The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-04-24
THE BOND ISSUE.

II . SS'SS 0SS4
No matter how meritorious, no pub
lie movement has ever been instituted
that has not met with opposition, es-
pecially when the expenditure of pub
lie funds was one of the elements.
Somebody will always be found who
opposes everything and anything cal
culated for the betterment of COM
munal facilities and c~onveniences.
Billings and Yellowstone county are
no different in this respect from 9TH
e1 communities, consequently there
are some who have already announced
themselves as antagonistic to the eff
fort nov making by the county com
m~issioners to give the county such
a court house and Jail as it has long
needed. Unfortunately the antagon-
ism evoked must be said to be purely
selfish, as no good reason can be urg-
ed against authorization of the loan
the board asks to be empowered to
make. Good argument against the
proposition is lacking, for even those
who are said to have arrayed them
selves against it must admit that the
present public buildings owned by the
county long ago outlived their use
fulness and are wholly inadequate to
the purpose from which they are in
tended. l. . -.+ t~
Communal pride, If nothing else,
should prompt generous and spoh-
taneous response to the appeal of the
commissioners, but when to this is
added the absolute necessity for the
improvements it is sought to make all
opposition should cease. In truth none
should manifest itself at any time.
Il is an admitted fact that public safe
ty and convenience demand substitu-
ton of the new for the old. The struc-
ture that is doing duty as a court
house is utterly unit for that pur-
pose. 1t is wanting in every feature
essential in a building of that kind.
DGSluS U0luS IOO IAo " IaO 6Ao"7
ing business of the county, it is also
unsafe and affords no protection to
the valuable records and documents
that must of necessity be kept there.
In case of a fire it is extremely doubt
full whether anything could be saved,
for the building is a mere shell and
the vaults with which it is supplied
are but little better than closets,
while as a safeguard against thieves
they are no more reliable.
Destruction OF the records main--
tanned there would prove an irrepar-
able loss to the county, while the lit
igation and trouble to which such an
occurrence would give rise are al
most beyond estimation. Titles to
valuable property would become in.
volved and to replace the documents
and papers destroyed would be an i'm
possibility. This feature of the case
il one in which almost everybody IN
the county is interested and should
be a strong incentive to the friends OF
the proposed improvement to put forth
their very best endeavor in the crea-
ton OF a sentiment favorable to II.
1t cannot be said that to build now
would entail the payment OF higher
taxes. The county is so situated that
the bonds and the interest accruing
on them could We met promptly with.
out necessitating the levying of n
cent more OF taxes than are now col
lected. A constantly growing assess
ment roll is yearly adding to the rev.
enues Of the county, a fact amply
proved by. the action OF the commits
sioners when they made their last
levy, which was the lowest ever fixed
quate to all demands made upon the
treasury. But all this is we'll known
to the taxpayers and they need have
no fear of a change in this respect.
When submitted to them last fall
the people by a large majority voted
for the bonds asked and no reason can
now be advanced why they should not
do SO again. 1t was one of those UNI
fortunate occurrences that will &C.
casionally present themselves in spite
Of all care and caution that may be
reasonably exercised to prevent them
which makes necessary resubmission
OF a question once before decided in
the affirmative. The same arguments
that We're made last fall in favor OF
the bonds are to be made at this time.
Conditions have not changed SO as to
make the erection of new buildings by
the county for its use less urgent now