The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-08-19
It WAS A STORMY SCENE
Commissioners Lock Horns Over
the State Land Agents.
GOVERNOR STANDS ALONE
He Refuses TO Put Motions or Recognize
Appeals From His Decision Had
Hot Haoy Time The Board De-
clAres Page Agent.
iu-cl,l Dispatch 10 IN. standard.

Helena. Aug. lS-At the meeting of
the board OF land commissioners there
WAS a stormy scene. II happened in
this way: Somr communication had
been read and the governor suggested
that IL be referred ,o Mr.. Nell, After
this remark WAS made by the governor
he Immediately proceeded to say that,
by the way the board confronted the
proposition OF having two land agents.
or none at all. and remarked incident
ally that Mr.. Nolan had maintained
that MIR. Page was land agent. al
though his resignation was rendered
and accepted.
The governor said: Even though
Mr.. Page should be dead. Mr.. Nolan. l
suppose. would contend that he MAS
still the land agent. and that after a
man once became land agent there
was no possible way by which he could
vaca,e his office.
Mr.. Nolan replied. IL have not yet
contended that a dead man could per-
form duties which required locomotion
and thought ! do insist. however, that
Mr. Page. even though his resignation
is elective, Is a de facto official until
d ldfu dktut u apIoiit'a ps kef
ernor by and with the advice OF the
board Of land commissioners and quail
fies Ia perform the duties of the office.
II matters not whether the resignation
Of an ofYicer is accepted. where a law
provides. as In this case. that the In
cumbent of an office shall hold for the
term OF four years. or until his sue
cessor is selected and qualified. the
agent whose resignation is accepted can
legally perform the duties OF the Office
until he is lawfully succeeded This
has not taken place In the case of the
appointment of Mr., Seill.
The Governor There is nothing fur
ther Ia be done respecting this matter,
~ We will proceed with the transac-
tion OF the routine business.
Mr. Hogan-we have not yet gone
through with this matter. We had bet
ter proceed To the consideration of the
appointment OF Mr.. Neill as contained
In this communication.
The Goyernor-This communication II
not addressed to the board and II not
Intended To he "a, Ted upon by the hoa;o'
Mr. Noan-The communication IL ad.
dressed to the board and viii he acted
upon by the board whether the govern
or wills IL or not.
The GOVERNOR do not propose ar
desire to have this communication act
ed upon by the board. ! dii not nomi-
nate Mr.. Neill for the Office, but did
appoint him.
Mr.. Nolan-This communication is
addressed Ia the secretary Of the board
and gives the Information 10 the board
through its secretary that the governor
appoints Mr.. Nell as state land agent
The law provides that this appointment
a. l... a a. A. l. "A. 10.
Of the board of land commissioners. and
being In possession of this information
officially az this time through tas com
munlcation In the possession ~ the
| board. the board II at liberty tn take
| up the consideration of this appoint
mcnt.
The Goveruor-The board has moth.
ing To do with this appointment; II u
not intended that the board shall act
| IN reference thereto.
Mr. Nolan-The board proposes To act
upon the appointment and VIII do ~
/ whether the governor likes IL or not
/ Mr.. Hogan suggest that we pro.
I ceed M once to the consideration of tn,
appointment of Mr.. Nei'l.
/ The Govcrnor-The board Won't n
I anything of tht kind
Z Mr. Nolan addressing Mr.. okor
clerk e the board)-Call the names NJ
~ t.',, =, "A, Ss,,t ,a,. ,.,,,rn,,,,ia,
-. nasae,ian
Tho ,;ovsrnor addressing the clerLo-
na,'i 5o ,hst
~, Salsn"I ,ho, ,noy,. that No ,ro
-, =, &C., a., H.. ,.a,.ld,.,a,inn n, IA,
a,nain,men, nf Mr. NciII az s,a,e lars
as,n, ro, rnn,i,ma,ion or rriec,lop
~, ,Iao,n"i =, .s,d The n,o,ior
IN, ro,,r,,,o, 4 rerus. IN en,er,aI,
the n,o,inn a,,d IN ,,o, nm, 4,
NJ NoianT Tho hoard ~ land CON,
,,i'sio,,' ,s ts ro,nnos,.d az four men,
Io,s a., husin,ss ~ the hoard is trans
acted In meeting and n maiori,y of IN
hoard is a, ,ibey,y "a dictate IN po,Ir,
~ aa roi,n,,,b whe,ho, ~. yove,nn,
nod. ne,siIsn, az Tho l,o,rd hv las
,ilsas 4, M, mas. tho wishes and ,bo wIi
of ,he ma iori,y az the hoard canno, l.
I ,I,,,a,t'a ,,,, hi,, NJ A.. ,ssuscs ,o a.,
,.,,slr a ,no,,,n ,here IL n way n,
which tho notlon can be consld red b
,hc heard TN. hoard n no, so con
sti,uncd ,ba, for Tho ,ransae,ion q
h,,sin.ss a has ia aepend unon ,br ga
pTico ar Nbin ~ The prcsidinp Office
,r ,bc nrcs,di,e oeIcer vho r. IA axe
ru,c ~ wisbrs n Tho hoard fails 1
,h. n,.,',or,,.,,,s 80 his du,y 4 N,IlI sn
means hv wbicb inc ma a,ori,y Win 4
resnnc, N i'n1,r thcsc ,'Ircumstancc.
mo ,,n,,t,,,, roniyinr Ia nut this m,
liz, I ,,n,aI from the action nf "a
eovcrnor