whether some legislation is Necessary
or the repression Of such disgraeeful out
ares il, the future. TlieGovcrnor is charged
" his officialo oath and obligation, !" to take
are tllat the laws be faithfully executeu.;n
ind yet he is powerless. under the Jaw to aid +
he Courts: and the mob goes unpublished.
It's for the Legislative Assembly to consider
whether it is proper confer upon the Gov.
'rnor additional powers, to pc employed for
he elatt rccment Ut the criminal laws Of the
Ter itory.
submit for your information the following
condensed sfatement-of the scondiiionof the
inances of the Territory, from December LIST,
81, to April 1st, 1s73-slxteen mouths:
t RECEIPTS.
from County Treasure $50. $t7, II ~ sas
. sundries and multiple 30, -
Int. ] onmontiliy balances 2so 90
g Labor OF Teri. eonVcis isS " % %
80 Sale of Warrants s,-.... ~ w
: Blake account q
Barkley. 90 ~
Total. ..........,. s7s,cs2 Is
Which was disDursed as follows
" 40 per cent. fluid. SIS, ,5s4 a3
= Sinking fund. .....,s.... 10, 4o5 80
/" a'isniss same, pal paid -. ........... 1850 So
8. Legislative appropriation
to Missoula Goanty $40 90
{. &. Tr's fees on SO, ,9s2 25.... 3,3i2 Is
pSNV~S i