The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1889-03-14
COUNTY SEAT REMOVALS.


of Worthington and vicinity was
gathered, ON brief notice, at the |
Masonic Hall, on Saturday even
ing, to take suitable action to pre-
vent the passage of the jacobson
bill, now before the Legislature.
This bill proposes short and easy
method to originate mischievous
contests and strife in many of the
counties of the State about the
location of the county offices.
The meeting was called to order by
L. NJ. Lange, Esq, and, on his
motion, Judge Geo. W: Wilson was
called to the chair. L. B. Bennett,
Esq, was appointed Secretary.
The meeting was business like
and practical. No resolutions we're
formulated, but a fund Of $1,000
was raised, in a little while, toen-
able our representative citizens to
resist, with adequate force, the pas
sage of bill so unfair in its pro-
. visions as the one which has passed
the House and now awaits the ac-
ton of the Senate. Some of the
subscribers to this fund stated that
they would be ready to pledge like
sums to the next thousand dollars
that might be needed in aid of this
object.
After county seat has once been
fairly located, the best and most
imperative reasons, growing out OF
general and public convenience,
should be found to exist, before an
agitation, even, should be begun
looking toward change. The evils
inevitably attending such discus
are among the most mischievous
and lemoralizing of any that afflict
American communities. Only con-
siderations affecting the great ma
jority of the tax payers of a county
should be entertained, while deter
mining such question.
Immigrants settle at established
county seats and in them or their
immediate vicinity invest their
money and expend their energy in
building up the common interests
of both the town and county. If
rival towns, or rival localities where
no towns yet exist, are encouraged
to begin and carry forward agita-
tions and contests, largely with the
aid of men who have no material
or permanent interest anywhere,
serious damage is done to such
investors in county towns and their
vicinity.
The instances where established
county seats should be changed are
rare indeed. It sometimes happens
that, through some fortunate event,
town or city attai ms proportions
of population, wealth and trade,
far beyond those possessed by the
original county seat. 1t may hap
pen that such city pays more taxes
and has more court house business
than all the rest of the county. In
such an event the people would
find it convenient to do their county
business where most other business
was done. In such a case the in
terest of the great body of the peo-
pie might excuse the sacrifice OF
the local interest slaughtered by
the change.
But where towns of no greater,
or even less population and COM
mercial Importance, than the exist
ing county seat, with no better adj
vantages to offer, and with no claim
on the score of vested rights ac-
quired in good faith, seek enlarge
ment for themselves, or rather to
build up the fortunes of few of
their spectators, by taking the
court houses and their Offices away,
such changes, and the agitations
to effect such changes, are wrong,
unjust and mischievous.
A bill prescribing fair legal
method, where changes in the rel
ative Importance or accessibility OF
towns have occurred, in order to
effect such change of county seats,
would not be objected to. But q
bill which proposes to put county
seats on wheels, and to keep score
of counties in state of turmoil
ought to he resisted and defeated
If we are to have a contest o1
this character, Worthington is pre-
pared for it. We shall endeavor
if the battle must come, to conduc'
our side of it in proper temper
and to pay due regard to the right.
of those who originate the disturb
ance, and thus interrupt, for th'
time being, at least, the harmon.
and prosperity of the whole count!
by beginning a troublesome ant
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