The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1923-01-04
THE COUNTY SEAT CONTEST

The county seat contest, instituted by Poplar, in an eff
fort to disregard the expressed will of the electors of the
county and keep the county officers at Poplar for a year or
two more, is proving an exceedingly interesting legal bat
tie and one in which the attorneys are blazing a new trail
and courts establishing new precedents. There appears
never to have been a county seat contest in Montana based
on the same premises as this. To add to the complications
there is no law in this state expressly provided for county
seat contests.
AS a result the case is being tried as a case in equity
or a case in which one side Poplar claims damage or
impending damage. To a layman it is all more or less
confusing. In the first place officials friendly to Poplar
refused to canvass all of the election returns, although the
law plainly prescribed their duties. Wolf Point went di-
rectly to the supreme court and speedily secured a writ
completing the canvasslng to be done and the result to be
declared. This made Wolf Point the permanent seat of
government of the county, which it is today.
On a complaint charging a frrightful list Of crimes
against Wolf Point, Poplar secured from Judge Conner a
temporary injunction that prevented the offices from be-
ing moved to Wolf Point. The trial just held at Poplar
was to investigate these charges sufficiently to determine
if the injunction should remain in force while the contest
started by Poplar was tried, or be dissolved SO that the
offices could be moved. Judge Green decided that from
the standpoint of expediency and business Judgment it is
wise to keep the offices where they are until the contest is
settled.
Wolf Point, through its attorney, will appeal to the
supreme court and seek to have the injunction set aside
before the contest trial begins. This would not interfere
with the trial of the case.
Whichever side loses the contest will without doubt
appeal, so the case cannot be expected to be finally set
tied before a year and probably two, or even more. Ger
tain it is Wolf Point will go the whole route. She won a
clean-cut, unmarried victory and will protest to the utmost
her rights and the rights of those who chose Wolf Point
permanent county seat. In this spectacular fight Wolf
Point and her friends are exceedingly fortunate in having
the services of lawyers who rank at the very top among
the law firms of the Northwest. They are well satisfied to
take their chances with George Hurd pitted against Geo.
Bangs, after watching the two in action.
So far the contest has been one sided with Poplar al
leging things and Wolf Point on the defensive. But when
the general contest comes to trial, February 1, Poplar, as
we'll, will be open to attack. That Wolf Point will win in
the final result is ~foregone conclusion because she re-
cieved a decisive majority of the legal votes. The de-
cision of the people cannot be overthrown by the sworn
complaints of individuals or the cunning subterfuges Of
attorneys. Delay is all Poplar can gain, no doubt all she
expects to gain. But she and the county will pay a good
round price for her temporary satisfaction.