The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1882-07-12
POLITICS IN CHOTEAU.
THE PRESENT SITUATION FROM A
NON-PARTISAN STANDPOINT.
The First OF a Series Of Interviews for
the Benefit Of Readers Of the
"R1ver Press

having ncafN u fulflOf 10 the effect
that ii wa possible q citizens ticket
would be put in the field, a reporter of
the RIVER PRESS started out Thursday
afternoon to feel the public pulse OH the
subject. The first gentleman he inter
viewed was II who has so far taken no
part in our county politics, but who
seemed to think some move should be
made to take the control Of affairs out
Of the hands OF those who have held the
reins in the past, and was about as fol-
lows:
Reporter-Then YOU think there is a
ring in ChOteau county.
Well, not exactly Il ring as the term is
generally applied, but there is undoubt-
cdly Il ring of office holders who work
with each other to keep the offices i'll
their hands for the sake Of the salaries
and fees.
Then you do not believe there is 4 cor
rupt ring here?
do not wish to be understood as
making such a charge, though | have
heard statements which, to say the least,
would not Iead n to form q very favor
able opinion Of the honesty Of sonc
former officials Of this county.
What statements?
Well, ] do moi care 10 repeat them, rs
most Of them were the utteranccs Of
chose who were themselves seeking
office at the time, and this may have led
than, to colon tbnii. stotnn1pnts
Do you have amy idea that the repub-
iicanS Will nominate a ticket in Chotcau
county this fall?
As for that, not being in the confidence
OF the leaders Of that party | am scarce
ly ia 4 position to give You any informa-
ton on the subject.
What, in your opinion, is the most
likely on most probable move Of those
who are not satisfied with the present
state Of affairs?
Well, in my walks about town it has
struck me that there is q pretty general
desire among many Of our best citizens
both democrats and republicans-that
an effort be made to make an entire
change in the order Of things, and to in
aUngratc q movement tonOminate a pco-
pIcs' ticket, and to place men Oh that
ticket who are known to be not only
competent to fill the offices, but who arc
not likely to hc controlled by any party
or clique.
Do you think the ticket nominated by
the democratic convention will be COM
posed Of men whom others will control.
No. not as a whole, but in two or three
important Offices think it will be. The
evidences in the work 50 far done are
that some parties are laying pipes and
working to secure the nomination OF
men over whom these same parties
will exercise an undoubtcd influence,
and ii this thing is allowed to prevail 1t
will place the control OF the county al
fairs in the hands of Il few-something
which would be detrimental to the best
interests Of any community, a species OF
.. bossism y which Chotcau county
should guard against.
Doyou think there will be any Of the
PECULIAR democratic nominees whom 4
peoples movement Iouiu 1o1ioeiOoF'!
endorse without conflicting with the Oh
iects of the movements
Yes, | am Of the opinion that some 81
them will do; that is, if the polltiealrlhg
as understand it, is broken, these mel
would make good public servants, i let
10 DISCHARGE their duties as their OWL
sense of the obligations Of their Office,
dictates.
You appear to speak a. il YOU were
pretty certain III your OWL MIND Wht
the candidates on that ticket will be.
WHY. Il man who keeps his eyes opel
and has any interest III the way the ~
fairs Of the community are admins
tered. cannot fail to read the signs. HI
n,llinn Of wires has been going Oh 10
over Il month now, anti | am quite salts
fled that the slate has already been mao
up among the would-be bosses, ana III
ONLY thing to be done now IS to gettn
delegates to the convention to ratIly II
TO this end they are working now, an
there is every reason to believe TIA
they will succeed. The history OF part
conventions shows that they are butllttl
more than ratification meetings, an
that they generally Jump as the BOSE
: pull the strings, and the only time
when this is not strictly applicable
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