The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1902-01-14
DEFINES POSITION ON MATTERS
OF THE MOMENT.
STANDS ON OFFICIAL RECORD
Proposes to Enforce the Law Without
Fear or Favor and Says He Will
Leave Results to an Impar-
tial Public.

each Of the newspapers:
As there seems to be desire In some
quarters to convey the impression mat
there Is clash existing between the
county and city officials, and that tho
undersigned, the present county attorney
or Silver Bow county. has without cause
or authority meddled In the affairs OF
the city, / desire through the medium Of
the press to briefly state my position In
this matter. No matter what offenses
or short comings may have been guilty
OF I'm the past, or charged with I'm tho
future, / do not believe that any ono
can accuse me of being false to q friend
or allowing anybody to be unjustly
charged when am In possession of facts
showing the contrary.
In this mornings Issue OF the Ana
conda Standard, under a heading enti-
tied. Bricks without Straw" find the
following:
ut Is understood that pressure was
brought to bear on some OF the alder-
men yesterday to get them to insist on
| an investigation OF the reasons for the
| suspension OF the men. (Mean.ng the
four policemen.) Among other aldermen
| the View was expressed that the city ID
able to take care OF Its own affairs and
that there has been too much interfer4
cnce on the part OF the county"
In relation to this matter desire to
say that lf the aldermen quoted mean
to accuse me OF interfering In the Affairs
of the city. l am ready 20 plead guilty
to the charge. and will say In connec-
tlon Herewith that / have interfered
In the affairs of the city, but only at
the request of respectable citizens OF the
city who called at my Office. explained
abuses that were In existence and asked
my assistance in the matter.
The first interference, believe, that
have been accused OF being guilty of,
was In the arrest and suppression OF tho
numerous dance halls and dives on
Lower Main street, l will say u the
gentlemen. who, through the press, at
| tempt TO criticlse my conduct for this
| interference, that II they had been true
To the trust reposed In them, this inter-
ference would not have been necessary,
l further add that as n result of the in@
terference mentioned and others that I
am charged with being guilty, the fines
resulting from said Interference have
been more than enough to pay the salary
OF the superintendent OF our city schools
FOR ut least one year, which II itself I
submit, is not a showing that should
degrade any public official In the e.Cs
OF the community.
Preside Prosperity.
] also lnterfered with gambling In the
! city of Butte, and although not receiving
.ne support from the city that an officer
should receive In the enforcement OF the
law, | am satisfied that even though 1t
is not altogether stamped out, that as a
result OF being driven into hidden places,
many child ia wearing shoes to school
Al tVt .t..tx.
kept Indoors II gambling was In full
force, and many mother is able to pay
her grocery bill. which would not be q
fact II many of the city officials had
their own way In the matter
l will further plead guilty to intcrfer-
ing with prize fights In the city OF Butte,
and this also at the request OF commit
tees from the good citizens of Silver Bow
county and the city Of Butte: and I'm so
doing have had to go contrary TO the
wishes of some of my warm personal
friends as well as some OF the political
powers In this community, who desired
to have full sway I'm such matters.
Further on the article last quoted from
! find the following, THE city is not in.
sisting that any employees Of the county
be restored to their positions, or that
any reasons for their discharge be given,
said city official yesterday County At
torney Breen recently discharged a Mr..
Fitzgerald, deputy In his Office, and ap-
pointed Mr.. Yancey In his place. No rea-
son has been assigned for the change by
Mr.. Breen, yet he insists that every off,
cial must have a fair trial bcfore,.he Is
discharged. Now II Mr.NBfeen has the
privilege of discharglng man that
doesn't suit him, why should not city off,
cials have that right? Mr.. Brcen has also
discharged constable or two that did
not suit him. He has never given any
reason for such discharge, and why
should he be so determined that the city
must give reasons for the discharge of
any employe 1t finds not to be suitablew
] Will say In relation to the above that
when the county attorney of Silver Bow
county appoints an assistant or deputy
said appointment does not have to be
affirmed by the board of county COM
missioners or any other body, but on the
contrary said appointment Is subject only
to his own will. While with the mayor
Of the city each appointment must be
submitted to the council before he Is en-
titled to a place on the payroll of the
city, and he must receive the indorse-
ment Of the said council by majority
vote before he can be removed or sus-
pended for cause and then only until the
next meeting Of the council, when the
facts relating to said suspension or re-
moval must be stated
The Fitzgerald appointment.
In relation to the appointment by me
OF James T. Fitzgerald as a deputy in
this office, | desire to submit the follow
ing, which is found on page 66 Of my let
ter book:
March 6, 1901.
Hon. Mike Tonery, Chairman Central
Committee of Populist Party,
Dear Sir-A bill known as House Ril