Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-09-02
WANT THE OFFICE
Democrats COncede MI. Davies
Ability.
j. R. Russell SLATED
For the Position of Librarian If Mr..
Davies Can Be Re-
moved.

The long anticipated fight over the re-
moval of Librarian Davies precipitated
at last nights meeting of the board of
library trustees is fully on, and will be
an interestingly warm one. The man
who is said to be slated for the position
is Prof. j. r. Russell, formerly superin-
tendent of the Butte schools. None OF, the
aldermen who are With the administra-
ton in this matter question Mr.. Davies
competency, but they say that there are
| Just as good men deserving politically.
and it is proposed to make a political
office of it. The matter will probably
come up at the council meeting Wednes-
day evening. when the office of city Ii
brarian may be declared vacant, and Mr..
Russels appointment announced. Then
the mayor and aldermen will proceed to
lock horns over Russel's confirmation.
| When the matter was considered some
! months ago. six of the aldermen would
have been with the mayor and 10 against.
; A canvass of the strength of the two
forces made by the Inter Mountain this
| morning would indicate that possibly one
alderman has changed his mind and will
| vote to confirm Russell. would make
the vote stand I for confirmation and .
against.
A reporter of the InterMountain inter-
viewed a number of aldermen and inter-
ested individuals OF this topic this morn
| ing. with the following results:
Alderman Bryant think it would be
a bad precedent to establish. l believe
that good men should be retained in
office. Ii there is to be a change of Ii
brarians after each municipal election
! the library might as we'll be abandoned,
for we would nave nothing but chaos
! where order now reigns. There should
be no politics in it. Librarian Davies is
| a capable man. He started with the IL
brary and knows every book in it. A new
man would be years acquiring the same
knowledge.
Alderman Ferns-"Oh, we just wanted
a change. To the 'victors belong the
spoils, said he. in response to the re-
porter's query. Engineer Smith has been
derelict in his duty and has not kept the
boilers in good condition. Smith sent in
a bill to the council for work performed
on the Fourth of July, and is alleged to
have made some very insulting remarks
when informed that the bill would not be
paid"
Alderman Marco J. Medin, president of
the board of library trustees-i believe
, we are entitled to change an engineer or
%janitor at the library building without
causing SO much talk. Under the new
administration there has been 80 or 40 or
more official places declared vacant and
as many appointed to the positions with
but little comment. l believe that there
is no man, no matter what his ability
may be, whose place cannot be taken by
one equally competent. and further,
believe in the good old democratic doc.
trine, Ito the victors belong the spoils."
Alderman kroeger-I am emphatically
opposed TO a change of any kind in thu
library employees. l take a great deal O
VII ;, H. - a. -, -, ~ g hit :x~{
and believe that its high standard of eX,
cellence can only be maintained by keep,
ing it out of politics. Librarian Davi.
has made a splendid official, and the IL
brary has grown up under his super.
vision. Because Of this he possesses {
knowledge that Would require seVera
years for some one else to acquire.
shall be against the movement and sin.
cerely hope that the library management
will never fall into the hands of a politi-
clan.
Alderman Elderkin-I am emphaticall,
opposed to the injection of politics int
the "anagem of Buttes library.
Librarian Davies-It seems to me to b.
an effort to inject politics into affair!
which should be kept entirely separate
from both religion and politics. The onl.
question thai shoul be considered is eff
ficiency. A policy such as was suggested
dl LIE .ietliIS last night "Oulu lIJuIt
the reputation of the town both at home
and abroad. was sent for from st
Louis and the matter of my politics wa.
never discussed. The statement wa:
made last night hat the present en-
ployes of the library We're appointed by
a republican administration. That is ar
error. Mr.. Brown, the engineer, was APP.
pointed under the Dugan administrator
and Mr.. Smith, the %janitor, under the
Harrington administration.