The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1890-09-11
COURT HOUSE CRITICISM.
Correspondence of the Gazette.

The proposition to build county
buildings raises the collateral ques-
of where shall permanent buildings
be located. 1t may be safely assured
that each and every citizen of the
county is equally interested in this
matter and every possible opportunity
to inform citizens should be extended,
and right here the press of the county
may be justly criticised for not pub
licly calling attention to the fact
that the question was being quietly
considered, and even you, who are
located SO that your personal interest
may be involved, cannot urge this in
justification for withholding informa
ton that is of vital importance to the
community which you, by assuming
the conduct of a newspaper, morally
obligate yourself to serve. The Lam
berton Leader has been equally dumb
and mysterious, without having even
this lame excuse of local interest. In
fact it might have been expected that
the Leader, acting from this low
plane of local interest, would have
informed it's readers of any scheme
that would be to the disadvantage of
their locality, but those bent on find
ing a sufficient motive for the Lead
er's withholding this information, will
have to look along other lines than
those of local interest.
l am informed that two we'll in
formed gentlemen were over to Lam
berton Sunday upon this business. Is
not this an effort to continue the same
old regime of few we'll informed
parties submitting their demands and
adjusting their differences, too often
at the expense of ignoring the rights
OF individuals or of the community at
large? If Mr.. Turrell, Mr.. Madigan
and others, in behalf of Redwood
Falls, take it upon themselves the
task of fixing this matter, proceed to
visit Lamberton, Sanborn and Wal
nut Grove, call on persons they may
deem best suited to effect their pur-
pose mot neglectlng to make liberal
concessions to south side aspirants to
office thereby impressing the neces-
sity Of keeping mum on all questions
of vital Importance, are not all intel
ligent believers in the Jeffersonian
doctrine of equality called upon to
protest against such aiistocratic ten
encies? Gentlemen, you have mature
opinions upon this subject, why not
submit them directly to the people?
If you believe that seats Of govern
mcnt should be established by acct
dent, or by reference to centers OF
population or wealth state your po-
sit;on and give reasons to support it
Il this is done honestly and earnestly
the general intelligence Of the county
will be adequate to solve this question
inside Of one year. In closing | vii
suggest three methods of improving
the present condition. First-Re-
moval of the county seat to the geo
graphical centre. Second changing
the western boundary of the county
so as to attach the western and south
western towns to Lyon county. Third
Organize a new county OF sixteen
townships from Redwood, Cottonwood
and Murray counties.
Let us take one year, if necessary
to talk this matter up without malice
and with firm purpose to learn the
right and to do it. In the meantime
let there be no attempt to make what
is commonly called political capital
If the best man for superintendent O.
schools lives at Redwood Falls sup
port him, and if the best man for sher
if happens to live at Sanborn, Lam
berton Or Walnut Grove support him
without regard to what his views are
upon this question an exception t(
this rule should be made perhaps il
selecting a member of the Legislature
and county commissioners.
j. N. BYINGToS.
The above communication is pub
lished by us the more willingly be
cause it presents the objections urge(
by certain citizens of that corner O
the county to new court house build
ing, in concrete form, and yet in
way to show that the objections ar
by no means insurmountable. Befor
discussing Mr.. Byington's main prop
ositions, we will touch on his rcferenc
to the newspapers withholding in
formation about the new building
Mr.. Byington is simply in error O.
this point. The action of the commits
s;oners was in open session, and thel
resolutions in regard to it were pub
lished officially in the GAZETTE, Revelll
and Leader. The two latter paper
called special attention to the actio
of the commissioners, and if the GA
zErTE did not do the same it was be
cause the Reveille had been able to tel
the news first by reason of it's day c
publication. Had any objections bee
publicly 1aised to the action of t.
commissioners, the people would CO,
tainly have heard from the GAzETTl
as that paper has repeatedly called al
tention to the county's needs in tia
particular. But it does not recogniz
the necessity of greeting every move
ment in the way of public improve
ments in Chinese fashion, with rhetol
ical beating of tom-toms and burnin
of fire-crackers before anything deci:
i've has been accomplished. We hav
learned better by sad experience at til
beginning of our newspaper caree
: Mr.. Leavitt, the commissioner fro,
Mr.. Byington's district, has been COZ
siStent in his opposition to the buil(