The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-03-13
BOOKS OPEN TO-DAY
Every Eligible Man in Town Re-
queSted to Register.
THIS IS FRIDAY THE 18TH
Great Significance May Attach to
This Fact-The election Of Four
Aldermen VIII Occur on April
6-Said in the Codes.

The registration of voters for the ap-
preaching municipal election begins in
Butte to-day. The registry office is at
No. 103 East Broadway, opposite the
McDermott hotel The Office will be
opened at o'clock this morning, and
the hours for registration each day will
be from a. m. to l p. m. and from
2 to 5. and to p. IN.
1t is the duty of every good citizen
to register, no matter what party he
belongs to, or what ticket he expects
to vote. No one can vote without first
registering and the man who gets reg
istered early is sure of an election. Only
aldermen are to be elected this year,
but every citizen should have an inter
est in the man who is to represent his
ward in the city council this year.
The fact that registration opens on a
Friday and on the thirteenth of the
month at that doesn't seem to phase
the administration in the least, and
they declare that six at least of the al
dermen to be elected, IL not the entire
eight, will be supporters of the present
city government. There are some who
do not believe this. The administra-
ton is basing it's hopes of success on
it's ability to stir up a three-cornered
fight in each ward. 1t is absolutely
certain that the administration is going
W VIII III d HB1t.
The council has instructed the city
attorney to get an opinion from the
attorney general as to the date on
which the election is to be held this
year, and as to whether or not a may
or is to be elected. What the use is
of putting the city attorney and the
attorney general to all this trouble no
body probably knows outside of the al
dermen themselves. The new code
-faf Will hot hn f,t al
election shall be held ION the first Mon
day of April of each year." and no
where states any different. This is the
only point on which the code talks
plain English that can be understood,
and why an opinion should be needed
is difficult to understand, unless IL be
that people have got so used to getting
opinions on the code that they are
afraid to accept any statement of the
code without first having 1t investi-
gated. 1t is, however in any event
too late to get an opinion on that sub
ject now. Heretofore the rule has been
that the election shall be on the first
Monday after the first Tuesday in
April Under the new code it is to be
on the first Monday in April Under
the old law this years election would
be on April 10. but under the new law
IL is on April 6. The law also provides
that registration shall begin 20 days
before election. II the attorney gen.
eral should now decide that the election
must be on April Is instead of April 6,
then a whole weeks registration would
be invaded and illegal. there would be
no end of confusion and the legality
of the election would be rendered doubt
full. BY opening registration to-day
the city recognized April as its cleo
ton day and IL is too late to change
that date now.
AS to the election of a mayor this
year. no definite authority for such a
proceeding can be found. The code is
a little contradictory on the subject,
but people would be very suspicious
of the code If 1t was definite and clear
on any subject and wouldn't know
what to make of IT. The code says,
relative to the election of mayor:
ION the first Monday of April of each
year a municipal election must be held
at which the qualified electors of each
town or city must elect one alderman
from each ward, to be voted for by the
wards they respectively represent; the
mayor to hold office for two years and
until the qualification of his successor;
and each alderman so elected to hold |
office for a term of two years and until |
the qualification of his successor. and |
also in cities of the first, second and |
third class. a police Judge ana city |
treasurer, who hold office for two |
years and until the qualification of
their successors"
IL will be seen that the same section |
requires Butte 10 elect a mayor every |
year and that each mayor elected shall |
hold office two years. So IL is evident |
that under this law Butte must have |
two mayors continually. Thompson |
was elected for two years and will con- |
tinue to hold Office even IL another |
mayor should be lected this spring. IL |
Is also certain that a police judge and |
a city treasurer must be elected this |
year, IL a mayor is TO be elected, for |
the law is precisely the same on all the |
officers. IL would be confusing TO have |
two police judges. two city treasurers |
and two mayors. but that is just what |
the new code provides for. IL these |
officers are elected this spring. they
will hold two years. under the law;
but next year more police judges. city |
trea surers and mayors must be elected |
Rather than have so many officials Il
is better to reach the conclusion that
the code committee was having too
good a time when il reached this point
i'm it's labors. and that there is no use
paying any attention TO Its uoptrHhic- |
tons, but to go on with what was
probably the intention OF the code.