The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-02-05

SNa ~ sAS ~
revenue we have q surplus on hand of
S. S2. To the expense OF schools must
also be added tho amount lecelvrd for
that purpose from the state treasurer.
which makes that amount several Thousand
aolla 8 more, than has been expended for
schools within the limits of the n W county
at any time before. Please obse We that
the above makes proper allowance for ay-
ing the interest on the debt, with which
We have been Blu dened by the old counties
and shows concluslvely that We can get
along with a levy of II mills as against p
levy in this county WAS only l51a mills, we
ran In, debt S25,U00. which accounts for
FIVE and one. half mills more. making 81
mills for running Meagher county. We
must also call attention to the fact that We
count only So 500 for fees, while it has been
stated that our county clerk alone made in
some years over $4,000 out of fees. This
side Of Meagher county has furnished only
one criminal case for.the district court in
four years, yet in order to mako a liberal
estimate, we have put the costs of such
case at $4,000. Poor We have none. yet
have counted $1,000 for unforeseen cases.
Whenever the formation of Il new county
f ON those interested in the old county
seat. We expected such opposition. The
principal argument against us is the asse =
ton that We a o financially unable to sup
port our own county. This charge must
apply. If applied at all. with Equal and even
greater force to some Of the new counties
already created at this session. Never before
has il been asserted that q county with over
two million dolla 3 wo tn of property
is unable to raise sufficient funds for it's
administration. 1t certainly is an untie-
niable fact, that the territory embraced in
the limits Of B oadwater county supported
two distinct county organizations twenty
- ~-~ x-hn~ h NEo yr.l
wealth of Meaoher and Jefferson counties
amounted to little moro than one-half of
the amount in the proposed new county
does now, Zach county had a little over
5000, 600 then. Then RadsrsburR and Dia-
mond City were the county seats. while
Smith River valley WAS a desert and Boul-
der valley was q bowling wilderness. Then
the counties kept out OF debt. although
fees and mileage were higher and it ia n
fact, that no la ge indebtedness was in
cured bv either county, until their ASSESS
ments rose to four and tive million dollars.
We find upon INV stigntion. that the let
tefs written to The INDEPENDENT and the
anonymous circulars, whch try to make an
impression by mock sympathy with our
taxpayers and by warped statements and
false assertions, can all be traced to two or
three mon. who are personally interested in
opposing division. One, a man who made
q set of abstract books while clerk OF the
A largo portion or THESE DOCKS
would become worthless if the new county
ia set off. There are two other VS. who
are in Helena trying to influence members
OF the legislature. both are personally in
terested in continuing the old county lines,
but in a manner less worthy OF considera-
ton than the first.
Now. having shown that We have sufficient
area. sufficient population. abundant wealth;
that this is the natural division of the
country; that the opponents Of the move
ment are actuated by neither pat iotism
nor a desire for our welfs Q or prosperity.
Tut only by selfish and i%srsonal motives,
we feel assured that our taxpayers a e
stendfast in favor OF the new county and
that the legislature will pass our bill.
1t will be simply an act of right and jus
sice and the new county will stand ns n
proud and lasting monument to the enter
prise and patriotism OF one of Montana'a
greatest dead-Col. ~BrosdwHter. i.