The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1906-09-26
REPUBLICAN, COUNTY TICKET.
INTEREST on PUBLIC FUNDS.

An incident in the:proceedings of the
republican state convention which
will doubtless3be a subject Of warm
discussion during the campaign, is
related and commented upon by the
MissOulian in these remarks:
During the sitting of the republican
state convention at Helena, Hon. T..
j. Porter Of Miles City introduced a
resolution which was tabled, and
properly so, for it vas out of place:
but the people oflMontana irrespective
Of politics indorse the spirit of the
resolution, which is as follows:
Whereas, 1t is known that state
funds are deposited in various banks
in this state: and whereas, the present
state treasurer was elected upon a
platform pledging him to collect and
pay into the state treasury all interest
moneys ACQUIRING on said state moneys:
and whereas, the said state treasurer
has failed to do so.
"Resolved, That we demand that the
attorney general take proper steps to
enforce said payment, and If it is de.
termined that this cannot be done un.
der the present law, then we demand
that the legislature enact such laws as
will enable the said interest money to
be paid into the state treasury on the
moneys in the banks in this state"
Democratic newspapers have
claimed and will claim that republi.
cans object to an investigation of
Treasurer Rice's methods. Such is
not the case. II Mr.. Rice is loaning
state funds, which he has a right to
do. but is receiving the interest on
these loans Is q personal perquisite.
which he has not right to do, he is
following the example OF a long line
OF predecessors. But that doesn't make
1t right. He is doing what county
t~reasurers, democrat and republican,
are said to be doing, but that doesn't
make it right. The Benton River
Press has been fighting for some time
for the preservation of county and
state funds to the people and not to
the individual who handles the funds.
The Press is right and there is not an
honest newspaper who holds to the
cantrary.
There is q salary attached to the Of.
nee OF h state treasurer and to the
office OF the county treasurer as we'll.
The man placed in charge of state or
county funds is the custodian of those
fnnds for the people. II he can loan
out moneys on good security he should
DO so, and If he can secure interest
on deposits that interest should 90 in.
to the state or the county treasury
q not in his own pockets.
This system OF graft has been prac.
tlced by both republicans and demo.
Gratis. AS MIR. Porter y if the
present law annot prevent this graft,
the next Legislative assembly should
enact u law that will prevent it, If
the salary of the state treasurer or the
county treasurer is not high enough,
raise It. n custodian Of public funds
should be paid and we'll paid, but he
Mould not receive one cent more than
his salary calls for. No ten cent mar
should be placed in a dollar position,
and no dollar man is entitled to or
should receive one dollar and ten cents
for his services. No doubt, Mr.. Porter
was actuated by good motives. No
one can impagn them, but we believe
he erred in bringing the matter before
the convention. Not that it hurt the
party, not that it was q terrible reye.
lation or anything Of that kind, but
simply because it is not the right way
to get at the thing.
The republican party is q party of
the people, and compared with the in.
terests of the people the interest of no
one man In it is ace high. The party
has been in the limelight of publicity
for too many years to be frightened
by the appearance in that light of any
man with q dark lantern. Perhaps the
party has done those things it should
not have done and left undone those
things it should have done. but its