The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1885-12-09
A TEAPOT TEMPEST.

IEATVI IEMEEDts
Last Tuesday, the day after election,
it was discovered by an astute politician
Of republican principles that DR.. Foster,
the Democratic mayor-elect, was not
real estate holder; and loud howl
at once proceeded TO FIJI the quite air of
Bozeman. The cackling gossips tickled
each other, laughed and chuckled with
undisguised glee. In the meanwhile the
newly elected mayor acquired real es-
tate, from his wife, on which he had
paid taxes for the two previous years,
swore to the oath of Office, and at the
special meeting on "Wednesday night,
after the votes were counted and the
doctor declared elected, was formally
Installed INTO the Office Of mayor. At
the same meeting, for the time being, he
waived all rights as mayor and Alderman
Pease was voted temporary chairman. A.
petition was then read from r. F. May
and four others praying that DR.. H. W.
Foster be not declared mayor until it
could be proven, at special meeting of
the council, that he was ineligible to the
office. The petition also set forth among
other things that if the mayor elect was
seated, the credit Of the city and legal
itv Of its warrants would be impaired
4 communication addressed 10 Dr. Fos-
ter from K. F. May, notifying him that
contest for his seat had been COM
Inenced, was also produced and deciph
cred. The majority of the council were
no doubt in favor Of ignoring the petit
ton, as the mayor had already been
installed, and leaving the matter to be
decided in the courts, its proper place.
This was overruled by a request of the
mayor himself. who asked that con-
cession might be made in behalf of the
taxpayers who had sis ned the petition,
and it was so order the clerk being in
structed to serve notices upon the mayor
and petitioners to appear at the city hall
on Saturday night. On that evening
the small room was uncomfortably FL ed
with spectators and the proceedings be.
gun by the mayors attorney, W. A.
lines, who read his reply to the allega-
tons quoted in the petition and made
short argument in regard to his client.
Goo Haldorn, attorney for K. F. May,
then addressed the council, and until
nearly - o'clock the time was taken up
in charges and counter-charges by the
lawyers, examination OF witnesses to
prove what Dir. Fosters attorney unhesi-
tatingly admitted under oath, and the
remarks Of Councilman Anderson, who
called attention with great gusto to
certain clause in the charter. which says
that no person shall be an alderman I'M
less at the time of his election he shall
be a taxDayilg real estate holder. The
gentleman for the moment seemed to
forget that he was one of the judges
not the prose utor, and that his deduc-
tons, DELIVERED at that time, were en-
tirely out of place, proceeding that
would have been extremely grotesque
had it occurred at any other time and
place. After the council had patiently
listened to all that had been said, they
did the only thing that was possible to
do and declared the elected, installed
mayor entitled to the chair. This ended
the alleged contest that was conceived
in political jealously and born in parti-
san hatred. 1t was the only ending pos
sible, and why there should have been
srch dispIa y of frivolity and unfortun-
formations, we know not AS we have
before said, the court was the proper
place in which to obtain Fosters re-
moval after he was formally accepted by
the council. and it is difficult to conceive |
what ends any member of the council |
expected to gain by gainsayinG his right |
to the Office. The mayor would have |
invoked the imprecations and loud de- |
nunciations Of his enemies had he re-
fused to comply with their request, and
although it would have been impossible,
without the aid of the courts, to have
compelled him to relinquish his seat in
the council, he could not, with becom-
ing delicacy, disregard their wishes and
had their arguments been lawfully well
taken, he would, we firmly believe,
have volunteerily resigned his Office.
We regret that the untimely proceed
ings were inaugurated, as it stirred up
an unnecessary amount of hostility, that
will be looked upon in after years as the
siliest and most nonsensical cause for a
passage of arms that has ever concerned
this city. Important matters that inter-
est us all have attached to them no
specific interest when there occurs an
to quarrel over a trifing