The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-07-14
NO NEW COURT HOUSE.

NO NEW COURT HOUSE.
The opinion of the attorney general,
which will be read to the county com.
missioners tomorrow as to the proposed
new court house, is to the effect that a
special election cannot be legally held
to, decide whether the county a ex.
pend a sun in excess Of $40. 900 to
build a structure Of that character, or
for any other purpose. A former at.
torney general held that when Il ques.
ton Of this kind was submitted at a
general election, it must receive Il ma.
jority Of all the votes cast at such cleo.
ton, and it seems to be settled for
all time that Il county cannot make
an expenditure for public i'm.
provements in excess Of $4,000.
It is next to impossible, as every.
Il knows, to get Il majority OF
til, people voting at a general election
to pay any attention to matters Of this
character. They are always placed at
the bottom of the ballot and when the
average voter has gotten through with
the political propositions with which
he has to struggle he has had enough
voting for that day; hence the
economic question, which may be Of
much more Importance, goes by de.
fault.
1t may be good law to so hold, but
it is not good ommon seuse The con-.
stitution of the state contemplates, we
believe, that the voters shall have an
opportunity to say whether they will
expend their money for public improve.
ments, yet Il attorney general says
they cannot do so at Il special election,
and another holds to u theory that 1t Is
absolutely impossible to comply with
alta general election. Thus the con
stitution is practically nullitied as far
as this provision is concerned, but in
the present court house matter. this
newspaper believes that it is a good
thing for Yellowstone county. Not
that it does not need a new court house.
The Gazette fully realizes the me-
cessity, but If 1t had to be built
away out III the southwestern
H., 1s ,Sno ~ %In attic ne SsnS VnpfnS1. |
plated, the public had better put up for
a while longer with the present struct.
ure. The county commissioners, no
doubt, will BE- disappointed that the
affair has taken this, turn, but in the
long run we believe it will be better
for the county. 1t would now be the
part of wisdom. we believe, for the
commissioner to go quietly to work
and purchase III accessible court house
site before a further advance in real
estate. One Of these days the supreme
court will pass on the opinion that %
majority Of the voters at u general cleo.
ton shall vote upon such q proposition,
and it will be ''knocked higher than a
cooked hat" Then Yellowstone coun.
ty cain have Il good court house; the
people will be willing to vote bonds for
it if necessary.
But, az the present court house move
ment has turned out, this city and
county have escaped u bitter fight. 1t
was sure too come if Al election were
held to vote whether a court house
should be built on the site under con.
sideration. Such u controversy would
have been a bad thing. Neither this
city or county wants anything to come
up now which will in any manner tend
to retard the splendid growth and de.
velopment they are enjoying. They are
marching right along now aud can
afford to forego Il new court house until
the people are nearer Of one mind rs
to where it shall be located.