The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1909-04-07
WEDNESDAY, APRIL z, 1909.
CREATING NEW COUNTIES.

SneA SN1 NEW ~OON
It appears that the creation of q
new county from the western part OF
Flathead county, which was effected
by an act passed by the eleventh leg.
islative assembly, is meeting with
opposition from . number of tax.
payers in the localities affected. A
recent dispatch from Kalispell brings
this news of the situation:
"A fund is being literally sub.
scribed to by taxpayers of the terri.
tory included in the newly created
county of Lincoln, for the purpose of
instituting legal proceedings to stop
the organization of the new county,
and it is claimed that an Injunction
will be sought to suspend the action
of the bill until the matter can be
fought out in the courts. 1t Is claimed
by come OF those interested that the
bill passed by the senate and to which
the governor aflxedlhis sign AZURE diff.
fers in some important "details from
that passed by the house, and it is
reported that upon Itheselgrounds the
bill be attacked. A large percentage
Of the taxpayers of the new county are
firmly opposed to being segregated
from Flathead county,"
Without entering into the merits Of
the Lincoln county controversy, the
contemplated legal proceedings call
attention to the unsatisfactory method
Of creating new counties, under the
provisions of theS Montana statutes.
In q great many cas- the burden of
maintaining an additional county
government, with an increase in the
number and payrolliof public officials
and other expenses, 10 thrust upon the
taxpayers without consulting them as
to the desirabilityoof such q change;
and the newt county having been
formed and organized, there is no
available method9 by which the tax
payers can avoid the expense and
responsibility imposed upon them by
unnecessary or unwise Legislation of
this kind.
The movement to create q new coun.
ty is generally initiated and handled
in the legislative assembly by men
who have official preferment in view,
or some other incentive of a person al
nature. These interests form a lobby
to secure favorable action upon a
MEASURE of which they are the origi-
majors, while the taxpayers who will
be affected materially by the proposed
legislation, are not represented at
committee hearings or at any other
stage of thesprOceedings. The bill to
create the new.county is considered by
members of the legislature who have
NO personal knowledge of conditions
In the territory affected, who have
never visited there, who have not the
least knowledge of the desirability of
passing the new county. bill, and who
are advised onlylby the lobbyists who
desire its enactment. The latter use
their most persuasive powers, and
frequently other resources, to further
their ends, and II their efforts meet
with success they aareioprepared to
claim their reward in the form of
public office, or something just as
good.
This method of forming new coun.
ties is q reflection upon the intelli-
gence OF Montana citizens, and per.
mits an abuse of power by the legis-
lative assembly. The creation of q
county should be primarily a propo-
sition to secure greater. public benefit
from the expenditure sof a given m
cunt of public funds. The interests
nos affected are those of the tax
payers, and a new county should not
be created unless the latter express
their belief that a separate county
government is desirable for their con.
ventence, or as a means of securing
better returns for the public money
expended.
II a proposition of this kind has
merit, If it can be demonstrated to be
for the public benefit and that it will
be worth its cost, its submission to the
taxpayers would undoubtedly meet
with a favorable response. But other
propositions, which under present
conditions are sometimes favored by
the legislative assembly, would be
turned down.