The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1885-03-27
COUNTY DIVISION.

question of dividing Brown county,
and viewing it in every possible light,
7e fail to see any good reason why itI
should not receive popular support.
For ourselves we are convinced, and
that after careful research, that the
measure will be Of great benefit to the
taxpayers of southern Brown county,.
We took particular pains to hear all
the arguments advanced by opponents
of the measure, and, at the very best,
think them trivial and unstable. We
believe with all our heart that the bill
is an honest one and thatits provisions
will be honestly carried out At the
meeting held in Aberdeen on Monday
the five commissioners named i'll the
bill expressed themselves willing to
make affidavit That they were cogni-
zant of no scheme and that the first
information they had of the matter
vas obtained through the newspapers.
They we're willing also to bind them
selves to appoint no man register OF
deeds who would not give bonds to
transcribe the records at low per-
centage. Of. legal rates. More than
that, we do not fear to assert that
they will appoint any set of officers
nominated by the people at a fair and
square convention. The charge that
they are now pledged to appoint any
man or set of men cannot besustained
by plausible argument, and certainly
will not be by fact.
So much for the opposition to the
bill. In its support but few Of the
facts can be set forth none article, but
they will be all brought forward before
the close of the campaign. The mere
size Of Brown county and its topo-
graphy show that at some time it must
fall assunder of its own ponderoslty.
1t now comprises forty-eight congress
sional townships. Adams county
would comprise twenty-four congress
sional townships apd then be the same
size or larger than the largest counties
in Iowa, Ohio and the majority OF the
states, and contain larger population
than than any any other agricultural comnlu-
nifty of equal size west of the Missis-
sippi. Instead of Brown county's size
being a source of strength, it is in
reality a source of weakness, because
of interna! dissensions which never can
and never will be healed. In the all
important matter Of taxation we cam
not but be benefited. The territory
which under the bill comprises Adams
county now pays at least two-thlrds OF
the taxes Of the entire county, and that
with no proportionate return 10 the
way of public improvements. ln fact
VIC are now paying two-thirds OF the
cost Of the expensive bridges in course
of construction in the vicinity OF Co
lnmhia, enc of which alone is estin1a-
ted to cost from $4,000 to $4,000.
This very bridge, one Of the commits
sioners informed US, could be put in
half mile further up the slough for
$500. And, unless divided, we will
continue to pay two-thirds Of the cost
Of constructing dozen or more
bridges over the Elm, the Maple and
the james rivers for which the people
of the north must petition sooner OF
later A single glance at the map
viii proye this beyond dispute. In the
matter Of county expenses we must
also be gamers. The only salaried
officers in the county are the clerk
district attorney and judge OF probate.
The attorney receives a salary Oh
$1,000 per annum, Of which sum
Adams county pays $7oO. We know
whereof we speak when we say that