Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1877-01-11

imprisonment. which in turn, may prove an
W%e6 d';,1P s e. in view of the chances
AS. you. 1iil be asked to appropriate the
anount of the reward offered for the appre-
henson OF the authors of the Mortified out
rage, it may not be improper to detail here
some of the circumstances. which induced
the action taken in that matter. On the sixth
of September last, band OF eight men, thor
oughly armed and mounted, entered the vii
lage Of Mortified, in this State, and, in mid
Gday, while some OF them sought to Overawe
the citizens by boisterous intimidation and
reckless firing in the streets, which caused
the death of one person, the remainder at
tempt was frustrated by the heroic firmness
Of the acting cashier, who paid the penalty by
the forfeiture of his noble life. The delay
thus afforded, gave time for rally of the
citizens, who shot two of the bandits, and
compelled the others to fly. The alarm of the
citizens widely spreading, the robbers were
closely pursued, but they succeeded in elud,
OF the event, l at once offered reward tor
ing their speedy apprehension probable, from
the accounts that reached me, limited such
reward to 81, 800 for the culprits still at large.
The robbers continuing to elude their pur-
81, 600 for each culprit, the same to include
all expenses OF capture. Pressing requests
were made of me for the employment of the
militia and other military forces, but deem
ed it an occasion for detective vigilance and
celebrity OF movement rather than the exer-
else Of military force, which would have en-
increasing the chances of capture in the alb
sence Of special incentives. After hull i'll
the excitement OF pursuit, and a delay lead
ing to the fear of their final escape, four OF the
remaining robbers were finally overtaken,
driven into swamp, and while one was kill
ed the other three were wounded end captur-
November term of the District Court of the
District, plead guilty to the crimes with which
they were charged and were sentenced to i'm
prisonment for lite. Conflicting claims have
been made for the reward offered for the
capture of the robbers which could not le
granted both because could not determine
tile relative force, nor pay them II determine
ed, until the requisite appropriation should
he made by you. solicit your early atten-
ton to this matter, and suggest the. appoint
| ment OF a commission to hear evidence and
| determine the just apportionment of TIE re-
ward.
Ideem it source Of 'congraiulation that a
| long career Of crime, and who by their daring
! adroitness and disregard tor life, have eluded
the justice OF other States and kept a large
extent OF country in constant alarm, have at
last been Overtaken by justice 1t is not too
much to claim the result as due to the pcrsis-
tent energy and courage OF our citizens and
to thrt love OF justice and respect for the SOW
n WI GO r6c
popular institutions. Our people have per-
| formed service i'll behalf of these, not mere
ly for themselves, but tor the less fortunate
communities where such defences are less
| reliable.
Nor can dismiss this subject without adj
ding word OF commentator to the just
| tributes which have been paid to the conduct
of the brave man whose name will ever hold
| honorable connection with it. No tale OF
Greece or Rome, nor the annals OF heroism in
| any age, recounts decd OF nobler personal
| sacrifice. Without the pomp and emblazo
ment which so much impel to deeds of dar-
ing, J.; Il. Haywood opposed gentle tirmness
Of death in preference to life, purchased at
the cost of its severest fidelity In that sacri-
fetal act he exhibited not alone exalted cour-
age, but such attributes as attest all the
nobler possibilities OF human nature.
l. COUNTY ORGANIZATION.
me absence otany express provision Tor the
organization of counties which have been for
mally established by law, has led to much
confusion and irreeularity, and sometimes to
contests between two sets OF officers, claiming
their regular election by the people. The old
territorial statute which explicitly provided
for the first operation of county government
was repealed, or so modified, under the re-
vision of 1866, as to indicate no method OF pro-
cedure, and to divest the Governor Of any
express authority to the end proposed.
Where there has seemed an urgent neces-
sity tor speedy county organization, it has
| been the practice of the executive to exercise
the implied but doubtful power to appoint
commissioners for such county, and to au-
thorize them to appoint other county officers
and set the machinery of county government
| in motion. The proceedings thus taken in
advance it has been customary to legalize by
| subsequent act of legislature. They seem
| to me to be liable to abuse, and / recommend
that all steps for the formal organization OF
new counties be prescribed and regulated by
| express provisions OIL law.
FRONTIER ELECTION PRECINCTS.
The necessity Tor proper regulation 10y law
OF all matters pertaining to the organization
OF counties will be especially seen in relation
| to the establishment OF election precincts. A
former law provided that upon the petition of
| ten resident voters in any unorganized county
the Governor should proclaim and publish
| VIC lOTultl CEcdtIOu VI pTcCllCG dSkcu
This law having been repealed, the voters in
such counties were left without opportunity
| to exercise the elective franchise. In this
! emergency the Governor has sought to afford
such opportunity by a temporary OrganiZa-
| ton ofthe county in the appointment Of ccm-
J missioners who, under existing laws, are au-
thorized to establish election precincts. This
was done under the doubtful authority re-
ferred to, which seemed to lie the only means
of preventing the practical disfranchisement
Otlegalized voters. But it is obvious that be-
sides being liable to abuse such q procedure,
| i'll the event OF closely contested election,
might lead to serious trouble. l solicit your
due consideration OF a matter requiring law
full regulation.
CHRISTOPHER QUESTION.
The extended and increasing destructive
ness Of the lOcusts or grasshoppers is mat
ter OF portentious and vital concern for the in
croaching area, these insects now occupy more
or less OF the vast region lying between the
Mississippi river and the Rocky mountains
between Hudson's Bay and the gulf of Mexico.
They invaded no less than sixteen States and
Territories during the past year, including,
indeed, seven States lying east Of the Missis-
sippi. Their mysterious habits, tile celebrity
conceivable numbers, the illilnitable theatre
for their incursions and their Unsuitable rapac-
ity, combine to render them national scourge
which demands national remedy. Against
such an enemy, indeed, whileit may be doubt
tul whether any human agency may avail, it
is certain that unless speedily checked, moth
ing less than the combined power ingenuity
and resources OF State and Nation can he sue
cesstnl. In our swn State, while there was
less complete devastation in any single local.
ity in 1916 than in some prior years, the raw
ages OF the insects were more widespread
and their eggs deposited in greater increas
ed area.
Deeply impressed with the gravity of the
situation, applied myself to the collection
of information and to the study of the sub
ject, by which was led to two principal con-
illusions, first, that SO far as concerns the in
fesets Matching out in our own soil, it is es
stage Of their existence, from embryo to ma
turity, to SO tar exterminnte them and guard
against their attacks, as to secure substantial
exemption from their ravages; second, that
aQainsk the full ced swarn1s which nm.