The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-04-29
BILLY Sims CONFIRMED.
But Emil Kluge Is Rejected For
Street Commissioner by
Six to Eight.
A.. ]. Craven For City Clerk, and
Some Honorary Appoint
meuts Made.
Contract Awarded For Feeding tho CITY
Observation-Disclosures Of Ofices
PrOposed-The City Finances.

OUhOllOAGlO0 OF ONCE
Proposed-Ths City Finances.
Mayor Kleinschmidt at last nights meet
ing of the city council announced his ap-
pointments of city marshal, city attorney
and street commissioner, AZ we'll AZ sevsra
honorary and unremunerative Offices. Tn,
action on the appointments was the las
business before adjournment. There wert
three surprises connected with them. On,
was the rejection of Emil Kluge for street
commissioner, another was the ease with
which Billy Sims was confirmed az cit,
marshal and the other was the appoint,
ment Of A. j. Craven as CITY attorney,
The first appointment announced BY the
mayor was that Of Emil Kluge, of the frs,
ward, for street commissioner There wal
a call for a ballot without going into execu.
tive session. The h,st ballot showed that
six aldermen had voted fo,
confirmation, and that eight had
voted for John Brady, the present com.
missioner. Tn mayor ordered the Brady
votes to be counted as blanks, and request
ed the aldermen to vote yes or no next time,
They did 30 on the second ballot and il
stood: Yeas six, noes eight. 1t was readi-
ly understood h the noes were and WHY
they, or at least seven of them, voted re
they did. The seven democrats had re-
quested that the present commissioner be
allowed to remain in Office in return for
the retention of republicans under Mayor
Bradford. When it was seen that Mayor
kleinschmidt was not disposed to accede to
thar arrnn khovv n-.
he should appoint. The eighth
vote vast republican, of course. After the
second ballot the MAYOR announced thatShe
the office just then. Ihe next appointment
was A. j. Craven for city clerk. This WAS
eoon disposed of, twelve voting for con-
hrmation and two against.
Next came the nomination of William
Sims for city marshal. When it was an
mission to make a few remarks. He read
them and this is what he said: 'Disclaim-
ing any intention ut this time of either
waginR a crusade against William Sims, the
proprietor of the lroquois saloon, as a man.
or calling i'll question his qualifications for
the office of city marshal, to which he has
just been been nominated by our worthy
mayor, | rise to protest both against his
nomination and confirmation to the office
In question; also against the saloon being
longer perpetuated in our CITY politics.
just think of it, within the past few days
presented to me for the respective
offices of city marshal, fire marshal
and street commissioners and for all I
know there may be applications from that
class for all other offices. Has it come to
pass that the only class of applicants for
proprietors? n is that to be the charac-
ter OF the payment for political debts on
the part of this administration? voice
the wishes of the reputable citizens of this
city when ] affirm that the saloon should
nay, must attend to it's own business and
court of the United States has affirmed that
the saloon is a nuisance. thus inf~ereutiallv
admitting that it should be abated, And
yet in the face of all this, against the pro-
tosts of the ministerial association and
other reputable citizens of this city, and in
violation OF promises made after his NOM
nation for mayor, our worthy mayor seeks
to secure at the hands of this city counci]
the perpetuation of the saloon in our city
politics and the confirmation of his nomi-
lnee for tho office of city marshal in
the person or a man whose sole business in
this city as a saloon proprietor is to create
employment for the very department over
which he seeks to preside; Il department.
which in turn keeps in motion the machin-
cry OF our police court, and thus in tuin
the higher courts of justice. Thus | ye,v
1ighteously question the propriety, the CON
slstenoy, the expediency of the nomination,
much less the confirmation to the office of
city marshal, of the gentleman whose name
has been this evening presented to our con-
sideration. There are doubtless some pres
ent who will affirm that one year AGO we
confirmed the appointment of similar prop
o%sitions, both as affecting Il city marshal
and a fire marshal. and that the gentleman
whose name has been presented to our con-
slderatlon filled the office a few wears ago
to which he again aspires. In reply to
which can only say, gentlemen of the CITY
council. two wrongs cannot make a right,
and am manly enough to ldmit tina /
erred one year ago IN voting for the con-
hrmatlon OF the appointments in ques-
ton. l affirm that under proper oircum-
stances a gentleman may change his opin-
Ion on any given question, but should never
break his promise, once having made it. |
stand on the broad platform of principle,
for the rights of reputable citizens of this
CITY. who protest both against the nomina-
tlon and confirmation under consideration.
and plead in their behalf for the appoint
ment of men to Office, who are not only
eminently qualified for, and who can give
their whole time to, the duties of their re-
spective offices, but whom every citizen can
interview without the necessity of visiting
a saloon. Things have changed in the pust
few years. Helena is no longer a small
village, peopled only by men, and
wherein the advent of a woman creates
wonder and surprise, but instead. Helena is
a growing city. peopled with men and wo-
men from eastern cities and cultured
homes. who are alive to it's present condi-
ton, needs and future possibilities. They
demand of us, their representatives, a clean
business administration of city affairs, and
to that end | invite the cooperation of
each and all my associate aldermen"
Alderman Steele took up the cudgel in
Sims favor. while one of the most re-
ligious of citizens, l think the saloon a
necessary evil" he said. ''Take them all
out of Helena n you will have the slow
est town west of the Mississippi. The sa-
looms pay Il revenue to the city. They nav
for their privileges, and l am not One to
stand here and prescribe them in any way.
l have been solicited by some of our most
religious citizens to vote against this up-
but l am here to support it,"
Mayor Kleinschmidt called Alderman
Fuller to the chair and made a few re-
marks on his own account. II don't appear
here" he said, "askinp your support on
this appointment. Your Judgment con-
or overrides mine But the citizens
have elected me mayor and look to
me to perform the duties of that
office. l know no factions; l know no rich
or poor; neither the prohibitionist or the