The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1906-07-11

St SAA ANS ~ ASA4GV "Xlkl u
desire for fairness in publishing the
following from the Livingston Enter
prise:
When the republican county convention met in
September. 1894, and nominated q full ticket from
of counties had advanced the salaries of MANY of
Park county Offices to $4,000 per annum. A del
egate to the convention moved that all candidates
pledge themselves to return, in case Of their cleo
ton, any excess between a second and third-class
salary. The motion was carried, and . plank en-
bodying this provision was inserted in the plat
form.
On the day following the adjournment of the
convention it was discovered that an error had
been committed. The central committee retained
Hon. c 5. Hartman, then congressman, and after
a thorough investigation of the matter It was sug-
gested that the candidates repudiate the plank, in
q published communication. This was imme-
The opinion of Mr.. Hartman was a lengthy one,
the principal authority. cited being an Iowa case
entitled Carrothers W.. Russell. In that instance
the successful, candidate pledged himself not to
accept more than 81 500 per annum of the salary
II n.f s: ,"m he Mss x s'se sise,,: :Sd into no P Pss s E sispss9y o o"s #
case the supreme court, among other things. said:
tor An A. G n.1n made e, BY Sy, : Ssnd xd;ss. for Or, = !; .;.s, oi' &c
will pay into the public treasury all fees of the
office above a certain sum, invalidates his election
and disqualiies him for office"
Unless there has been a switch somewhere in
this state, the pledges of the candidates for county
treasurer in Chouteau county are apt to act az a
boomerang.
The ease OF Carrothers vs.. Russell
l think was the outcome of what was
known as the "Grange agitation
and a mostly against high salaries
of county officers. They assumed that
legislators were ''boodlers," and as
the Chinook Opinion expresses it as
rather uncertain affairs and that
no man had a moral right to more
than an honest salary which they set
in this case at $500.
Hundreds of candidates in the mid
die west made those promises but a
very few only were elected, and those
who were, lost the offices by being de-
clared ''ineligible" by the courts.
Park county republicans evidently
could not wait for a law t o reduce sal
aries 50 they too resorted to ''pledges
of candidates. to remedy the mistakes
of an uncertain legislature" but
thanks" to an able lawyer not a
pettifogger, they We're able to save
themselves from litigation and serious
trouble.
Our case is a parallel to the other
two in this: Its advocates have no
faith in the law. or legislatures. the
same as the other two, and sought
justice by means of pledges of candi-
date" just the same as did the others,
but the consideration offered the voters
in the first W cases was small COM
pared to the amount offered in this
county, for at only 4 per cent. the in
terest would amount to $1,000 in such
years as this and more in prosperous
times.
In the n of getting the morey
to reward the people for their votes
there is some difference. In Park
county and with the Changers the
money was in the treasury and the
people had paid it in, it vas theirs;
they decided that the difference be.
tween the ''boodlers' " salary and an
honest salary was also theirs, and
morally they may have been right,
but legally they were wrong.
We claim that we have a right tC
draw interest on our public money
and morally that is so, but legally i,
is a crime for anyone to collect inter
est OF public funds. Then what would
be my position if l should promise to
do an unlawful act to get money te
reward the people for their votes:
would be far worse off than those mer
who only promised to leave a small
amount in the treasury.
:. The plan l have outlined is not be
. set with litigation, with uncertaint,
or disgrace and unlimited waste O
i, money, but it is a lawful, peaceful
successful and without cost. We pa,
, our legislature to modify our law
and keep them up to the civilization
OF the age; they will be anxious to do
| their duty. Then let us make know
to them our will and if they need on
0 moral support let us give it.
Expetients and Makeshifts Are No Ne,
Things in Politics.
The booming of cannon on that he
August day at Athens. Missouri. |
!, miles from my birthplace, is to thi
, day ringing in my ears. and it wa
:, caused by the contempt OF our south
crn brethren for the law-making powe
of the national legislature. The t'owc
OF our land. our beardless boys, on
: Young men, who We're then my ideal {
manhood. our middle-aged men, hast
e ~ donued those Angelic uniforms
d blue and marched southwark in has,
to offer up their live, to support II
@ dignity OF the law.
l. Before thai time the resort to arm
p. seems to have been the prevailin
e custom. but since then the lack
o faith in the law has taken a mild,