Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1888-06-09
WHO COLLECTS
The Official Collector of Licenses and Who
He Is Is an Open Question.

IL IL VI AiSChoCb "hu
He Is Is an Open Question.
Recently the reporter Of THE MINER called
upon the City Clerk at his office and found
that gentleman busily engaged studying
what he concludes is the p%erplexing problem
contained in the new duties OF City Clerk,
recently severed from the office of city at
.torney. II see,' said the gentleman, that
the Legislature has added to the duties Of
my office that of the collection OF licenses.
Now l am the custodian Of the seal, keep
the minutes OF the Council, draw all a
rants on the city treasury, am clerk OF the
police court; all the officers OF all the de-
partments, the street commissioner, a.
shall, chief of police, aldermen, city attor-
ney, chairmen of committees, report to me
and l make out their reports and present
| see by the law that I am to collect the
licenses and taxes for the city. 1t is, you
see. a bigger and more responsible Office to
fill than any other threein the city.
"How soon will this change in collector
ship be arranged?"
81 have spoken to the city attorney.
and I will bring the matter at once before
the City Council"
"Do you think, Mr.. Graves, that the
change will be made at once?"
''It will, undoubtedly. You see, l am
determined to perform NY duties, and
perform them we'll. The law is very plain
in the matter, and cannot be misunder-
stood. l am to make the collections and
turn them over to the City Treasurer"
TRANSFER
At the Council meeting Wednesday even
ing, upon the request OF the city clerk, and
suggestions that the duties OF collecting
licenses devolved upon the city clerk, the
Council directed that the clerk make a de-
mand upon the city treasurer for the
blank license receipts and the books be-
longing to the office of collector of licenses,
and yesterday morning the demand upon
Treasurer Cannon was made by Clerk
Graves, who was informed that he couldn't
lave them.
The clerk then withdrew and q fight over
the question is imminent, az the clerk is re-
ported as anxious to perform the multi
farious duties OF his office in full accordance
with his Interpretation OF the law.
TREASURER CANNON
upon being approached on The subject re-
marked that he did not care to say any
thing on the subject. Il have taken coun-
sci in the matter with the best lawyer in the
city and been advised in the course l am
pursuing, and the Council has been advised
by the City Attorney, Mr.. Speer. Probably
that gentleman has not given the subject
due thought, as there are some changes
in the duties of the Office Of city
clerk, 1 believe, from what they were
when he was city attorney and clerk.
The City Clerk is welcome to come to my
Office and make a memorandum OF the
transactions of my Office, and keep a set OF
books for that purpose; but I will not turn
over to him the city property in my pos
session, the sole custody of which I am ad-
vised is with me, and for which I am re-
sponsible on my official bond, withuot a law
suit, and a higher authority compels me
to do SO. l can't divide this RESPONSE
bility."
A CLERICAL ERROR.
ut is reported that there was an error in
your books-is there any truth in the
report?"
There was a clerical error, the fault OF
my bookkeeper, Mr.. Cookbook, in the treas
ury books, and at once l showed the same
to Mr.. Sergeant, chairman OF the city Com
mittee on Finance, who stated that it was
nothing else than a clerical error.'"