The Columbus journal., 1885-04-08

for my whistle. You say your reason
for advocating the township law is
that It will make the people more
familiar with the government of the
county. Did you take into account
how much more expensive your
theory of discipliniDg the boys in
your familiar tactics would be than
the old system Of commissioner cost
the tax-payers2 You state how the
boys in Rome had to learn the twelve
tables of the law. Why We haye men
here that It would not injure to learn
twenty -four Of them. / am aware Of
the zeal you bear towards your
fellow.men, particularly the people
of Platte county, who aspire to be
rulers, and I will not place straw In
your way II you try % make Spartan
philosopher of every mothers son of
them, providing you instruct them in
the use of brown bread aud black
broth as . diet, 80 as to fit them for
that true economy you SO much de-
sire them to learn.
You ask is st. Bernard peculiar
from the rest of the county2 l hope
90. If not, God help the taxpayers
Of the other towns. Why, my dear
cir, this town is full of peculiarities.
We have some very peculiar and
charitable men on our town board, or
did in '84. just think of the philsn-
throphy that was shown by our guar
dians of the public purse! Then
charity was highly commendsble;
they made q present Of 800 bridge
to . neighbor wherein he could get
his hay over Shell Creek, and placed
the same where there was no located
road or right of way whatever,
simply to please his honor, one Of the
chief justices who was the ruling
power on that magnanimous board.
And still their charities seemed un-
bounded. Nicholas Pauley's bill a.
supervisor only SITS and some Of his
claim for overseeing work done on
this bridge that was presented to my
neighbor and VIM. Connolly, Jur.,
$63.5O, and Q portion of his time spent
on the illegal bridge. Can You see
anything peculiar now about st.
Bernardo And that is not oil. Why,
my sincere friend of the mountains,
only for the timely appearance Of the
writer at . meeting of the town board
last autumn We, through the further
magnanimity of our Solons, would
be saddled with q pauper for life to
the tune of $3.50 q year, and then be
put to the expense Of burying him
after death,-a man who had no more
claim on the tsx-payers of st. Ber.
nard than l have On the Bank Of
England. Two hundred and forty.
one dollars and fifty cents to super
visors, one hundred sunk In bridge
in the slough of Despond, and almost
q pauper created and many other IL
legalities of minor mention, and oil
this in one elk miles square of coun-
try sparsely settled, and to Q great
degree poverty-stricken at that.
don't wonder our land was taxed A
per cent. extra. Byron, how do you
like that kind of light to shine on your
theory of government How do these
new lights tally when compared with
the judicious and economical work
ipgs of three commi ssioners, who
generally saw that the whole county
was taken care Off There ere very
few sloughs or bad holes in the count ty
that the writer was not acquainted
with when he was on the board and
we scarcely ever levied three cents
for all paupers. And say without
| fear, favor or affection that the men
or set of men who cannot run Platte
county on three cents on the dollar ri
her present valuation ought to step
down and out and leave the businest
of the county to men of more braint
and more courage who can meet tht
wants and necessities of the people
square in the face, for I want you OF
sny other man to understand that
am not opposed to the town laws
providing they are not more ex.
pensive than the old way under com
| missioner rule, but, 80 far, it hal
proved q total failure, and if the
supervisors of '85 don't build better
on the corner stone than they did IL
'84, the fabric will 60 tumbling to the
ground. Then I hope to see some
thing better rise out of its ruins.
You say the township law has eel
the people investigating for them
selves. Well, If the several town'
don't investigate better than st. Ber
nard Solons did, you will find very
few wise men in this part of Greece
Now, Byron, honor bright, do you
think wedging the court hOuee full o.
q set of adventures can do as muct
honest work as three men who coulG
have elbow room to do business
Nineteen supervisors at the county
seat once a mouth spending two Of
three days and their respective towI
sittings coupled with thirty-six j
Pc. kept in the background for th'
purpose of rallying on the reserve
reminds me of the Mexican army
three officers to one private. No, sir
the commissioner system is the bes
and cheapest way to rule Platte
county. The year that r. II. Henr,
was chairman of the county board be
had exclusive charge of the Loup anG
Platte bridges, and his salary tina
year did not amount to 500; th'
other commissioners. the same ex
cept mileage. How do these day
compare with them2
Now, friend Millett, let me Civ
you q pointer. The system OF gov
ernment which can accomplish tha
most good with the least expense, le
it be local or otherwise, is the gov
ernment the people want and ough
to enjoy.
You say, let us zee, can some goot
come out of Nazareth. don't live II
the city. But will say under tn
present reign Of terror and oppression
fhia mart of Gallileo In busted.