The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-01-31

p Ut Montana will be told to 70 to th,
e climate 10 which their brethren
/. States were 50 eiIectusliy tickete
Tor last fall. Tie people Of Nontau
: can say that, ~ fsr ~ they have 90
, they like their new Governor, an
. can heartily excIainn. In Mountai
phrase, ''6hake."
towns AND COUNTIES.
One Of tie most important subject
that can engage legislative attention
ut this session IL the p,sssge Of ~
act IN rela ion to towns snd counties
The farewell nae.,ssgss 1T Governor
Potts called attention tn the fact tisal
the aggregate debt IL the several
counties " this Territory Was con
sideSal,ly over half million dollars,
THIS asnOunt il nOt 81 startling ~ u
CRATE present alarm IN regard to the
solvency of any county In the Terri.
tory; bat it Is n f,rci5le sdlllonitiOn
that statutes, under which sucl,
y condition Of public affairs has l,een
reached. should I've promptly and rad
icaDly changed. The counties OF
very many ~ tile Western and
Southern states. run ~ ours have
l'een, without legislative restriction,
have become very much embarrassed,
and mary IL then, hopels=asly in
volvetl; and the Legislatures of these
States have been confronted with the
duty NJ curing these faults by leg:sla-
tiOu. We should evolve experience
from their ,nisfortunes, aud take
nledirin. before We are fatally sick.
The current and ordinary ex-
penses Of l's:al government are an
nually recurrent. and No portion, Of
them SHOULD be transmitted ~ . her.
itage to postevity. which has to meet
it, own charges for sustaining courts,
paying otlicials, an.l .l'ss'b.rging IT.
functions ~ an integral part ofa
common government. The law
should be mandatory to make every
county meet ito current expenses by
u special levy tyr that purpose each
year, carrying "ny deficiencies that
may occur into the estimates for the
levy Of the succee.li"g year. Then,
the taxpayers will inlme: ii.tely be
made sensible of any official mis-
management. aud can correct ut the
ballot box thu. causes Of waste and
extravagance.
In regard 10 permanent public inn
prUvements, such ~ cOurthouses,
C.;ls and bridges, which will he Of
benefit for NIL time, the
authority to turrOw money 10 clearly
pointed out In seclk,ns 3l9, $50 and
Isl Of the nth division Of Montana
statutes. lm fact, the statutes of the
Territory contemplate lAy-as-yoa,-
30 system, except In regard to the |
nsenti0oed. In ~
Bargl ~ the ls'rrO. ing power Of any
county, II should lie limited By sus.a
not exec ding u 4. rtain per ceutum
ot the asseasible properly Of the
Ia,sr ty, aud the borrower should 10
TO provide u sinking fund
t'r the payment Of interest, and the
altinsste extinction Of the principal.
1t Is M. impracticable to inaugur-
lte this reform ut this time. The tax
evies of the several counties for the
current year can bc set aside. The
.Ounty commissioner ut their March
meetings can be authorized to
evy mot beyond . certain number Of
nils far current expenses, and an ad-
|itt"''al lew ~ they may he able, to
ny otf their old debt. The current
Expense warrants. being payable ev-
~ Deccml'e:, neesl hear no interest,
IS they will always he in the neigh
'orhood IL par. II there IL . desic-
ency III any year the levy can lie in
reased: II - surplus, diminished. ri
be Legislature will put this law on
e statute ''toks. no county In the
'erritory need owe y dollar In ten
ears, except what funded indebted
ess = county may have
vt aud provided for, contracted for
ernlanent improvements.
The legal questions involved in
III plan have already teen aaljudi-
lted In ti'is Territory. While any
'unty is performing In the best Of J
. ability its functions - . part Of
'vernn'ent aud paying it, debt In +. I.
md faith, consistent with its growth y
nd general prosperity, 1t h satisfy .
g every requirement Of justice ..
I'D s"und public policy. The law !,
'nnot permit the imposition Of such :,
irdens ~ will depopulate any =
Eion. 1t would he unjust both to !.
'e settler and the public creditor, :
h"se securities would be depreciat- "
by an oppressive decrease Of =
eaIth and population. It IL the =
'ty of the Legislature to legislate - =
s'l for the people - the public .
es1itos. Happily, Silver Bow couu- Z
b In such healthy financial con- :,
ton ~ not to require any legisla-
u for working out it, financial \
nblem; but II c0nn0t object to any
s0Ieson.e safeguard that may s.
rOwn about Il to avert the dancer
1t has Overtaken her sister coln- d
y bl