The people's voice., 1958-04-11
In Helena There Are Many
Glass Houses

V1OSS E1VOSVo
big this week contention by
State Examiner E. Towe that Secretary of State Frank Muir
ray improperly converted his upwards of three
thousand dollars in fees while he Clerk of the State Su
preme Court
Towle following of the records of the
Supreme Court Clerks office contends that certain fees
ceived by Murray for services rendered to firm West Publish
ing Co.. which distributes court decisions throughout
the country should have into the State Treasury
Murray reply 'the practice of receiving
men for services rendered which not part of the duties of
clerk for making of opinion and sending them to the
West Publishing Company unattesed and not certified to- has
been in existence in Montana long Montana has been
and 1883 He further points out that fees he
collected this extra currcuar job considered part
of the duties of the office for which fees must be collected for
the State then a of predecessors in office have been
in without any knowledge their part
For all the daily headlines which convict him of wrong
doing whether Murray Cor his predecessors acted in other
than ethical in accepting such fees CD matter
be determined by the courts (2 if law covering such
practices is lacking then matter for policy determination by
the legislature.
Fee acceptance for rendered above and beyond
the requirements of state office i Murray points out
traditional practice That should be blasted this time
omnous black headlines would indicate that politics rather
than purity the motvang factor this with the certain
knowledge that at least those Aronson apponees who
suddenly began sprou wings cognizan
the eeaccepance practices of certain state departments for
It no secret that the offices of Chief Clerk of the House
of Representatives and the Secretary of the Senate have been
most eagerly soughafter political plums the yearand
not because of the pddy pay or the honor of office Each Of
flee be worth several thousands of dollars feesfor
servcesrendered each legislative session Ask any
ton lobbyist how much he pays to receive all copies of egs
ative bills If he be honest about he'll tell you anything
from $50 o up.
Likewise is secret that employees of other state de-
partments bolster their incomes by exracuicuar work State
records public business but there nothing in the law
which makes duty of department to provide copies of
such records individual citizens free of charge You
either off the material want some
department employee to do for the work done on
State time then most asuredy the fee should into the State
Treasury.
Feeaccepance by state employees for special services rend
cred individuals and corporations longtime practice in
Montana state (and county and city, governmental circles
1t not and has not been the exclusive franchise of parans of
of fhicI
moment has not been determined That this tempest should
be blown right this time by appontees of the Aronson
mnsraon does give for AS noted above purity
does not to be the underlying movang factor there
FORE the political aspect is suspect Aftera woud indeed
be nice (for the administrator control of the Board
of Examiners could be grabbed result of simulated popu
lar outcry which might Murray retire from public
life.-HLB
PSince much smoke has
pintees might be all to the legislative
its
determination of how widespread the
might around and departments
of the Governor didn't maugate cleaning
of State