The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-01-17

Sixth Biennial 1G000Ago OF j. i.
Potts. Governor at lCoutana.

| Territory tor tlDe 0tSt tOu1e III ISD III
tory Is fee from, Indebtedness, "a
> with q surplu. Of $l4. % cents
its treasury. The tax duplicate
the Territory has reached the sum
S3S...lll ,Sl9. Il, and the revenue &
Territorial purposes for 1882 wes $A
Sts3.47. The assessment II prOperl
for taxation in lSS! was q, Ia, O82.
greater than that Of 1881, and an II
crease Of $l4,6Ol, 5l7. II since the u
jOurnn,ent Ut the last I.egislatis
Assembly.
From the financial condition Of til
Territory your attention II called
that Of several cs,unties, whose a8gr
xrevate Indebtedness on the iirst I
March last reached the startling sul
Of X65S, 074 81 s.. and live counties Ut I'll
eleven increased their inde6te1nea
during the year ending March Isl
1s8. here repeat the language I'd
dressed 10 the Twelfth Leyislativ
Assembly ulOM this subject:
This exhibit h by no means . graft
Tying one, and II far from sustaining
our 6oasied ability for local self.gos
eminent. Ii our l.k:al indebtedness
increases In the same ratio ~ hereto
fore, the Territory will nut lsvOrss6l!
impress Congress when she apple
tor admission into the Union ~
state. This unfortunate cs,sIdtltsIss U
affairs .aunOt l,e attributed To OIL
present form ii Territorial govern
is,ent, or the system Of appointment
which has grOwn upunl)er II, about
which ~ much complaint h nlnde
but must te chargealDe to the people
Of the several cOuuties In tlletl
capacity A. citizens. think much ~
the evil In county management re
suits from the action Of county ct!lai'
n,issioners In assuming legislative
functions In paying pretended claims
axainst counties without authority
ii law. Tie Territorial Auditor can
not draw y warrant for the payment
Of y claim against the Territory with
out express authority Of law. Now.
why not apply this provision Of law
to county commissioners, and stop .
leak which has done lnucI to create
the present indebtedness: dO not
think county commissioners should
In. allowed ~ much aii."'re' Ion, fs,r
had snem well take advantage Of It
to .erve their own Purposes and that
If their partizans. II = discretion n
allowed, . maximum, limit to such
discretion should he fixed by law.
The fees aud salaries VI district
and comfy officers are far in excess
VI q reasonable compensation for the
performed, and their rejuc.
ton should receive your immediate
An examination Of c0uu-
~ records will show that county OIL
rers generally receive salaries far in
exce. III any other officers In the
For example, the county
Jerks, in some Of the counties, NJ
.eive more compensation than the
utjges 'H the Supreme court, and In
many Of the counties the annual
compensation Of the county tressur-
~ h one thousand dollars larger
han the salary Of the Territorial
reasu, er. Tie remedy Is in your
lands and sul,mi: to you whether
he substance Of the people shall con-
inue to be consumed In the pay
llent Of high salaries. \ large local
aud u high rate Of taxa
ion will deter immigration aud ne.
i.,usly affect every industry Of the
Territory.
The owners Of live stock In many
Instances have changed their stock
rom counties where . high rate Of
nxatiDh exists tO those where TAXA.
ion is less. aud this change will ~
Ill until some Of the counties will
'ave 'H,t u little live stuck on their
ny duplicate. The counties having
tee smallest debt aud thu lowest rate
II taxation will, and should be. the |
most prosperous. ! have always f.
'"ret! y statute limiting the power Of |
lse several counties to. contract a !
lett beyond certain amount, and I ;
rust YOU will con .lr with ME II any !
lew county Is organized during the
resent session.
In my "lnniOn every public officer
hOuli receive y lix.rl salary, aud
he whole system Of.OlnlenxatiOn Nv
t.7s should it' abolished. The value
{ the services If clerks and sherifls
an I've NJ easily estimated m can
hose az the Territorial Auditor and
treasurer, and when parties lttigant
re- to be tax.s! with Gusts, let il lp
axeti IN favor Of the county, and col
s'tesl from s';ri PARTY u. til. court
lay direct, ami under suitable r..gu-
,ifOns paid into the county treasury.
he fees III clerks and sheriff. here
'torecl'ary. 4 against litigants, can,
q lsF,i'er classification l,e cOn,mut-
j to iIxesl sum, and be paid into
~ county treasury on the certificate
the clerk. / believe this system,
lx. b.ti practicable am.l judicio,,s
it'll respect IT, al! officers wl.n have
l%s.n compensated In
hole Or in part Nv fees. |
The people naturally turn IL the
w-n'aking power for q removal Of
~ burdens IT taxation. The ill.,
s,ase ri revenue should reduce the
'rs1en: Int nnder the lO<al manage.
ent the expenditure IRE made to |;
lcrc:lsc IN the same ratio IN the rev.
'"e. No people can prosper and
~ the rate ri taxation which is I'M
red upon property in many lM.ali.
- III this Territory. Three ls.r cent.
r nnmuni taxation will relal the
reful an'i frugal immigrant, aud
ter foreign capital from seeking in
'stnlrnt in The Territory. It is
aimed that salaries have l,<.en r..
iced. ask that they he further re.
Iced IN order that the COmmi..iOl,- ]
= rf Lewis and Clarke county n,uy
prevented from paying the Z
~ ri Sa,t;14.N to the Assessor {
not exreetling four months work
lsSi. This SUM was paid the A.
.~or Of that county the past year.
this Is y fair specimen Of the coun. I
management, any school hoy can +
ably determine who consumes the .
rtl-ts,rne,l taxes ri the people. Az :,
ru!e the local authorities do not ex. I
'Ise the discretion conferred upon =
r'n ny law to reduce expenses. but h
owed the maximum. The sheriff
Lewis ami Clarke county is allowed
z maximum, one dollar AMI TWEEN.
five cents PER day for boarding =.
h. ners, the county paying wages :;
the coOk and furnishing lights anil !.
Il for the Jail. This allowance IL !.
excess Of charges ut our Lest hotels = !.
Il boarding houses, and the crin,i- =.
IL could Ike ~ safely lodged therein :.
they have been in the county iail u
ring the PAST year.
respectfully recommend that the
ixa Aasos,>I.l., ~x,.,s ~. n.