The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1903-03-03

the state and with the county ex-
penses. Friday the house killed a
bill making the mortgage pay his
pro rata of the taxation of a property
on which he had mortgage, and to-
day it went farther and passed a bill
relieving the mortgages from taxa
ton on the ground that taxing mort
cages meant double taxation.
There were three bills introduced
by Rice several days ago that caused
much discussion, and they all got
through as they came from the COM
mittec. after Silver Bow had fixed
one affecting the salaries of officers
in that county to suit the wishes of
| its representatives
The first bin was No. 314 and it
makes a new classification OF the
counties. This is how they are CLASH
| fed under the proposed law:
| First class counties, those having
an assessed valuation of more than
S24 0OO,0 900.
Second class. more than $4,000, 900
and less than S24000,000.
Third class, more than $15,O00.000
and less than $20,OOO,OO0.
Fourth class, more than 81 900 600
and less than s15,OOO,000.
Fifth class, more than $S.O00,0OO
and less than $11 100000.
! Sixth class. more than $5,000,0O0
and less than $S,0O0.000.
Seventh class. more than 100000
aid less than $5,0OO,OO0.
Eighth class, all counties having
an assessed valuation of less than
! $4,000. 600
This bill went through without de-
bate and wos favorably reported.
The companion bill, No 315, fixed
the salaries in the various counties
reduced those in Silver Bow. the only
first class county, and also those in
other counties. It affected other
counties because Of the classification
in that it reduced them notch in
their class, putting Lewis and Clarke
and Cascade in the third class in
ead of the second class, as now,
and giving the officers the salaries
now allowed in third class counties.
Webb made the first protest by
sending up an amendment changing
the salary Of the treasurer in the
seventh class counties. The bill
made it 81 800 and he wanted it in
creased to $4,000 In support of his
amendment, he said the treasurers
of counties of that class had to give
bonds for from $15000O to $1S0.00O.
and that it cost them money to do
So I'VE have allowed the members
of Lewis and Clarke to legislate for
their county. he said, land We of
the lower class counties only ask
. that we be allowed to legislate for
our counties without interference
. Lanstrum, Speaker White and Con.
and against the amendments. The
per capita tax in our state" said
Lanstrum. is greater than any Other
state in the union. These county Off
GERS are getting too much for the
services they perform. We passed
bill here only few days ago pro-
vding that surety bonds shall be
paid for by the counties, and that re-
leves officials of that cost. We can
get just as good men to hold offices
under the salaries proposed in this
bill as we now do under the present
law. These men are paid out of al
proportion to the work they do, ant
in proportion to the salary the!
:, would receive in private life. The
y ways and means committee and rep
! rcsentatives from other counties con
| sidered these three bills a long while
q and then prepared them, based on thu
: assessed valuation and the work il
: the counties"
6 In rapid succession every item re
v lating to Silver Bow was amended
and all the salaries were put back t.
= the present basis.
v Graham of Missoula tried to hav
@ the enacting clause stricken out, Blu
his amendment to that effect was dc
O feated by vote of "A to 70.
O Allen got in an amendment to rails
the salary of the superintendent O
schools in the eighth class countie
from $500 to $500 year, and i
passed
Then Graham tried to have the bi
recommitted to to the committee.
l.anstrum opposed, saying the bi
would save the taxpayers from 1925
coo to 100000 a year. The motto
of Graham was defeated and the bi
was ordered favorahly reported a
amended.
The third bill of the series is NJ
316, and relates to the number of del
uties in county offices. Silver Boy
got in its work on this bin by increas
ing the number of deputies above
in the office of clerk and recorde
and in the Sheriff's office.
The following bills were passed:
prONi6inp for the having of a ia