The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-01-09
COMMISSIONERS PROCEEDINGS.
There are few. II ,py. exIs,Ipr couditit

COMMISSIONERS PROCEEDINGS.
There are few, II any, existing conditions
In Montana that for the public welfare 80
urgently demand legislative attention and
correction Is that relating to the official acts
Of County Commissioners and their practical
suppression. To the several Boards Of Com
mlssioners are entrusted vast discretionary
powen-greater perhaps than should be In
some respects-and for the faithful admins
trarion of many Of which they are only
morally responsible TO the electors of the
several counties. They are entrusted with
the public business Of the counties, and, Is
the law stands now, only account to the peo-
pie annually, and then in general report Of
Receipts and Expenditures that may or may
not show satisfactorily and iutellgsntly the
receipts and disbursements, and nothing more.
Even the accounts that are audited and al
lowed In March Of this year will no. be pub
condemnation may be expressed and what
ever public resentment may be developed,
will be too late to reach the evil or prevent
the recurrence and continuance Of these
methods during IN entire year.
But this Is not the worst feature of IL. The
reports of Receipts and Expendl tures, when
they are published, are not q record of the
proceedings and Off .ial acts of the Commits
sioners, and it Is In these the expenditures
are authorized; that contracts are awarded
that road and school districts are established,
disestablished or changed; that officers are
appointed, attorneys employed, obligations
incurred, appropriations, tax levies aud Or
ders made that control the financial destiny
OF the county. 1t Is through these lot being
published, except some newspaper gratui-
tously copies and gratuitously publishes
them, that policies and programmes are en-
tered upon ana carried on In many counties
until, " not bankrupted, they ale plunged in
burdensome debt. No prudent individual
possessed of one to ten million dollars
Of property would say to two or three men :
"Here, turn this over to you to manage; 1t |
"will cost something to take care of 1t; |
"draw OH me for whatever money you need |
"for the purpose, and If do not give up
"enough, issue my obligations for 1t; you
"need not account to me for the management |
"of 1t except once year to hand me merely |
50 printed list showing how many dollars
"you took in and how many you paid out
Sand how much / am In debt. You may
swish to give me the details OF your man
"agement IS you keep . record of IL, but
twill not have It presented TO me for consid-
"er.tion.-Run the thing to suit yourselves"
Yet this Is practically what every county
says by the laws of this Territory to Its
Commissioners.
We frequently hear denounced the Direc-
tors OF Banks, whose institutions become
involved or bankrupt, condemning them for
not more closely scrutinizing the business
management Of the same, and allowing bad
practices to continue until they are ruined.
And yet the people Of the counties, through
their laws, are relatively as careless as the
much denounced, easy-geing Directors.
Now, we believe great remedy for many
evils that creep into county management,
and what the people are entitled to and
should have, is that every official act Of the
County Commissioners should be spread
upon the Records of the County Clerk, duly
attested and published in . newspaper of
general circulation In the county Immediate
ly after the adjournment of each regular or
special session. THUS the people would be
1t once advised thereof. Now they can OBJ.
lain . portion and the most important of
these matters only by personal inspection Of
The Records, or perhaps through . brief
synopsis published Is 1t may happen In .
newspaper, while the remainder comes In .
deluge Of figures at the end Of the year.
The propriety, advantages and benefits Of
The method we suggest seem to us 80 sppar-
mt that we think no one will question them.
The question will probably arise What ex-
pense would attach to this method over the
present? The publication Of Receipts and
Expenditures annually is now provided for
BY law. The publication of those Of Deer
Lodge county In 1882 cost $15S.00; In 1883
hey cost $292.50; In 1884 they cost $215.97.
We believe our bills were accurately com.
,uted under the law, and that the expense
~ PuoiSesioh III suio SoubtSys sho ioso wing /
he same for all, Is fair average for the sew
'ral counties Of the Territory. Under the
method suggested there would be precisely
he same publication made Of Receipts and
Expenditures, but instead Of appearing In
bulk ut the end OF the Fiscal Year, 1t would
ppear quarterly after each regular meeting
Il the Board, and cost no more than by the
Innual publication. In addition to this
would be the official proceedings Of the
which would perhaps In.
o 35 per cent, making the increased cost to
his county ct most, on the basis Of last years I
ccount, about SIS per year. So. 1t will be
cen there would be no greatly increased ex>
'ense, and We may be pardoned for suggest
NJ that any consideration Of that kind ~ ef-
ects this paper has no bearing on this or any
ther legislation we may advocate. We are
cry much mistaken II the system would not
ctually save annually many thousands OF ,
Collars TO the counties of Montana. We do
ensider this matter Of much importance :
o the people and therefore commend 1t to !
he consideration Of the Legislature. 1t af, !
srds us pleasure to say 1t is not because Of !,
,reater need for It In this county than any
ther, and that the Commissioners Of Deer /,
lodge county very heartily approve and adj
ocste the method We suggest. So, We be-
ieve will all commissioners who have In view !,
be public good; who wish the people to be !
promptly and fully advised Of their manage
nent Of county affairs, and Of the matters Of
Affecting them individually !
II collectively. !
A DEPRESSED INDUSTRY. =