The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-12-25
This day
Shall change all griefs and quarrels into
love. shakespeare.
sALARIED OFFICERS.

The fourteenth Legislative Assembly en-
acted, last winter, a law making radical
change 10 the manner OF paying county ON
GERS, Justices and Constables In the Terri
tory of Montana aud Is entitled "An Act
limiting the compensation Of certain ofhces
named herein" The method rs relates to
county officers is to pay each of them . hxed
salary and have all fees collected by them
turned into the county treasury. The sys-
tenn is set forth as follows:
Section ]. That the fees, costs, percent
ages, allowances, and all other perquisites,
of whatever kind, which by law any Probate
Judge, Sheriff, Treasurer, County Clerk and
Recorder, Clerk or Deputy Clerk OF the
District Court, Assessor, County Superin-
tendent Of Common Schools, In every county
In the Territory, who Is or may hereafter be
authorized TO charge, receive and collect for
any official service rendered by him or them,
shall hereafter be received and collected by
the said officers respectively, to and for the
sole use Of the county treasures OF their
respective counties, as public monies, belong
ing TO said counties, and not otherwise, and
shall be accounted for and paid over as such
IN the manner hereinafter provided: Pro-
vided, however, that nothing In this act
shall be held to apply to the compensation
received by the Sberiffs for board of prison
ers, or the Assessor for registering voters.
The officers are required TO present to the
County Commissioners quarterly asworn,
itemlzed statement OF all receipts, except In
cases pending and not determined.
In lieu of fees the several officers receive
salaries payable quarterly from the Contin
gent Fund. The salaries of Deer Lodge
county officers are -
Treasurer, per annum ................ ..S250O
Sheriff, per annum. .................... 3OOO
Assessor. per annum... 2oUO
Clerk and Recorder, per annum. Z.OoO
Clerk of District Court, per annum.... 2OO0
Probate Judge, per annum ............ ZOOo
| Superintendent of Schools, per annum. l.ooO
Deputies and assistants are allowed these
officers at the following maximum salaries:
Under Sheriff, not exceeding $500; Deputy
Sberlfrs, Clerks of Probate Court, deputy OF
assistant for Treasurer or Clerk and Re.
corder, or Clerk of Court, not exceeding
81 900 per annum. The Clerk and Recorder
shall not have exceeding two assistants;
Probate Court one, Treasurer one, District
Court Clerk one, In addition to deputy now
allowed in each county; the number EN-
ployed and the compensation subject to the
limitations of the act, to oe determined by
the Board Of County Commissioners.
The officers are required to keep full and
regular accounts, showing all collections
m ade, subject al all times to examination by
any officer or citizen. These accounts are
TO be q part of the records of their Office.
aud transmitted TO their successors. Penal
ties of immediate removal from office and
heavy fines attach to violation Of the act.
Reasonable expenses TO sherifs or Others
appointed by the Court TO serve process
from them shall be sscertained and allowed
by the Commissioners, on sworn statement
by the officers showing In detail the service
performed and the expenses incurred.
This act took effect as relates TO all county
officers, but the Treasurer, last Monday anc
will take effect as to the Treasurer on The
first Monday In March 1886.
We have given here somewhat EXTENDED
synopsis of this law revolutionizing thu
system of official compensation In Montana
Under 1t the Commissioners give notice thai
"AH fees must be paid In ddoance." This
In many instances, will be found inconven
lent, as few know the amount Of fees TO
any given service and persons living remote
will lose much time In scertaining. 1t
better In case OF important and urgeu
business, where the amount Of fees Is un
known, to transmit through the banks, o
business houses or remit direct to Office
ample TO cover the fees. 1t Is claimed b.
the friends Of this system that whereve
tried II has been demonstrated a great i'm
provement over the fee system. We thinl
II may do we'll Is to some offices, but so ia
rs Sheriff and Assessor at least are con
cerned, we are more than skeptical. Ger
tainly the business before courts will lag
there Is 10 be but Sheriff and two assist
ants to attend on them and serve summons
, At the present term here eight Sheriff
: officers were engaged at one time In servin
papers on witnesses and Jurors and In ii
tendance on court. If there are certain fee
for the service trusty deputies can be hat
, but 1t 10 questionable II they could be read
lily secured on the uncertainty Of subsequer
r settlements with Commissioners. Montan
. will now, however, have an opportunity t
r practically determine the merits and de-
} merits Of the system for herself.