Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1889-04-25

double its present population and be.
come village Of two hundred inhabit.
ants? Will town of that size establish
a market for the products Of the farmers
of Meade county? The only market in
Meade county has heretofore been and in
all probability will continue TO be Fort
Meade and Sturgis. II the county seat
is located at Sturgis the population will
be increased, and an increase no greater
in proportion to its present population
than we have conceded to Tilford, will
make Sturgls town OF three thousand
inhabitants a town that will afford, in
connection with the demands Of the mill
tary population adjacent to Sturgis, as
good homo market for the products OF
the farmer as can be found in any coun-
ty in Western Dakota.
That the location of the county seat at
Tilford will build up that town SO that in
a few years or at any time in the future
it will become as good or better market
for farm produce or afford better facili-
ties for trade than Fort Meade and Stnr-
gis is am idea that is SO unreasonable that
it cannot for one moment be entertained
by anyone unless he is so enthusiastic
and sanguinary in his makeup as to be
utterly unable to see but one side Of any
question. If the county seat is located
at the business center of the county the
public business which every farmer has
with the county is transacted when in
town doing his trading, or marketing his
produce, and the time required to attend
to it is inconsiderable and not noticed.
The farmer must visit the county seat to
pay his taxes, to attend court, either as
itigant, juror or witness, to attend all
political conventions, to transact business
with the probate court, to look after
school district and road district matters,
to examine the county records, and to
record all deeds, chattel mortgages, etc.
Now, if you have to go to the county
seat exclusively for the purpose of at
tending to public business and to some
other place to do your marketing and
transact private business You will find
that great deal of labor, travel and
time are uselessly expended that could
have been readily avoided by concen-
tration of private and public business at
one point.
The lavish promises that are being
made and the wholesale donation of town
lots offered by the promoters of Tilford's
interest for assistance in making Tilford
the county seat shows the desperation to
which parties engaged in this question:
BILE enterprise are driven. Does any
farmer in Meade county believe few lots
25x100 feet, located on some rocky bluff
half way between Tilford and Sturgis
will compensate him for travelling down
to Morse's ranch every time he has bust
ness to transact at the county seat? If
Iilford possessed any natural or CONNER
cial advantages that would in the slight
est manner indicate the barest possibih-
ty of the town ever becoming CONNER
cial center or business point a country
residence mile or two from town might
be of some value, aud these lots now
offered for votes might in the remote fu-
ture be of some worth, but at present
they have no value whatever. We do
not think anyone will be deceived into
trading his influence for such an insig-
nifcant consideration. Meade county is
not composed of men who SO lightly
value their services
That the Tilford scheme is being
worked in the interest OF TOWNSHIP boom
ers, and not in the interest of the people
OF the county, Is evidenced by the TACT
that Tilford men only claim that they
want the county seat for a few years and
then they viii aid the people Of the east
ern end of the county in removing it
down the valley. That any citizen of
Meade county win be caught with this
hind s,f 4tchaff,, we do NOT for n moment
believe. The proposition is absurd on
its face, and men who have no higher es-
innate Of the intelligence and honesty Of
their fellow men than to suppose they
will be influenced by such gauzy state
ments and promises ought not to exert
any influence in county affairs.
A county seat ION wheels is the
worst possible condition Of affairs that
can happen to any new county.