The Dickinson press., 1893-03-18

To the Scnatc:
GEHTLEMEN: Senate bill No. 10. entitled an
act to change the boundaries of the counties of
stark a. and Mercer' vas RECEIVED at the rSGcI Itllys
had the matter under serious consideration
since its receipt. Mncl, deep interest is taken in
this bill. and find i, has many warm and ar
asked on the one hand to approve the bill, To
the end that it may be placed upon our statute
books and become Il law. and. on the other
used to prevent that end. Every opportunity
has been given by nc to the friends and oppon-
cuts of this bill. ] have accorded Il full hearing
to them all rs to the position they take with
reference to this bill. The friends of the bill
say that the same should be approved, and the
main argument they use in support of their
position. Is, that the country sought to be in
Guided in the organized counties of Stark and
Mercer is occupied by cattlcmcn and their
stock interests. and that this property owned
bv these men has not been contributing its full
and just proportion OF the taxes in support of
the state government.
Tho opponents of tile bill. aside from the
large personal delegations that have called up.
on me. present petitions being -four hundred
and sixty four, l64l signatures protesting
from various parts of the counties of Billings.
Oliver and Morton, and at the last general cleo
tion cast one thousand one hundred and sixty
a .l6Ol votes as against the combined vote of
Stark aud Mercer counties at the same election
of six hundred and fifty votes.
III this unoccupicd territory is attached to
INluTk county. II VII lihc lts iplStSl lllitl
sions. north to south. about one hundred and
sixty ni0 miles abant the distance fran Bis
marck to Valley City and f1om east to west
about one hundred (lOUi miles. or about the dis
lance from Bismarck TO jamestown and will
embrace ancrca of eight thousand nine hundred
and twcnty-cight (S.92>l square miles, making a
The county of Stark, as it would be. will COM
pei some of its citizens from one portion OF the
country to travel about one hundred 600 miles
to roach he county seat, and others over that
distance, which would have to be travelled
without railroad facilities and would take the
ordinary farmer a week to start from home and
go to the county seat and return.
The bin seeks to embrace all of the unorgan-
lied territory in these sections to the exclusion
of any rights that the adjoining counties might
have to a portion of it.
The state would reap no greater benefits
from the taxes than it now should receive, while
Stark county would receive Il very large revenue
from Il scope of territory receiving little or no
benefits TO compensate it for this tax.
The village of Dickinson. which has never
been organized as a city. and the country en-
braccd within the present limits of Stark coun-
ty, would grow fat upon the taxes thus drawn
from the large sc%rn Of county embraced in
Dunn, Hcttingcr and Bowman, sought to be
absorbed.
stark county, now having an crea of one thou
by the provisions of the bill. receives seven
thousand six hundred aud thirty-two oi632l
square miles. while Mercer county. which has
only one thousand ana tonrty-i ouf tloll square
miles. gets only seven hundred and twenty l72D)
square miles, about one tenth of what Stark
county would receive.
Section Ii, of our constitution provides. ''.All
changes in the boundaries of organized counties
before taking effect shall be submitted to the
electors of tho county or counties to be affected
thereby, at = general a, election, and be adopted
county at such election"
No portion of this territory could be taken
from these counties thus formed. without per.
Yni.yipp sanctioned hN tho m nt0rit ~ vote nf f1o
county from which the same is taken, or by
amending the constitution and passing laws
permitting the change: thus rendering it next
to impossible to ever hereafter organize out OF
any portion of this territory other counties.
From the foregoing facts in this matter ! be
licvc that tho best interests of the state would
be subservcd by withholding my approval OF
this bill, and do hereby return the same with
out my approval,
Very respectfully,
l.. c. d. SHoRTRIDGE,
GnYnrnnr.