Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1884-11-03
THE BALANCE OF POWER.

THE BALANCE OF POWER.
Mr.. Editor: It seems to be the wish
and determination of the voters of Tur-
ner county to settle the question of the
relocation of the county seat this fall.
The inconvenience attending the hold
ing of court and the transaction of the
county's business render this impera-
tive. A false estimate of the capabili-
ties and resources of the county is
formed by strangers who have business
here which injuriously affects immigra-
ton and the investment of capital, and
consequently rctards its development.
This county seat question also divides
the county into factions and prevents
any concerted action for the benefit of
the county. While our neighboring
counties are building up expensive in
stitutions at the expense of the Terri
tory we are left out in the cold. Yank-
ton has its insane asylum, Clay has its
university, minnehaha its penitentiary,
and normal schools and colleges are
springing UP around us. While the
representatives of adjoining counties
are working for and securing these
honors and substantial benefits, what
are Turner county's statesmen doing in
the halls of legislation Take up a re-
port OF the proceedings of the last leg
islature and we find, 1.-The honorable
gentlemen from Turner county asks
leave to introduce bill to legalize the
acts OF Vale Z. Thielman as notary
public of Turner county," and thirty
SIX men at $500 a day spend about
week in the consideration and passage
of this bill. This and the infamous in
corporation bill of the town of Parker
are all the benefits Turner county has
received from the Dakota legislature.
In my opinion, Mr.. Editor, the only
remedy for this state of things is the
settlement OF the county seat question,
SO that we can unite in electing men
to ill the offices who are capable and
honest and not because they favor this
place or that place for the county seats
The question then arises, Where
should the county seat be located? We
say in the center of the population, at
the point most accessible and conve-
nient to the people of tbs county. We
believe it this point can be settled sat
isfactorily in the minds of the voters.
the question can be settled at this cleo
tion. Among those who have not in
vestigated the matter the opinion pre-
walls that Parker is the center of the
population of the county. There might
have been some truth in this two or
thrse years ago before the building of
the Northwestern railway; but since
then the large increase of population
caused by the building up of Centre
vile and Hurley has changed this con-
dltlon and the assessors returns for the
present year OF the population of the
county shows that the south half of
the county contains nearly 800 more
votes than the north halt. The Parker
precinct now contains 1863 votes Q8
less than it polled two years ago), while
Hurley has $50 and CentervilIe l44.
And While two years ago Parker polled
90 votes south of the line, Hurley and
swan Lake secured 16O north of it.
The largest vote that Parker has polled
on the county seat question is 62l.
about 500 less than a two-thirds vote of
the present voting population, and as
Parker's voting population is on the
decline and the new towns of Hurley
and Centerville rapidly filling up. it is
PLAIN that a majority vote even for
Parker is no longer a possibility, to say
nothing of two-thirds vote. If any
argument were necessary to show that
Parker has lost its grip IN the county
and that its political sun has set, wit
ness their overwhelming deafeat ut
the county conventions this fall and the
humlliatlng spectacle Of holding a so
called republican convention in the
streets OF Swan Lake and the sore-head
crowd being harangued by few curb
stone politicians frop, dry-goods box.
Parker is situated about six and one
half miles from the north line of the
county and twenty-five miles from the
south line, While Hurley is situated
fourteen miles from the south line and
fourteen and one-half miles from the
north. Will the hundreds of farmers
living south of Hurley want to driue
their teams about ten miles farther to
get to Parker as the county seat. But
we are told Parker has two railroads.
that is true; but farmers travel by team
and not by rail. The only persons bene-
fitted would be the lawyers and the
monied men coming here to collect
their interest or foreclose their mortga
geS. 10 accommodate these gentlemen
oAS hesA AuSA NC W lTdV6l
ten or fifteen miles farther with his
over-worked team. the county pay extra
mileage on the service of legal process
and the attendance Of witnesses and
jurors at court. The people attending
court would be unable to reach home
at night, the hotel bills more than swal-
lowing their fees, and leaving them in
debt.
Hurley is situated nearer the geo
graphical center of the county than any
other railroad town can be. 1t possesses
better facilities for holding court than
any other town in the county, and
stands prepared to grant the free use of
court room and all the offices necessary
for county purposes, without exp ,nse to
the county, for tiveyears to clme if
necessary. The county is now paving
several hundred dollars year for the
use OF temporary quarters, this could
all be saved and the tax PAYERS of the
county relieved from burdensome tax
attn. We believe the voters O Turner
county will consult their own interest
this tall and locate the county seat at
Hurley. :.
ONE WHO KNOWS.
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