Helena weekly herald., 1889-11-28
CARE OF THE COURT HOUSE.

Soisoionefs 10 take care OF the court
house, We supposed they had been dis.
charging their duty heretofore. We are
not aware that any new duty has been laid
upon the board that should necessitate a
sudden spasm of vigilance. Perhaps a
change of legal advisers may have had
something to do with it. Certainly the law
is the same that it has always been.
1t is no doubt true, as the Commissioners
were informed by their counsel and legal
advisers, that no State officer is specifically
instructed to enter into contracts of that
nature for and in behalf the State-neither
with the Governor any more than the Sec.
retary of State. This is qually true of the
rooms occupied by the several State off,
GERS. Have the commissioners had new
locks put on the doors of these
offices? If no one has such power,
then one has as much authority
as another, and the only claim that the
Commissioners can have for their rent will
come from tee fact that these rooms are
used for State purposes proper and neces-
sary, and that the Legislature will provide
by some permanent arrangement for their
| future accommodation either in the court
huseo o. ell evae-e Vas there any doubt
that the State would ratify any arrange
ment for the accommodation of the Legis-
ture made by the Secretary of State any
more than if made by the Governor? 1t
does not appear that any arrangements so
far made by the Secretary have cen con-
sideIe1 improper, insufficient or extrava-
CANT Why did not the Commissioners in
form the Secretary at first tnat they
| could not deal with him safely instead Of
| letting him 90 on till the arrangements were
nearly complete before making the won
derful discovery that he was not specific
ally instructed? Were the Commissioners so
anxious for the rent that they needed and
required personal security and. preferred
that of the Governor to the Secretary? If
! this were the case, the action Of the Com
missioners is a gratuitous insult to the peo-
pie of Montana. The State is able and
willing to pay for the use of rooms for the
accommodation of its Legislature and the
| Commissioners misrepresent the people of
| Lewis and Clarke county who paid for and
own the court house, if they think there is
a single citizen of the county who would
approve of their action on such trihing
grounds.
The Governor has called the members of
the Legislature to convene tomorrow at
the Capital. The call did not designate
any particular building. They were not
called 10 meet at the Governors private
rooms but it was reasonable to suppose
that some preparations would be made for
their suitable accommodation. That duty
has heretofore been in the hands of the
Secretary, and our efficient and accommo-
dating Secretary of State, in the Innocence
of his heart, supposed that they would
naturally look to him in the absence OF
any one specifically instructed" 1t was
not a duty that any one would have
sought, for it involved labor and RESPONSE
bility. No objections were made until the
work was nearly completed.
! What sudden change could have come
over the spirit of the County Commissioners
thus abruptly to take the matter out of the
hands of the Secretary? What is the new
demand for locks and bolts? Was there
any sign that the Secretary was going to
u any improper purpose?
Why were not the new locks put on while
the Secretary was preparing the halls for
the use of the Legislature?
1t is certainly proper that the members
of the Legislature should know whether
they are to meet in private office or some
public room that will be under their con
troll. 1t is quite proper when men enter q
room that they should know whether they
are to be restrained of their liberty.
No body of men calling themselves leg
islators tf q free State were ever known to
meet and attempt to exercise any proper
functions of representatives of the people
under lock and key, without such locks and
KEYS were absolutely under their control
every instant of the time. 1t is the duty OF
every member before entering any room TO
know whether is going into private prison
or a public room whose access and exit are
free as becomes the representatives
of a free people. If the Governor
has rented the rooms in the court
house for his private use, then the mem
bers of the Legislature will have to look
elsewhere for accommodation. If he has
rented the rooms for the Legislature then
that should be known and the access and
exit should be free, as becomes place
where representatives of the people are as
sembled. If there are to be guards sta
toned at the door, whether by the County
Commissioners or the Governor, and th'
doors bolted, no representative of the peo
pie with any respect for himself or his con
stituency will ever enter such place
They might as we'll enter peniten:iary
and be at the mercy of jailer.
IT is favorite method of treating tht
, question of free coinage OF silver, by eastern