Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-09-07
CHANCE M LIBRARIAN

10HUVE ~ 2S0HAHSAN
At the council meeting last night the
mayor named a successor to the present
city librarian. and the aldermen, by a vote
of ten to six. confirmed the nomination.
1t is said the new librarian is a acceptable
gentleman, we'll qualified to assume the
responsibilities that nave been worn SO
ably and we'll by his predecessor in that
position. 1t is to be hoped that his will
prove true, and that the interests of the
public will not suffer in any respect by
reason of the change that has been made.
1t would certainly be unfair to the in
coming librarian and his friends to- guess
ton his efficiency in advance of a trial, or
to presume that he cannot perform his
new duties to the satisfaction of the peo-t
pie. The splendid services rendered by
his able and efficient predecessor will call
no one has a right to question the capac-
ity of the newly appointed librarian
until he has been given a fair opportunity
to familiarize himself with the duties in
hand. l-,s
Without reference to the qualifications Of
the incoming librarian, however, no fques-
of the services given the public by the
outgoing librarian, and in making the
change OF no higher grounds than that
"to the victor belongs the spoils'' the
present city administration has given the
lie to democratic pretensions in favor of
civil service reform. 1t has introduced
work of the city, and injected politics
into a non-partisan institution. This ex-
treme suggests the possibility of Others
in the way of making the temporary
lease of power enjoyed by the democracy
an agency for the reaping of the spells,
than for the upbuilding of the city
the people.
Whatever may be the immediate ad-
vantages to be reaped by the democracy
from such a course, it will contribute to
it's ultimate undoing. Professedly, the
democratic party is in favor of civil SER
vice reform, and President Mckinley has
been most severely criticised for making
certain changes for the betterment of the
public service, by the gentlemen who will
now accord the mayor of Butte their most
hearty approval. t%
Laying aside the public assurances
given by his honor, and the Anaconda
Standard which backed his candidacy
for the office of mayor, that no change
would be made in the librarian, it cannot
be doubted that Mr.. Mccarthy has Grip
pied himself in no small degree as the
possible nominee of his party for guber-'
natorial ono next year. His name has
been widely discussed in connection with
office, III the people of this state
will never elect a man to that high posi-
ton who has shown a Willingness to in
ject politics INTO the non-partisan educa-
tional Institutions under his control.
That is an extreme which the people of
Butte may tolerate, u which public
sentiment in this state will not approve.
Mayor Mccarthy had a right to name
s~ubordinates in the political Depart
of his administration, for he is re-
sponsible to the people for the character
af tho caryioac thav rorIa, tho n,,h1io
and in the maintenance of this right his
honor had no more persistent champion
the Inter Mountain. But the city
library does not come within the purview
Of those positions where changes can
rightly be made for political reasons
alone. His honor's moral right in the
matter began and left off with the re-
moval of the old librarian for cause, and
for cause only. He has seen fit, however,
to make the proposition a political one,
and in doing SO has taken upon himself
the full responsibility of the change
made. Though Butte is to have a demo-
cratic city library, instead of a
tisan n as heretofore, it is to be hoped
for the public good that the new incum-,
bent may prove fully equipped in all re-
for the exacting duties of the posi-.
Public sentiment in Helena is strong
against the efforts of the city administra-,
ton to repudiate debts of that municipal
ON the grounds that the limit NJ in.