The Havre herald. [volume] (Havre, Mont.) 1904-1908, 1906-07-06

1
lawful promise.
Under the WHIP of partisan pa
pers four candidates made the pledges.
each one a little higher; a little
stronger than the one who preceded
him; three of these are warm personal
friends of mine, pioneers who have
made Chouteau county what it is
today: All three have supported for
public office and all of them have fill
ed thosepositions satisfactory to me.
| One of the papers has always been
considered the most reliable the most
conservative, of the old-time papers
of Northern Montana.
Must strike my best, my oldest
friends?
certainly shrink from such a du-
ty, and were it not that the cruel, the
unjust words IF they won't make
this promise to violate the law, to
trample the constitution, don't vote
for them We're ever ringing in my
ears, | should not notice the argu-
ments of any who oppose the enact
nlent CT a good law.
Let ME say for the benefit of those
who areopposed to a lawful remedy.
that | concede that they are sincere.
| believe that those men assume that
what is morally right must be le-
gally right and being pressed to make
those promises, made them thought
lessly; and I will say too for the
River Press that in printing both
sides it shows a disposition to get in |
to the right path, and must be cred
tied with desire for fairness in pub
fishing the following from the Liv-
ingston Enterprise:
"When the Republican county con-
ventlon met in September, 1894, and
nominated a full ticket from repre-
sentative down to coroner, the CLASH
tlcation of counties had advanced the
salaries Of many Of Park county's
offices to $4,000 per annum. A dele
pledge themselves to re-
turn, in case Of their election, any
excess between second and third
class salary. The motion was carried,
and plank embodying this provision
was inserted in the platform.
"On the day following the adjourn
ment OF the convention it was dis
covered that an error had been COM
mitted The central committee re-
tanned Hon. G. S. Hartman, then con-
gresham, and after a thorough in
vestigation of the matter, it was sug-
gested that the candidates repudiate
the plank, in published communica-
tlon. This was Immediately done.
The opinion of Mr.. Hartman was
a lengthy one, the principal authority
cited being an Iowa case entitled Car
rothers VS.. Russell. In that instance
the successful candidate pledged him
self not to accept more than $1,000 {
per annum OF the salary in case he
was elected, and to pay a deputy out ,
If that sum. He was elected and the
defeated candidate contested his cleo 6
ton. In passing upon the case the T
court, among other things
,aid:
49, An offer, made by a candidate {
or d public office for the purpose of
raining votes, that if elected he will
Day into the public treasury all fees
II the office a ove certain sum, in S
Talidates his election and disqualities r
lin for Office
"Unless there has been switch I
OmeWhere in this state, the pledges c
# the candidates for county treasurer
n Chouteau county are apt to act as
, boomerang" Q
The case of Carruthers vs.. Russell, | q
think was the outcome of what was n
noWn asthe Grange agitation and +
an mostly against high salaries of O.
Ulcers; they assumed that legislators
we're "Boodlers" and as the Chinook Z
opinion expresses it rather uncertain
fairs and that no man had a NOR
righttomore than an honest salary
Ihich they set in this case at 81 800 A
Hundreds of candidates in the mid =,
lie west made those promises but a g
cry few only were elected and those O.
Tho were, lost the offices by being q
eclared "ineligible" by the courts. a
Park COUNTY Republicans evidently
Ould not wait for a law to reduce
alaries, so they too resorted to :,
pledges of candidates. to remedy the - -
listakes of an ''uncertain legislature" u
ut thanks" to an able lawyer and a
OF pettifogger, they were able to g
i've themselves fom litigation and u
arious trouble u
Our case is a parallel to the other
Vo inthis; its advocates have no IT
18th il the law, or legislatures; and u
eek justice by means of pledges of II
Indicates" just the same as did the b
h., 0nt the consideration offered u
lie voters in. the first two cases o.
&C small comma red to the amount le