The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1884-02-01
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
WORK DONE BY THE CONVENTION
DURING THE PAST WEEK.
THURSDAY, 18th.

, couHlIttte ~ On cits, county anu toWn or
, ganizations.
The majority and minority reports of the
judiciary committee were presented and
were both placed on file without reading.
: The Convention then went into Com.
mittee of the Whole, with Langhorne in the
J chair, for the consideration of General File
No. l, relative TO city, county and town or
CARNATIONS.
Section !, providing that the several
counties of Montana, a. they now exist, are
declared TO be the counties of the State was
read.
On motion the words until such counties
shall be otherwise established" were added
to the section, and it was adopted in that
} form
Section ., prescribing the manner of pro-
cedure in relation to the removal of county
seats, was next read
Hedges offered an amendment changing
the wording, but not the meaning. This was
adopted and on motion of Clark the section
was then adopted.
Section 3, that no part of one county shall
be stricken Off and added TO an adjoining
county without first submitting the ques-
ton TO and gaining the consent Of majority
of the qualified voters of the county from
which the territory is to be taken, was next
read.
Various amendments were offered and re-
jected. Finally Vivion offered a substitute,
which was amended to read AS follows
THE Legislative Assembly may provide by
general law the manner in which any portion
Of any county can be stricken off from one
county and added to another, or for the for
nation of new county"
This was adopted.
At the beginning of the afternoon session
Hunt, from special committee appointed TO
investigate anil report upon the manner in
which the stenographers OF the Convention
were performing their duties, offered report
| The report was accompanied by letter of
resignation from Mr.. lines, one of the steno-
graphers, who stated that he could not and
would not agree to furnish transcripts of his
notes day by day, as required by the Conven-
ton. His resignation was accepted, and as
Mr.. Lippincott was found to be performing
his duties satisfactorily to the Convention,
he was employed to do the entire steno-
graphic work Of the Convention, and to re-
ceive therefor the pay provided for both
stenoBrapners, 80 per day.
The Convention then went into Committee
of the Whole for further consideration of
General File Mol.
Section was read, providing that in all
cases of the establishment of any new county
the new county shall be held to pay its pro-
| portion Of all the existing liabilities of the
! county or counties from which such new
county shall be formed
Galloway offered an amendme ut that no
new county shall contain less are than 600
miles.
| Dixon moved to amend the section so that
in forming new county it shall not lose its
! proper share of the value of county build
ings, improvements, etc, in the old county
or counties from which it Is formed The
motion was then put to vote and carried
after which the section, as amended was
adopted.
Section ., covering substantially the same
points referred TO in the latter portion of
section 4, was slightly amended and adop-
ted
Section 9, relating to the same subject
and providing that the old county can COM
pei the new county to bear its proper pro-
county, was read, slightly amended, and
adopted.
Section 7, which IL ~ follows, was then
read: The General Assembly shall provide
by general laws for the organization and
classification of cities and towns. The num-
Der Of such classes shall not exceed four
and the power Of each class shall be limited
by general laws, SO that all such municipal
corporations of the same class shall possess
the same powers and be subject to the same
restrictions. The General Assembly shall
also make provision by general law whereby
any city, town or village, existing by virtue
OF any special or local law, may elect to be- !
come subjectt to, and be governed by, the gem
eral laws relating to such corporations.
The section was adopted without amend |
mcnt.
Section 3, prohibiting any township, city, |
or ether municipality, to become subscriber |
TO the capital stock Of any railroad, or other |
Incorporation or association, or make any |
appropriation or donation, by subsidy or 9TH |
erwise, or loan Its credit TO or in aid of such |
corporation or association, or to or in aid of |
any college or institution of learning, or |
other institution created for, or to be con-
trolled by, the State or others, was, after n |
good deal of debate, stricken out
The next section (the number was chang I'd |
20 3 on account of striking out section 81,
providing that in each county there shall be
elected county judge and two county com
missioners, who shall compose the board of
county commissioners, was read.
Hunt moved TO adopt the section with a
slight change in the wording mot affecting
the meaning), which was finally done.
Seetion0 was next read. 1t provided that
the county judge and commissioners shall |
hold office for four years, and that where the
population of county shall exceed 10000
the board of county commissioners shall con-
sist Of five members Gncluding the county
judge and that vacancies may he filed by
appointment of the governor by and with
the consent of the senate.
Dixon moved to amend so that the county
judge shall hold his Office for two years and
the commissioners four years. Adopted.
Howell moved to strike out the last clause,
'by and with the consent of the senate"
Adopted.
Collins moved to strike out 10000 and in
sert 5000 as the population necessary for
county to have in order that it may elect Ave
Adopted
The section was then adopted as amended.
Section 10, providing for county officers ,
one clerk, one sheriff, one treasurer, one as
SCISSOR, one surveyor, and one coroner-to =.
hold office for two years, was next read.
Hedges moved that the first part of the
section be amended SO as to provide by law ;
Tor the election Of the officers named. This !.
was adopted, and with one or two other '
light amendments the section was adopted.
Section II was amended to read "No per-
ION shall be eligible to any county Office un.
ess he be a qualified eector;" the amend
nent was adopted.
Section II, in relation to justice of the
'eace and constable in each precinct, was
tricken out entirely, as the same provisions
we're made elsewhere.
The remaining two sections, providing that !.
he election of other county, township, pre-
inct, and municipal officers shall be pre-
cribed by law, was, with no material change,
dopted.
The committee then instructed the chair =