The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1906-07-11
COME! AND LET US REASON TOGETHER.


senators ana representatives are EN-
powered to amend the laws and are
paid for the service. They + anxi-
Gus to serve the people and if they
know the peoples will they are surely
ready to obey it.
l will now give the sections of the
constitution and law bearing on this
question so that you Ear Judge for
yourselves. Section IA, Article XII,
Constitution of Montana, says:
The making of profit out of public money OF
using the same for any, purpose not authorized
felony and shah be punished as provided BY Law,
but part of such punishment shall be disqualif'
cation to hold public office.
This is a rigid foundation for the
safety of the public funds and an ad-
mirable found alton for a law that will
place our public business on a bust
ness footing, but the present law is
not such a law. Section 4367, Mon
tana Political Code, reads:
County treasurers must not loan state public
funds.
The county treasurer must keep all moneys be.
longing to the state (public) In his own possession
until disbursed according to law.
So we see that the treasurer is not
only NOT authorized by law to use
the funds for profit but he is pro-
hibited under the most v penal
ties from 50 doing. We must have the
present law repealed and in its place
enact one that will wisely do justice to
all the parties concerned, the treas
urer, the banks and the PEOPLE.
This law should require as strict an
accounting Of the interest as the prin-
cipal: it should provide for an equi-
table distribution of the fluids among
all the banks of the county and should
require the supervision and approval
Of the board Of county commissioners
as the latter part of the section Of our
present law requires.
Such a course will help elevate
county politics to something higher
than talk of graft graft.
graft 1t will undoubtedly save
the taxpayers 50, 900 to 5000 a year,
and its benefits can be secured in one
way aud IN ONE WAY ONLY. viz:
The repeal of the above clauses and
the enactment OF the more u~p-tO-date
and business plan. outlined in the
above words.
! Have Now Arrived at u Point at Which
Hesitate.
| have reviewed the cause that has
occupied the attention of taxpayers
who desire to lift our public business
to a higher level. I have given the
sections of the constitution and the
law bearing on this subject SO that
every voter may form his own con-
illusions based on a knowledge of the
subject. | have offered a plan that |
believe to be RIGHT. and that it is
not only RIGHT bu. that it is the
ONLY RIGHT PLAN.
| expect differences of opinion. l
am ready to concede too that those
who hold contrary opinion are just as
honest, just as sincere as | am my self.
I became a candidat for the office OF
county treasurer more to agitate this
question than from a desire to hold
Office.
Six weeks ago one of the count,
papers spoke in favor of saving tn,
interest on the public money, but out
lined a plan that would virtually de
feat for two years at least the adoption
of a just law for the purpose of tryin!
an experiment: a makeshift. | saw a
once that the plan had many objec
tiOns. viz: That it would delay tn
remedy for two years while the sex
pertinent was being tried: that tn
promises we're unlawful and woul,
disqualify the candida ate from holdin;
the Office if elected; that the promise
; if | made it and attempted to keep i,
i, would place ME in a felon's cell.
. was busy, too busy to outline my pla
OF to give in full my objections and 5
wrote Il short protest.
:, Two papers then joined in trying t
force candidates to make those pledge
: that seemed to me to not only be III
9 lawful but criminal, and they ordere
voters not to vote for any candida'
who refused to make this unlawfl
promise.
Here Is the Most l,isa Task Eve
y Forced Upon Me.
Under the WHIP Of partisan paper
: four candidates made the pledge
n each one Il little higher, a lit
II stronger than the one who preceede
him. Three Of those are warm pc
ie sonal friends of mine, pioneers VII
have with others made Chouteau cou,
:! ty what it is today. All l have su
ported for public office and all ha'
III filled those positions satisfactory
ME.
ty One Of these papers has always be,
ic considered the most conservative
al the Old-time papers of northern Mo
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