The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1885-05-01
MANKAro FREE Press.
FRIDAY, MAY /. 1885.
THE BONDS AGAIN.
SHELBY, April Goth, 1885:

for the further consideration ofthe same
subject. :,
You kindly invite Farmer" and
others Of doubling tendencies, to visit
and examine the county buildings, but
il Is hardly necessary to accept the in
vitation, as many of them have already
made the suggestive examination under
the proposed escort, and have returned
home to express their amazement at the
meagerness of the basis on which is built
this huge scheme of plumber. Then
doubts are turned to certainties, and
they are to-day the strongest opponents
Of the proposition.
The FREE Press says that "the amassed
wealth of a community is the only basis
on which estimates in all such cases as
this must be placed" Probably true,
but attendant circumstances and condi-
ton of any just decision. Eight million
dollars a6stractly regarded seems very
large sum, but the idea of wealth in
stantly vanishes and the real condition
of the people appears, when we reflect
that to divide the sum equally among
the inhabitants of this county, would
give them scarcely more than $500 o
piece. Surely, a people of such limited
means and burdened with many debts
ought not to be taxed for unnecessary
and extravagant county buildings.
You are inclined to doubt the asser-
ton that the farmers surroundings do
not indicate wealth. The truth of this
assertion however Is patent 10 every OBJ
server, and the farmers of the county
will be far less likely to resent 1t, than
they will be to resent the insinuation Of
THE FREE PRESS, that the lack of farm
improvement wherever 1t prevails, is the
result rather of the capidity and want OF
domestic taste" OH the part OF the
farmer than any lack of means, and that
they live amid shabby surroundings
from choice" while ''their private Sc
cretaries are well stored with bills re-
ceivable' in notes and mortgages" II
TIE FREE Press is conscientious" in
this view we do not wonder if it con-
siders them fit victims from whom to
eXtort bv taxation under false plea OF
public necessity the means to erect cost
ly edifices in Mankato for the adornment
of the city. "But," says THE FREE PRESS,
'the most ludicrous shot of all is, that
this is a scheme TO ornament the city,
then candidly adds, sit will ornament
the city, but the county will get the
credit" and then triumphantly asks
"who will be the greater recipientP'
lnasmuch as the city will get the benefit
of the outlay of SIS, 900 among her cit
liens and the further benefit Of being
graced by so expensive an ornament
while the county will have the "credit'
of being in debt, bonded, Mr.. Editor fol
every cent expended in its construction
with all Difference to the superior wis.
dom of THE FREE Pass, we humbly ans.
wer, we think the city has the lions
share.
We quote further from your article
at certainly is not good logic TO argue
that community should not make the
improvements which the progress of it,
developments requires and the condi
| ton of its finances warrant, simply be-
cause there are inhabitants whom the
taxation might slightly agrieve, as vel
might physician refuse to apply cura
tive remedy, because it will give physi
cal pain TO a patient" We do not argue
anything of the kind, we simply argue
that the proposed improvements are moi
required for our development and would
in no wise assist in such development
and that the condition of our finances
does not warrant this or any other un.
necessary outlay. Nor Is your compare
son happy one, as the reverse Of the
conditions assumed are more nearly cor
rect, for the patlen. = tb,s case, con
vinceA tist he has s s.a.fsaay taken to-
much Sof thc.r physic, is vigorously pro
testing against the nauseous dose which
the Mankato doctors are persistent,
trying to administer. 1t is asserted ii
your last issue that the city of Mankat.
pays nearly one-third of the tax of tn,
county. Two weeks earlier you place.
the proposition at one-fourth. II boil
these estimates are correct, it shows
remarkable increase in the taxable pro
perry of the city for so short time ant
fully justifies your assumption that sh,
will soon pay one-half. But that sh,
will then be any more entitled to EN-
belishment at the expense Of the count,
is emphatically denied.
| You say further "that four of the fiv,
County Commissioners are farmers and
the idea of a city ornament did not en-
ter into their consideration of this mat
ter" Very possibly, the "honest farm
ers" who constitute majority of the
county board, which THE FREE PRESS ha,
80 highly praised for their ability and
watchful care of the county's Interest
never grasped the "true inwardness" Of
the situation, but under the skillfu
management of Mankato schemers really
believed that the present buildings are
liable to tumble down at any time
and the paid officials in danger of theil
lives, but that "city ornament" anG
the consequent enhanced value of the
property and increased attractions fol
people looking for new places to invest
their means or engage in business, IN
short that effect and not the county's
necessity, was the controlling motive Of
the instigators Of the scheme, one need
90 no farther than the columns of TIL
FREE PRESS to see abundantly proved, fol
with the exception of q few exaggerated
statements in regard to the present con.
dition of the county buildings it has
argued it from that standpoint alone.
The farmers of the county have no i'll
will toward Mankato. AS a matter OF
fact they are rather proud that their
county contains SO fine city. In every
legitimate and proper enterprise for the
advancement of her interests she has
their hearty good wishes, but in this
movement they feel that their interests
are wrongfully invaded and resent it &C.
cordingly. '.-
To return more directly 10 the ques.
ton at issue, let the people promptly
vote down this proposition. Then let
the amount that would be required to
pay the interest on the proposed bonds
for two years, say $500, be expended
in enlarging and ventilating the vaults
and otherwise repairing and improving
the buildings. This sum, we think, will
be ample to make them all what the
county business requires, but if little
more is needed, it will still be better
than wasting it in interest. ...
cannot close without reference to q
statement of THE FREE Press in connec-
ton with this subject to the effect that
the attractiveness of any locality for
home seekers does not depend on the
value of private estates, but con the
standing and worth of public matters
and things" In other words, the well
fare and happiness of the people of any
community is not 80 much evinced by
the value and comfort of their home
surroundings as by the splendor OF their
public buildings. This remarkable theo-
nv of THE FREE Press wall doubtless
startle the political economists of the
age and convince all the farmers of the
county that their welfare depends more
on magnificent court house and an
ornamental county square in Mankato
than on good houses and barns on their
own premises. l.. LINDsLEY.
NORA's BALANCE.-Last summer, dur