The Grant County herald. (Big Stone City, Grant County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1883, 1881-11-04
TAX PAYERS OF GRANT
COUNTY.

upon to vote for or against the re-
moval of the county seat. We ask
you to give this question your thought
full attention and decide upon it for
your own best interests and for the
interest of every tax payer in the
county. We present to your atten-
tion q few plain facts.
At the commencement Of the year
1851, two new Commissioners took
their place upon the Board. When
they took their oath of office about
the first Of January, the county was
in debt something over $4,000. In
nine months these men have added to
this debt nearly OF quite 100000.
How has this been done, and where
has this money been put is the ques-
tion. 1t is clear that the county has
not received an equivalent for this
enormous debt which the tax payers
will he called upon to pay. Who is
it that has encouraged these Commits
sioners III their unlawful and eXtraya-
gancy expenditures. These two Com
misSionerS alone would not have
dared to brave public opinion and
commit this outrage upon the tax
payers Of the county, had they not
been supported, encouraged and
backed by some one. Who is 1T that
has given them this support and en-
couragementi 1t is a little ring of
politicians in Milbank. who have the
Commissioners under their control,
and are bleeding the county for their
own aggrandiZement. The members
OF this ring are the main movers in
this county seat question. They are
anxious to get the county seat where
their frauds and stealth. will not be
SO likely to be detected, and whers
they can more easily cover up theil
? dishonest practices. Are you willing
: to have the county seat removed, s.
that these men can do this.
Il The debt which the Commissioners
! have run the county into IN the past
! nine months has already more tina!
u doubled our taxes, and it is thei
= av0Wed intention OF erecting costn
" buildings as soon as removal has heel
Il decided upon. Are You willing Y
: burden yourselves still heavier, tha
: these men who have proved them
= selves dishonest and incompetent
y may have tic giving cut Of contract
= for large buildings. Have they nc
? already demonstrated that they az
u incapable Of managing public affail
! even on !, small scale. Think OF tn
S trec}lessness with which they haV
> squandered the public funds in til
! past and judge for yourselves If 10
- :, can entrust IL their hands the II
= poYtant business Of constructing eoul
u ty buildings.
10 not lie deceived by the repo1
j. j. that private individuals will ere'
!. buildings If the county seat IS II
IL moved. The buildings will be erectt
70 but the county will have to pay f
:. - them. Incompetency and dlshones1
i. have already doubled your taxes, q
tv YOU willing to allow them TO douh
as them again.
3. The argument that Your farm
,h property is nearer Milbank than i
to >ton, City, sinks into insignificant
re- when compared with the enorns
81 : debt which will have to be paid
,or extra taxation. Can you afford
Ia have Your taxes doubled. by renoyl
OK the county seat at the present tin
= = or will it not pay you to wait befe
no you vote for removal until hone
,ut ard capable men are in control Of
pc county government, men who y
- use economy and common sense
,er the public business.
six We ask the tax payers OF the cou1
to consider this question well bef'
ilil they place their ballots in the b
I'M The question Of whether the conl
ess seat is removed to Milhank or rema
for where it is for another year is
w ~ minor Importance. when compared
In the question Of higher taxation, VII
and is so closely connected with reno
veil at this time. 1t is to the interest
d if every tax payer to let the county $
,ars remain where it is until honest ;
CAPABLE men are elected to fill