The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-02-15
THAT WOULD NEVER DO
Som, Of The NV Codes Regulations
Med Changing
BUTTE IS MUCH CONCERNED
II the Proposed Law Is Allowed to
stand Good Men Can Never
Be Secured to Handle
Public Business.

| BUTTE, Feb. 14.-Letters have been sent
to the members of the Silver Bow county
delegat on to the Montana legislature IN
vitInR them to meet a committee of the
city council and the city attorney at the
city hall in this city at l o'clock on Sum
day afternoon. The object of the meet
ing will be TO consider the new code as it
concerns municipal aft airs. consider what
changes are advisable, and the practical
biiity of drafting an entirely new munic-
pal act TO be substituted for the codes
provisions on this subject.
1t is hoped that all the Silver Bow dele
gates will be present at the meeting. Very
few legislators IN the state at large under
stand the needs of city like Butte, and
salaries which are liberal in other cities
oil the state are no Inducement for good
men to act in n city like Butte. The city
for example requires a mayor who shall
devote large proportion of his time to
watching the Guys interests. The pres
ent salary is 5000 and the term two
years. Under the code the salary is 5000
and the term one year. The 500 would
be sc freely enough for "A mans ordinary
campaign expenses in running for mayor
and in n hot campaign would not DO
enough. There rs some question whether
the municipal legislation of two years
ago will hold in spite of the code, and this
point will have to be determined.
The code gives the police magistrate ex-
elusive jurisdiction within the city limits
of all criminal cases. This shuts out four
other Justices OF the peace in Butte and
South Butte from criminal work. The
jurisd lction of the police court is in
creased from a maximum penalty of 500
fine and 80 days Imprisonment to $500
fine and six months Imprisonment.
Under the code the city attorney re-
lieves the county attorney of most of the
latter's work IN the police court. All the
county attorney will have TO attend to
now in police court will be preliminary
examinations. The code reduces the fees
of justices of the peace from ) o per case
tn $3.50. The county commiss toner's allow
justices a maximum of 5000 per year for
criminal work. Under the new code the
maximum is $500. In a city like Butte the
police magistrate will find time for no
civil cases and will have to confine him
self TO criminal and city cases. The SAL
AIRY of $40 allowed under the code is
scarcely sufficient TO induce many COM
petent men to aspire for the Office.
The city attorney likewise only receives
5000 per year under the code, and his
duties in police court are greatly in
creased.
There is no doubt that under the new
code there will be great saving in court
expenses, particularly in the items of wit
ness fees, which are practically done
away with. There are some points, how
ever, which will have to be carefully ex-
amned into next Sunday by the commit
tee to determine whether the city will be
the loser or the gamer bv the change. In
the city treasurer's Office, for example.
all fees and percentages are no longer al
lowed. The past year the city treasurer
collected about 5000 in poll taxes. he re-
celvlng 25 per cent. for collection and the
city getting the balance of 10 per cent. If
the city treasurer were working on salary
alone il is doubtful il he would collect any
more poll tax than what is brought into
his Office. The city therefore would find
its revenue from poll tax greatly dmIn-
ished. In licenses there has been coll
lected the past year about so 900. of which
the city treasurer gets 10 per cent. and the
city the balance A city treasurer work.
ing on salary instead OF on percentage
would hardly approach that total of
collections, and as consequence
the city's revenue from this source would
likely he decreased. AS TO whether it is
to The best interests of the city 10 make
the changes of the code should be care-
fully considered. There are a great many
amendments To the code already proposed
and some of the amendments include
changes in municipal legislation. The
police commission matter should receive
careful consideration. The police DEPART
ment needs different control from the
control of politics and cannot b. placed
under different control except through "A
police commission, which, to he effective.
must have greater powers than the pres
ent commission has.
Under the report of the code commission
commit tee, the political code will not go
into effect until July 1, and thereby will
not apply tn the approaching municipal