The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1886-04-02

out VI bNC VI WV 'p's So
which speak are sworn representatives
IF Il constituency that il almost unani-
nous i'm its oppos ton to their doings,
tell you it is no use for you To hold
any more meetings, no use to pass any
more resolutions, | let you vote, and
you did not vote to suit me, now | am
the head, front and bottom of this whole
county, my edict has gone forth and
''ire intend 10 build" In the face of this
and without being able to
assign any reasonable reason for 1t, AMI
after all that has been said and done
against il. The people would like To
know whether Mr.. Diamond has an in
terest i'm any stone quarries, lime works,
brick wards, door and sash factories, or
is interested in any graders outfit ar has
any near friends who are contractors
and builders. Mr.. Diamond has Il rcpu-
talion in the county, but it is not in the
inc ola public benefactor. No body
suspects Mr.. Diamond of any thing,
these inquiries are simply made for
general information. Years ago there
was II creature somewhat of MIR. Dia-
monds turn of mind. Aesop says II fine
OK was once grazing in one of the little
valleys of Greece, and Glanced to pass
i'm the vicinity of a large toad sitting I'M
utT ~ Wcct
ing flies. He envied the noble animal
and conceived the idea that if he could
pump within himself enough wind he
too might be large, beautiful and have
horns. The experiment was tried but
proved disastrous to his toadship, and
that spot of earth produces only vile
weeds to this day.
Now, Mr.. Editor, it is in part the $75,-
600 that the people object to, but the
great and deep and lasting objection is
the determination to punish the people
for voting down the bonds, and to build
the building in spite of an opposing ma
jority and compel them to pay cash for
it. The people feel that this is not only
without the authority of law, but that
the whole thing is inexpedient, spiteful,
arbitrary and wrong. The law claimed
to authorize these proceedings is found
i'm the chapter authorizing the organiza-
ton of counties and prescribing the
method, and is found in statutes 1878 to
read as follows: Sec. S6. Each county
organized for judicial purposes shall pro-
vide at the county seat Il suitable court
house and suitable and sufficient Jail
and fire proof offices, etc. Sec. no. The
board of commissioners shall provide of
fees and necessary fare for heating the
same, for the county auditor, treasurer,
register of deeds, judge of probate, clerk
of court, etc. Now the people claim that
while this statute applied to Blue Earth,
rs To ali other counties, in its organlza-
ton, it has no bearing whatever in this
case, and gives no authority whatever to
the commissioners III their action. Are
not the buildings already erected? Have
they not been the place of holding courts
for years? Has not the Jail held all our
prisoners, and most of the time some
from adjoining countless The people
held that so long rs the Jail is better than
the ma ority of their own houses, it is
good enough for rascals. The auditor
certainly has an office. The treasurer
has IN office, which is large except II few
days Just before taxes become delinquent
and the penalty attaches. And SO it Is
with the others. While there is Il plain
law that provides for the first building,
challenge Mr.. Diamond to produce {;
single line of law that authorizes him Oh
any other body of men, except the peo'
pie, To condemn and discard the build
ing after it is built and is meeting the
needs of the county. 1t may be desira
bic ut sometime To erect Il new binding
| hui it does not lay in the hands of any
such nan as John Diamond to do ut hi
pleasure. The present buildings are
serving the present needs of the county
Now il The commissioners are authorized
to condemn their buildings under these
circumstances, what is there To prevent
| the same commissioners .condemning
their new building after erection? i
the law authorizes il in one case il surely
does in the other. But il is said such
thing would not he done. We have n,
such assurance with John diamond y
the head. People are not yet sure villa
does all John, whether it is heart disease
or head disease. No! such cannot b,
the law The commissioners are actin;
under misinterpretation of it. Tn,
constitution never placed such arbitrary
power in the hands of any set of men
| When the county clearly needs Il cour
house the people will build it. But as /,
business proposition the farmer object.
| To going To the bank and paying I'D pei
| cent. for money for court house tax gIei
bonds can he tioated ut 4 per cent, J.
appears to the writer that the business
men of Mankato would think of this, ant
halt this untamed John, and talk Will
the people and try it again. The rec
ords will not spoil for Il few days.
| Mr., Diamond urges that the peopl,
had a chance To vote bonds but did no
do it. What if they did ? Are they 4
he punished by Mr.. Diamond for that
1t is not certain that IT is any of Mr.. Dia
mOnd's concern what reason the people
had for their act. This whole move il
too arbitrary To down well in the country
The circumstances and influences on tn,
people are not considered us they shoul,
be. The people are honest-and are no
fools. Their condition is steadily, but
slowly improving, circumstances have
been at many times adverse. Very man,
of the farmers came to tins county years
| ago, poor, and the mortgage that wa!
given To provide food, clothing and shell
| ter for wife and little ones, is still YOKE
CALLING their necks, and 8 or 10 per cent
annually is the price of shelter for thei
| families. Long days of hard labor il
sunshine and rain, III calm and blizzard
against grasshoppers, hail, blight an,
frost. The family many times stinted IL
| life's necessaries, stinted in clothing
stinted in the means for the education
and refinement of the children, stintet
in social advantages, stinted in prope
medical aid in sickness, and the fathc
and mother with clothing scarcely fit t
appear decently upon yOun streets, AM
the maternal bonnet "a relic of years pass
ed. All this endured that the taxes ma,
he paid, the wolf kept from the door
and If possible the mortgage paid an,
the homestead of toll become place o
rest i'm age and pass to the children al
unencumbered legacy of affection. Thl
is no fictitious picture, but is drawn from
life. If you do not believe it go and ex
anime the book of mortgages IN the reg
ister's office, and take Il drive through
the county, then to know that the great
er body of these mortgages are actual.
o yned in the county and state but stant
on the books in the name of nOn-resl
dent. Thereby these hundreds of thou
sands of actual property escape taxation
and the farmer not only pays his inter
est but tax too on the land he only has
conditional interest in, and the mortgag
holder, the actual owner, escapes tn
burden but enjoys the benefits. The
forsooth these men dared to vote N
bonds have man of the mental stupid
'ty, pretty pliability and unsavory rem
inissences of John Diamond assume TIN
powers of despot, take this hard earn
ed money by the strong arm OF the law
build temple to his despotism, an,
shove it down these peoples Threats, j
enough to outrage all decency and awak
the sleeping demons. JUSTICE.
| -----------------
THE SUPERVISORS MEETING.
The meeting of supervisors and Otl
ers, which met in Garden City on Marc
| 2Ist tn letprmina what steps war