The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1884-12-31
rHE CHARTER QUESTION.

THE CHARTER QUESTION.
another Richmond in the Field.
"ep'y OF "Justice to 81" In tn
Inter- Mountain.
EDITOR MINER: AS one in faxo
" inc absolute repeal of the cit,
cnarter, L take advantage of q
oner OF q reasonable space in the col
umns OF the MINER to those who DO
sure TO express their views upon thi,
matter, Should nv communicatior
iced reasonable" length vol
o.? a. liberty to cut it off at any
point osuit the space at your com
,Mana 1t IL moi altogether true. as
says, that the agitation amonp
taxpayers is the ''oulgrowth of s
somewhat prevalent belief that ou1
Guy government is unwisely and ex-
tfavagantly administered though
Inc facts may warrant that belief.
ana are so gloringly apparent as to
lead the oppressed taxpayers to well
come almost any avenue of escape
from the ills which they suffer.
l will cite one instance. The peo-
pie elected a city attorney last spring.
Among his duties he is REQUIRED to
prosecute or defend all suits by or
against the city," and he is author
ized Ito take appeals in all suits that
10 his opinion and in the opinion of
the city mayor, with the consent of
the council, the interests of the city
may require, and prosecute or defend
the same il the district or supreme
courts" and 'he shall do and per-
form such other duties as may from
time to time be enioined upon him
by ordinance Or order of the city
council" Yet IN the face of these
plain provisions the council has
employed an attorney to de-
fend suits against the city,
which may result in the
city being forced to pay thousands of
dollars for attorney fees. This is but
ono instance of gross carelessness.
mismanagement, favoritism or what,
ever it may be called, by the council.
l may in another communication
mention Others.
But there is still another powerful
reason why taxpayers desire the re-
peal OF the city charter, and that is
the Board Of County Commissioners
could secure a better and more
efficient management Of affairs than
now prevails, and at much less cost
to the people. Our commissioners
ale business men--generally men
who pay heavy taxes-men who are
above sordid influences; men who
have the interests Of the county at
heart, and men whose interests Law
in conducting the affairs of the coun-
ty as economically as possible. They
are also fairly paid for their work. On
the other hand, while there are
good men in the council men who
desire to administer the affairs OF the
city upon strict business principles,
hey are so weighted down by the
cumbersome machinery of a city
government that they cannot take
The time from their private business
o devote to the proper study Of pub
ic affairs, for which they receive 10
compensation whatever.
And then again, and I will not be
nealy-mOuthed III saying it Mr..
it is almost next to an inn
to elect a first class
business man TO a city office, even if
le should accept a nomination. He
must occasionally run with the
boys" or he is "downed." OF
course this is the fault, in a great
MEASURE. of the taxpayers them
They don't take that intesest
q primaries and conventions they
and the consequence is those
'arty institutions are generally run
Y men who have axe to grind. But
bis is foreign to my subject.
[ started in to notice some of the
Elections II" advances against the
epeal of the charter. He saysi it will
equire special legislation of al ex-
raordinary and doubtful character
q order to invest county commits
toner's with proper authority to
manage the affairs of this city. In
ne absence of any light from II"
pom this point, I fail to see it. Be.
ore the legislature granted US our
resent charter we got along very ]
,ell. Helena got along splendidly {
,r years under county government, ]
nd it was only after repeated cleo /
ons the people of that city finally
oncluded to assume the response !,
ility and cares of a city government. {
nd / doubt not with their expert
ace under it, if the people of Helena
'ould not gladly fall back to their
ID form of government, if a fair and i
andid expression of their lnclina-
on could be had. i
I do not believe that constables and g
leriff's deputies cannot or could not :
police duties. If they could !
OF perform them as well as they are
wv performed then God help them. '
he reason IS too patent to notice. '
1" thinks that it would be an TIL
Use concentration of power to place t
the hands of three men the duties b
devolving upon eight or nine, t
i'll II" would take from the hands 8
the people the power to elect several
the city officers and place their ap- t
ointment in the hands of q single i
Lan-.the Mayor. His argument is i
ot consistent. But 1 find no fault &
18th that, as I have not the time, q
Or do I think you have more space
I now will occupy for further q
,tice of rs" remarks. I will con- Y
ude, merely adding that [ believe p
hen this matter is duly considered Fl
i'd weighed by all there will be no q
70 opinions regarding the wisdom I
repeating the charter. s
JUSTICE. b
Butte, Dec. %, 1884. Fl
Good Tcmplars Christmas Tree. y
Last evening one of the most II b
yable Christmas trees which has 8
zen given in Butte was given last C
at the Good Templar's Hall, u
, Morning Star Lodge No. IS. The b
,mmittee of arrangements, II. ". a
Jas. G. stunbeck, 3. l.: T
ord and Alex. White, deserve great b
edit for the able manner in which a
lev carried out all the details. "A p
,ecial feature of the evening was the t