The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-12-11
TALKING ABOUT 1T
Thompson's Warrant Signing Matter
May Go to the Council. =
OPINIONS AS TO HIS RIGHTS
The Ex-Mayor Says He Vetoed the
Proposition by Not Placing HIS
Signature to the Paper-At-
torney Hamiiton's Views.

I
Mayor Thompson's signing and deliv-
ering the warrant to ]. J. Anderson in
payment for the damage done to the
Sazerac saloon on July 4. 1894. which
Mayor Dugan had refused to sign. will
come before the council. One of the
aldermen stated a few days ago that
he proposed bringing the matter up
again and have the council vote as to
whether this warrant should be paid
by the city treasurer or not. 1850
Mayor Thompson stin insists that
his action was entirely legal and he
rests on the advice given by City At
torney Hamilton on which he acted.
City Attorney Hamilton has returned
from the East and said yesterday on
this matter: ttf-f
IT advised Mr.. Thompson to sign and
pay this warrant. Mr.. Dugan's re-
fusal to sign the warrant could not
be a veto. The mayor has the right to
veto matters OF legislation. ordinances,
resolutions. etc., but the mayor has no
veto in matters of this kind. When the
council orders bill paid or a warrant
issued. that must be done. The mayor
cannot veto thing of that sort. His
duties In signing warrants are merely
ministerial. He has no more right to
refuse to sign a warrant than the city
clerk has to refuse to issue it The
mayor has no choice in the matter.
He must sign the warrant. .''.f
The council never dies. Hence, any
duty imposed by the council on a
mayor and neglected by him can be
performed by his successor. Therefore,
Mr. Thompson had the right to sign
this warrant, and I advised him to do
So"
Ex-Mayor Dug'an was seen by a
Standard reporter in regard to this
matter. -
II certainly put in my refusal as a
veto. That was what intended Ii for,
that was what 1t was considered by the
council to be at the time and that is
what 1t was. In order to be sure that
1t was all right and proper I got City
Attorney Cotter to write the veto for
me. fs-
Mr. Thompson says he never con-
suited me as to my reasons for not
signing the warrant. because he did
not consider 1t necessary. Mr. Thornp-
son. on entering office. consulted me
on a great many other matters and 1t
would have been no more out of place
for him to consult me on. this than on
so many other things. / signed the
warrants for the payment of the other
parties because they were innocent suf-
ferers by the riot. 1t was different with
Mr.. Anderson. In spite of the requests
and orders of the city officials and
prominent citizens generally he re-
fused to take down the sign which oc-
casioned the riot, and declared that he
would not do 1t If the whole town
should be burned in consequence. That
being the case / concluded that the
damage done to his place was brought
on by him solely, and he wouldn't
have been damaged at all If he had
not wanted to be. He took the chances
himself and several lives were lost in
consequence of his obstinacy and re-
fusal 10 do what every citizen having
in mind the public veal wanted him
to do. That is why did not sign the
warrant for Mr.. Anderson. and why ]
sent In my Veto"
The aldermen seem to think that the
mayor should at least have consulted
them in the matter. or reported to them
| the fact that he had paid the war
rant Immediately after he had done
so. He signed and delivered the war
| rant last July and never brought the
matter to the attention of the council
| and the public until II leaked out
| through the newspapers. Several of the
aldermen have said that they would
| have voted to pay the claim If they
had been consulted in the matter, but
as the mayor had ignored them and
by the secrecy he maintained. acted as
though he was not quite sure of being
| right. they did not propose to endorse
| his action. $50 ie1 n