Hand County press. (Miller, Dakota [S.D.]) 1882-1893, 1888-10-25
KEEP COOL STILL,
The Petition Does not In
dicate the Vote.
Farmers Quietly Studying the
Matter.
Becoming Convinced 1t Would
be Expensive and Useless
To Vote to Change the c,unty
Seat to CriVerVille.

As nearly every individual knows it is
an easy matter to get signatures to petit
tion-while to get votes is an entirely DIFF
ferent matter. The people vf st. law
renee canvassed the county. startled the
people and secured a Dig petition. They
went home laughing how their gush and
sentiment bewildered the farmers, and
counted each one Of the siguers as voter
fer st. Lawrence. While on the other
hand the farmers began quietly figuring
the problem out for themselves, and each
day adds converts TO the sensible belief
that it would be useless move to change
the countv-seat especially when the eX-
pense of such removal would eventually
fall heavily upon the tax payer.
ST. Lawrence has really only one argu-
ment upon which to hang her request for
removal, viz, "MilIers promise" and
that is surrounded by such a gauzy veil
Of sentiment and Misrepresentation that 1t
will not stand the test until election. OF
course they claim numerous arguments.
but a careful examination of her papers
will show that mainly her argument con-
sists of abuse for few citizens of Miller
and laudation OF what st. Lawrence has
done for the dear people"
Now, about that old promise, (Which
sage helped to make. and which he never
insisted was not fulfilled until he moved
to st. Lawrence.l Thus it is seen that a
man looks at things differently under diff
ferent circumstances. That old promise
called for q court house. What kind of n
one2 building costing a few hundreds
OF dollars would have fulfilled the letter
OF The agreement, because no amount or
kind Of building was specified. One or
two lots at most and very cheap building
was all that could have been expected.
Instead of that Miller decided to Hand
county full block (No. I'D
WORTH AT LEAST 81 10000.
This was accepted by the county with the
expectation of some day placing suitable
buildings thereon, which would be prds
and benefit for years. At this time 1t
must be remembered st. Lawrence had
attorneys In her employ and swore she
would contest Millers right to the county
seat.
The st. Lawrence people say Miller has
never done anything for the county, and
point with pride to some Of her own
enterprises beneftting the people. This
is not only mere sentimental statements,
but clear attempt at deception, bearing
the evidence Of prejudice so strongly that
they can convince no one. The sentiment
and gush made use of to influence sym
pathy by the st. Lawrence papers is so
disgusting that We will try harder than
ever to confine ourselves to facts, believ-
ing that the practical farmer OF Hand
county will draw his own conclusions cor
rectly.
To convince the voters that !. were use
less to incur expense and loss to move the
county seat, and also that st. Lawrence
has made several misstatements, we will
group together the property already
OWNED BY THE COUNTY IN MILLER.
First Is q block Of ground, worth
! 81, 400. 90, next a Jail and other necessary
buildings, costing 10000 OF which
Miller gave 81 900 and the county $4,000,
a cell and iron doors, costing Si,OOO,eO,
which the county purchased: water
hydant with necessary piping, put in the
ground below the frost line $4,000;
sidewalk around two sides of the block,
costing Sl75. 90 by the county, and 200
trees, two to five years old, put on the
square by the citizens of Miller, also a
wire fence; summarized us follows: