St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-02-10
NAP SHOWING THE SEAT OF WAR.

OF Itasca county. This county. which,
for some years, has been attached to
Aitkin county has, recently on account
Of the building of the Duluth & WInni-
peg railroad been the scene of a remark
able development. The discoveries of
rich iron ore mines have also attracted
public attention.
The effect of all this. especially the
building of this railroad through the
heart of the county to Duluth, has been
TO make the citizens and taXpavt rs
chafe under a system of government
that forces them to travel $50 miles to
see their county officers and attend
court. when the size of the county
would Justify the presence of these Off
GERS in the county, and would vastly re-
duce expenses.
Two bills have heen introduced in the
senate and house for the organization of
the county, one by Senator Allen and
the other by Representative Foley.
Both bills were alike originally, but
the senate committee on towns and
counties, after hearing number of the
citizens Of ltaSca county, made most
important change. The original bills,
among other things, provided:
Sec J. The officers of said county shall be
appointed by the board OF county commits
sioners OF sald county, so appointed, as soon
as convenient after the passage of this act,
who shall hold their offices until the next
general election after the passage Of this act,
and until their successors are elected and
qualified provided that the sheriff of Aitkin
county shall remain and be sheriff of Itasca
county, the same as now provided by law,
until the next general election, and until the
sheriff OF said Itasca county is elected and
qualified.
The citizens of 1tasca county pro-
tested so vigorously against the pro-
vision legislating the sheriff of Aitkin
county into office as the sheriff of ltasca
that the senate committee changed the
bill. looping off Il is provision, and max
Ing it read as follows:
Sec. 3. The officers or said county shall be
appointed by the board of county commits
sioners of said county so appointed. as soon
as convenient after the passage of this act,
who shall hold their offices until the next
general election after the passage of this act.
and until their successors are elected and
qua lifted.
The reasons for this change appear
perfectly plain by a single glance at
the map printed in this article. Under
the original bill the sheriff of Aitkin
county, to attend to his duties as sheriff
of ItaSca (Where there is a vast amount
Of criminal businesS), must 90 to North
ern Pacific junction and from there to
Itasca county, making journey Of over
$50 miles in length. A fair calculation
would make his fees in each case some
thing over S34. Naturally enough such
an arrangement for two long years is
not pleasing to the men who must foot
the bills. And besides, if ltasca
county is able to furnish timber
for all the other county officers, treas
urer, auditor, commissioners, recorder,
and so on, it surely can supply man
for the Office of sheriff.
After hearing both sides the senate
committee on towns and counties made
the change indicated by unanimous
agreement, and in this form the bill will
pass the senate in day or two, and
will then go to the house, where the
Foley bill is now side-tracked. The
changes made by the senate committee
are so reasonable and appeal so strongly
to all lovers of home rule that there is
little doubt that the bill will pass in
its amended form, and that at an early
date