The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-11-18
A

The question OF a special session OF the
Legislature is now a~gitating the people OF
the territory. There appear to be no end
O easons why such q session should be
h d this winter. Some of these are general,
some OF them special in their character.
Some have a peculiar application to Butte,
and it is of these that we will here briefly
speak.
A special session can be convened only
upon the consent of the President. Here
tofore the appropriations foE such sessions
have been made as a matter OF course.
The House being in sympathy with the
President, there would be no hitch on that
score. The only thing to do would be to
convince the President OF the necessity OF
a special session.
In the failure of the last Legislature to
pass a new apportionment bill, Fergus
county is left without any representation.
While this is very unjust to the people OF
the new county, the failure to r%e-apportion
the repre- sentation works equal injury to
Silver Bow county. Here is a county that
has one-ffth of the population and one
third of the wealth of the Territory. with
only one member of the Council and three
OF the House. 1t will require no lengthy
argument to show the injustice OF cutting
this, the most important county IN the
Territory, off from proper representation.
The ~workingmen OF this camp demand a
just and equitable lien law, one that will
protect the employees of smelters and mills.
The laborer is worthy Of his hire and should
be protected in his rights. Within Tour
years the employees of n corporation in
this camp-the. Bell Company-have lost
over $1,000 600, because of the absence
of a law hat would protect them.
These men are. entitled to a law
that will cover theft wages and every
consideration of right and justice dictates
that such a law should be passed at once.
The rapid growth OF Butte has rendered
it's charter of incorporation absolutely
valueless. We are cramped for room and
powerless to make needed improvements.
We cannot even adopt ordinances regulat-
ing criminal matters of the city that will
stand the test of the courts. The town site
is too small. The Council has no powers.
We are barred from makingimprovements. !
We cannot regulate our internal police mat
ters. Our Police Court needs ~reorganiza-
ton. All city officials should be paid by
lees, SO that there should no longer be a |
premium on convictio MS. We cannot now
give our suburbs any protection, light or
other conveniences. Butte wants a new
charter and wants it badly.
The present system OF county govern
ment needs thorough revision, especially so
far as the issuance OF licenses is concerned.
There is now no check upon the Treasurer.
II he is inclined to be dishonest there is
nothing to prevent him from stealing. The
licenses shonld be issued by a County
Auditor, on the receipt of the Treasurer, so
that the record in one Office would be a
check on the other. There could then be
no stealing except by collision between the
two officials. This duty could probably be
divided between the Treasurer and County
Clerk and Recorder, though the establish
ment OF the Office OF County Auditor would
be preferable. Such an office would saveto
the counties the salary of the incumbent
many times over.
Legislation is badly needed, under the
law of last winter, in SO far as it relates to
County Attorneys. It fixes the salary OF
this official at $500, and makes no pro-
vision for assistance. In this county no
one man can attend to the duties OF this
Office. Yet he must do so, or pay such as
sistance as he requires out OF his already
inadequate salary. This is not only unjust,
but it is extremely bad policy and against
the best interests of justice. There should
be no delay in remedying this matter.
These are a few of the reasons why Butte
favors a special session. The cowboys last
winter received all the legislation they de-
sired, and they would probably permit a
special session to give us some avs OF a
general character. The moral issues have
been relocated to the churches and the
homes, and these would not impede legisla-
ton as they did last winter.
The wants of Silver Bow county in the
way of laws are duplicated in almost every
county in the State. There is an abund-
ance Of much needed work for q special
session to do, and we trust that it will be
called.