The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1922-10-13
'HOME RULE FOR
MONTANA COUNTIES

4E1VAv a N VI II OVSAS xxsA0 =
That is the question involved in the
constitutional amendment which will
be submitted to the voters of the state
November seventh, according to Frank
A. Hazelbaker of Dillon, chairman of
the central committee on the amend
ment, which authorizes the legislature
to provide plan of government for
cities and counties under special or
general laws.
"Many counties in this state are
beginning to realize that they are
thinking units, not merely geograph-
zeal divisions. They are awakening
to an appreciation of their identity
and their ability to organize and man.
age many concerns which have been
conspicuously mishandled, either by
state authorities or by the smaller To-
cal units,'' Mr. Hazelbaker declares.
Custom-made governmental gar
ments, replacing the straitlaced anti
euated type of county administration,
a heritage from the days of King Al
fred the Great and brought over by
the Virginia colonists in 1854 can be
ordered under the provisions of the
amendment, he explained.
GOVERNMENT TO ORDER
Counties that are satisfied with
their present government as it stands,
will not be compelled to change just
because the existing forms of govern
ment have been outgrown by others,
he added ftAt present, no county is
able to consider its own special local
problems and needs. 1t must accept
the form laid down by the state law,
though it may be too loose In some
places and too tight III others. No
two counties have exactly the, same
physical characteristics, the same So
ciaL.and industrial conditions, so the
ready-made county system has proven
both EXPENSIVE and unsatisfactory.
The amendment will permit any coun-
ty to have it's own size and shape TAX
en- into consideration will allow its
cloak of authority to be made to
measure" he said.
Montana will not have much trail
blazing to do in readjusting its types
of county government, Mr.. Hazelbak-
er stated. More than eleven years
ago he said, California, a pioneer in
municipal home rule wishing to bring
government all down the line to con-
form with the standards of simplicity
and efficiency, opened the way. Since
then, he declared, counties all over the
country have been taking the neces-
sary steps to adopt the California
plan with various notifications.
. The California amendment, he ex-
planned, gives the people of the
county. freedom to determine the
form and detail of the county organi-
cation, subject to the provisio that
each of the necessary county officers
such as sheriff, district attorney must
be maintained to execute the state
law within the county. The Montana
amendment will give each county still
greater leeway in working out it's own
salvation and securing better, more
efficient type of administration with
less cost, he added.
SERVES TWO PURPOSES
Two distinct purposes are to be
served by the amendment, Mr.. Hazel
baker declared. First it will permit
counties to change the form of their
county government; second it will al
low city-county consolidation. The
first provision, he said, affects every
county in the state which wishes to
cut down expenses and operate with
better returns for the taxpayer. "The
consolidation provisio is of interest to
counties with a large urban popula-
ton and in which dual city and coun-
ty administration is proving doubly
expensive without furnishing proper
tionate returns in good government.
Few counties will desire consolida-
ton, but all counties are interested in
securing more economical and efficient
government under competent admins
tration."
AS typical of the scope of interest
being shown in the amendment, he
cited the endorsements given it by the
Montana Municipal league convention
in Anaconda, the Republican State
convention, the Democratic State con-
vention, the Montana Rotary Clubs,
the State Taxpayers association con-
vention, the Montana Rotary Clubs,
the State Taxpayers association con-
vention in Great Falls, the State Tax
payers league, Governor Joseph M.
Dixon, former governor S. v. Stew
art, Congressman Carl Riddick, B. K
Wheeler, democratic nominee for the
United States senate and scores of
other leading figures in Montana's
public affairs.
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