The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-04

~ EINt~tliGtt W TIE CONSTITUTIONAL pro-
vision, by legislation, prescribing the
duties OF the state board of euualiza.
ton, SO that its power OF adjusting
and equalizing taxes will not be de
stroyed; then ] should recommend sucl
legislation, but if it cannot be done
except by a constitutional amendment
then this legislature ought to provide
for the submission of such an amend
ment at the next election. Upon this
point call your attention to the very
able and exhaustive report made by
our state treasurer. as chairman of
the state board OF equalization, and
recommend it to your careful consid-
GRAFTON, so that you may take such
steps as will correct the evils therein
mentioned.
Fourth-In my opinion the mortgage
es upon real estate in this state, neld
abroad, should be the subject of tax
alton, and IL law is carefully prepar-
ed and adopted something similar to
the law upon that subject enacted by
the legislature of the state of Oregon,
l am satisfied it will not be obnoxious
to any constitutional provisions, and
will be the means of lCvying an assess
ment upon large amount of proper
ty that now wholly escapes taxation.
Reduction of Expenses.
First--In order that your legislation
may be effective and that the increas-
ed revenue which we ask may not he
squandered and wasted | call your
attention to several matters wherein
the expenses of the state can be ma
terially reduced without in any way
impairing the efficiency of the public
service.
In my previous message to the leg
islature of this state, | recommended
law cutting off and abolishing all
mileage fees of sheriffs or other Off
GERS, jurors or witnesses. in the trans
action of public business. Also the re-
duction of salaries in some instances.
and legislation along this line was at
tempted by the last assembly, and a
bill to that effect passed both houses,
but through some connivance, it fail
ed to reach the executive and did not
become a law.
l desire to call your attention to a
few instances of the abuses to which
this mileage system is reduced Dur
ing 1897 and 1898, 80 prisoners were
convicted in Custer county and sent
to the state penitentiary. The sheriff,
in order to convey these prisoners to
the state prison, made 2S separate trips.
travelling 500 miles each trip, at 10
cents per mile. During the same time,
~ prisoners were convicted in Yellow
stone county, and the sheriff made %
trips to put them in the state prison.
In or5>r to send 40 prisoners from Sill
Yer Bow county to Deer Lodge it was
necessary to make 80 trips. Each Of
these officers was travelling upon pass
es furnished by the different railroads.
and they were collecting mileage from
the state of Montana at the rate of 10
cents per mile, each way, for making
these several trips; and what is said
OF these three sheriffs is mainly true
of other sheriffs. There were a few
notable exceptions to this rule, name
ly: The sheriff of Beaverhead county
and the sheriff of Madison county.
These latter named gentlemen waited
until the expiration Of the several
terms of court held in their counties,
and then carried all of their prisoners
at one time. The sheriff of Madison
county at one time took as high as
five prisoners, carrying only one guard
with him, while / notice in the bills
of the sheriffs from Custer, Yellow
stone, Silver Bow, and almost every
other county of the state, that they
made their trips every other day to
the penitentiary. or just as fast as
they could make one trip and return
with another prisoner. These charges
of transporting prisoners to the state
prison during the two years, amount
ed to $15,612.S5 This charge should be
borne by the several counties as much
as any other charge connected with
the prosecution and conviction of
criminals.
In addition to this. law should be
passed providing that in counties
where they hold only four terms of
court per annum the sheriff should
keep all of his prisoners in the Jail
till the close of each term of court
and then be required to carry them
all to the prison at the same time, TAX
ing as many guards as are actually
necessary for the safe keeping of the
prisoners. and allowing the sheriff and
his guard the actual expenses of
transportation. which should be borne
by the county. Such legislation will
relieve the state from a heavy bur
den, and at the same time relieve the
counties from these exorbitant mileage
charges: and what l have said With
reference to mileage as to the trans
portation of prisoners should also ap-
ply to the matter of transporting
the insane to the asylum and the child
rem to the state reform school, actual
expenses for such work should be al
lowed and no more, to be paid in each
and every instance by the county from
whence the person is transported. And
in the summoning of Jurors, witnesses
and all the other work which a sher-
iff is called upon to perform, actual
expenses should be allowed.
There is no use in allowing this mile
age statute to remain upon the books,
as an inducement for officers, Witness
es and other persons to make public
charges against the state or the coun-
ty.
Second-The constitution provides
that the state supreme court charges
shall be paid by the state, and that
one-half Of the salary of the several
prosecuting attorneys throughout the
state shall be borne by the state, and
the other half by the counties. There
is no constitutional provision as to
the salary of district judges; hereto
fore, the state has borne this latter
charge, amounting to Sac, 500 annually,
l recommend that you make at least
nne-half of this amount charge upon
the counties, to be paid proportionate-
ly where there is more than one coun-
ty in the district. according to the liti-
cation in such district-such legisla-
ton as is now provided for the pay
ment of court stenogra pliers This
would relieve the state of $2275O an