Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1888-04-18
RE~INCORPORATION

Necessary From . Sanitary PointOf visl
The PaIrry Position of the Mayo
Under the Existing Charter-The Duf
of very Good Citizen.
III BUTTE. April15.-[To the Editor of tn
MinerJ-To-morrow the question will b
propounded to the people Of Butte whethe
or not we shall take advantage OF on
splendid natural surroundings and oppor
families and become a city in fact as vel
as name, or whether we shall continue OF
In the same poverty-stricken. aimiess, hap
hazard. and / may truthfully add, flths
course which we are now pursuing; acourss
which, il much longer followed, will lead us
to a tragic end in the form of some deadly
malarial epidemic. This at least is fae
Judgment OF competent physicians.
The present crying need OF Butte is a
sewerage system to wash away the con.
stantly accommodating filth and excretions
OF the 10000 people here gathered to-
gether. But it is well understood that
under The existing municipal government
this sewerage system cannot be lad for the
simple reason that our present charter will
not permit US to go in debt over $5OOli
What a preposterous proposition! Here
is a city OF 10000 active, intelligent,
go-ahead Americans, full of life and
energy, producing millions of dollars OF
wealth annually; containing moreindividu-
ally rich men than any other city in the
Union of its size; all living in a city whose
credit is fixed at the miserable paltry sum
OF $500!!l Why. Mr.. Editor, there is
hardlya reputable miner in this district
who has not a bigger credit than the great
City OF Butte. This seems ~incrediable but
it is true. and it is this fact that is retard-
ing our progress, preventing public improve
ments. and giving us the name abroad Of
being the dirtiest and most parsimonious
city in the entire Northwest.
The City Council are not to blame for
this condition OF affairs. They are bound
hand and foot by the miserable 2x4 charter
which was given US when Butte was in it's
infancy, q when a man would have been
deemed an idiot to pave prognosticated
our present wonderful growth and pro-
portions.
Another phase of this question is the
anomalous position occupied by the Mayor
OF the city OF Butte under our present chal-
ter. Think OF this, you unpatriotic gentle
men who are opposing incorporation,
the office OF Mayor of Butte, instead OF
being a place of honor and dignity, carry
ing with it the rights, honors, privileges and
powers of the head ofa government, is abso-
lutely the reverse. The Mayor OF Butte
has neither a vote or veto in any of the
deliberations OF the Councilli! He has
neither the right OF appointment or sus-
pension; and while nominally supposed to
be the head OF the City government and !
held responsible for it's conduct, he has in |
reality 10 authority whatever and the
meanest servant OF the city is independent
OF him. l venture to say that in no city in
the United States can such an anomalous
condition ef affairs be found.
The office of Mayor of a city like Butte |
should be n OF ono and dignity. The |
Mayor should be in a position to dictate
the policy OF the city government. with
authority to enforce his orders, and with |
the right of a general supervision over all
subordinates. Under the proposed reincor- |
poration he can do this, and if this is ac-
good men will seek the place and |
will take a pride in administering the affairs
of the city.
The Office of Marshal under the new or
g%anization will be appointed by the City
Council, and every good citizen will concede
that this is proper. The City Marshal is the
chief peace officer. His duties are to enforce
the laws of the city. This duty is often an
one, and the CITY Marshal, es-
if he is seeking reelection, is apt to
very lukewarm in his enforcement of city
ordinances, for fear of alternating votes. If
ais tenure OF Office is made to depend upon
the viii of the Council, his interest will man.
testify be in doing his full duty and the city
will be the gamer.
l understand there is some opposition to
on the part OF some well
Known citizens of Butte. Mr.. Editor, it is
difficult to believe that is true. 1t seems
impossible that any resident of Butte hav-
ng the good OF the city at heart and under
standing all the conditions, can be found to
it. And / say here that any prop
citizen within the present
limits OF Butte, or any man doing
here that opposes extension and
upon purely personal
grounds. from narrow motives, is not a good
He is false to his own best inter-
and to those of this community. He
s unpatriotic, unprogressive, and ought, on
and any consideration of the matter,
10 be ashamed to show his face at the polls
tomorrow.
There is no argument against re~incorpora-
ion. There can be none, and no one has
,ver heard it attempted. 1t is an absolute
necessity. The future health and welfare of
he community demand it. and he is a
'elfish man indeed who will oppose it.
BUTTE.