Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1860-12-29
The Witness Editor Called Tp.

OF his time and space last week to review
ing our article of the previous week. He
deyotes rear dozen chapters to our hum.
bic SELF and about half the number to 9TH
er subjects-showing that we trouble him
two-thirds of his time and all things else
only third.
Tho Witness having for months scarcely
ceased harping upon its county division
hobby, and during the time veryioflen spur
red US in view Of provoking replies and
Thereby begetting agitation, we though to
challenge the Witness for immediate action
Of some kind in order to stop its harping at
a definite future time We proposed
that the Witness division men fix on some
division line or lines Immediately, ask the
legislature for an act authorizing the people
20 vote next spring for and against division
upon such line or lines, as the Witness
may propose, and thus settle the question
at once. Those who oppose division would
| in all probability not object to the act pas
sing the legislature and Fot;ug on the ques-
tisn. We thought the Witness would fa-
vor our method of Settlement, and howev-
er the vote on the question might terminate
| the Fitness must then rest from its troubles
lard all parties rest for many years to come.
'IThe Witness has said that majority Of
the people want the county divided now
here is our cooperation to test the matter
fairly and legally. Fix your lines and we
will sign petition asking for an act author
izing vote on the question. If the legis-
lature fails to pay any attention to US and
the people refuse to petition, then may the
Fitness hang up its harp. Should the
Witness back down under some false pre-
tense or other less manly method Of testing
the question; or by some flourish in its US
ual style of brag-that the division folks
are able to manage their own business with
out our dictation, then we shall take it for
granted that the FITNESS has no confidence
in the people, and that the intent is to
snake through the legislature at some fll-
ture time an act for division without regard
for popular majority. y
We learn, however, that the real design
of the Fitness is, to stave off action till
next fall when the question is to be tested
in the election of Senator and members
of Assembly. The plan is to have the
democrats run a division man--nalne al
ready announced IN private circles; he
would carry about all bis party without
respect to the division question; then allow
the republicans to run candidate opposed
to division, and the division republicans
with the Illness at their head are to bolt
and support the democratic candidate in
numbers sufficient to elect him; then
claim the result as a division triumph and
in pursuance thereof have an act pass the
Legislature dividing Grant into two or three
counties. Now we appeal to our readers
whether il would not be fairer, more honor
able and satisfactory to the public for our
suggestion to prevail, and the vote be taken
at the ensuing spring election. 1t can all
be done by agreement of parties; the agi-
tation would not last over month, and the
question would be tested without mixing
it with politics.
As regards our opposition to division,
we stated our position two weeks age. As
affecting our interest, we have as much to
gain by. division rs to lose. The Wemess
ridicules our assertion that the printing Of
small counties pays about as much as of
large counties. Iowa and Lafayette coun-
ties average each about half the size Of
Grant; and the public printing Of each is
about the same as of Grant county. We
have tile exact amounts, which vary but lit
tie. i The salaries and income of county Of
ficers Of small counties are just as much and
often more than Of large counties, az we
have also the figures to show. The per
cent. Of county tax in small counties is al
ways two to six times greater than Of large
counties as We have the figures to present
the consequence is, people Of small counties
are unable TO pay their taxes, their lands
are sold and the result is, fat fees for Off
GERS and proportionsbly extended delin-
quent lists for printers.
The general designof the Fitness ed
itor, through his dozen chapters devoted to
bis hobby and the Herald, appears to have
been to give us all the selfish qualities o.
himself. and all the bad motives which his
morbid mind possesses. In every article
of his may be seen in the back ground his
own partly concealed motives and eccen-
tricities, with horns and claws protruding
| "a machine artist, with but little natural