Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1899-01-25
TO REDUCE SALARIES.
Senator Hobson Fathers a Bill Similar To That
Stolen by John Bloor

Standardization has introduced In
the senate an act to reduce the sal
aries allowed county officers and fin
ing the number of deputies each shall
he allowed. The bill is practically
the same "a that passed two years
ago. but stolen by Clerk Bloor, who
was given II year in the pen, but par
doned recently by Gov. Smith.
Though the bill will doubtless have
n hard road and heliberally amended
before allowed To become a law. lis
effect upon Fergus county il worthy
OF interest.
This county Is at present in the
! sixth class, but should segregation
carry and the assessment fall below
four million, the county would fallto
the seventh class. therefore both
schedules are given, the first figure
given being the present salaries and
the second the proposed remunera-
ton:
Sixth-class counties - Treasurer.
81 Goo 10 Sl.SOO; sheriff, $2,2jO to
$4,000; assessor, Sl,jOO To Sl,40O;
clerk, $2.0OO TO 1880; clerk Of court,
81, 500 To Sl,4OO; county attorney,
Sl.SOOto 81 100; superintendent, 81 200
To 5000.
Seyenth-clhss counties-Treasurer.
sl,N0O to $1,000; sheriff, $4,000 to
$1,s0O; assessor, 1000 (no changel;
clerk, 81, 800 TO 81 100; clerk oi court.
81, 200 mo changc): county attorney,
81 200 tno change); superintendent,
$500 to 500.
As regards deputies, the bill allows
in "a sixth class county one under
sheriff ut 81, 200 and one deputy sheriff
at $1,000, hut no jailer unless there is
more than one Jail in the county; one
deputy clerk at 5000; onedeputy clerk
. ri the court mt $500; one deputy treas
urer during October, November and
December OF each year; m deputy
assessor during Mas, June and July.
Shrr,fis are allowed 30 cents per day
for board oi prisoners. County com
missioners. - per day for regular
sessions and - for special sessions.
In u srycnth-rlass county but one
deputy is allowed, and that to the
sheriff at loo per year, though the
clerk, clerk of court and other Officers
may be- allowed one deputy ut MOTTO
exceed 80 per month when the com
missioncrs in their discretion may
deem II necessary.
The Till cannot affect thrsalarles al
Officers elected prior tu its passage.
senator Hohson says in regard to
the measure: 81 anticipate NJ great
opposition to this hill. The salaries
now paid to county officers and thCil
deputies were fixed at n time whcr
the cost of living in Montana was
very much higher than it Is now. AL
though il costs much less live nON
IN all parts Oi the state than a few
years ago. the salaries are just IN,
same. ! think no one will argue thai
the counties cannot Secure plenty a
competent men to conduct their af
fnirs at The reduced compensation, az
provided in this bill. Salaries in
county offices are out Of proportion
to the compensation received by meT
having equally responsible positions
in other walks of life, ana it seems t.
me that, as many Of our counties ar,
engaged in Il continual struggle tC
raise enough money to carry ON theil
government, we should adopt this
means Of relief. am Of the opinion
that this bill will be endorsed by tn,
people Of every county, and, as said
before. | anticipate no great OPPOSE
ton to ii in either house or senate