The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1894-06-02
To the Electors Of BOttineau County.

10 TIC CAcCIOTS "a oOIaAlNcdu SOuhtJ'
Gentlemen: There are reasons why a
change of county officials in Bottineau is
desirable, A prolonged tenure of Office is
not conducive to the public veal, hence
the prohib,tory statutes for the correction
of evils arising therefrom. Righteousness
is a circle, with its points of defined laws.
some of which are cardinal, but it is the
lnnumerable, underlined points that con-
solidate into an adamantine foundation
on which the character of the good man
rests. 1t is not in the cardinals that men
usually fail as husbands, fathers, men,
bers of society and public servants, but
in the minu,ia. While the particles
maintain their cobesibility the rock is
sound and the man ~lmmovable, but when
the foundation begins to crumble into
sand, then the man becomes an object les
son sad to contemplate-corrupt, indifer-
ent as to the details Of justice, wrapped in
a garment of selfshness and yet in all his
acts ~evasive of the law. Such can only be
d. dISNCO LIN II DCAoIC tLC DuA v l
public opinion. Gentlemen, the time is
fast approaching and now is. when our
county officials must appear before the su-
preme court of the people. And give an
account of the deeds lone in the body"
the court house) whether they be good
or whether they be evil" Last summer I
;oo,;rad ~ Rott;oo,r ubero T r,;obt ~
chase some grass and was told of a certain
school section. l went directly to Mr.. M.
Hawker, deputy county treasurer, who in
formed me that the grass on said section
was still for sale. 1t was then arranged
1 should examine it and report to him
next day. which l did, but to my surprise
the report was necessarily very short, for
1 had scarcely commenced it when he in
terrupted me by saying, Il know all about
it, John has got that grass" Meaning his
son., John. I left, wondering whether
Johns cattle or his fathers would enjoy
the hay; whether as a trustee of public
property he was not bound to sell that
grass to the highest bidder; why I was not
permitted to come in competition with his
son John. Being naturally of an inquir-
ing mind. and regarding DR.. Greig as au-
thority for the acts of county officials,
and knowing moreover in his position he
would be quite as much interested in the
school fund as myself. I rel to him for
information regarding the matter. l told
my story, to which he listened respectful
ly. His countenance was serious and in
dicative of profound thought, nevertheless
he looked upon me with compassion and
smiled, and smiled again. Indeed 1 may
say during the relation of my grievances
he smiled seveal times, and smiled hard.
Not that soft, sweet. bewitching smile,
with which the young ladies of Bottin-
eau are so familiar, but a real business,
mechanical smile. AS to any means of
redress We were equally ignorant. I next
wrote a few lines to the attorney general
who very kindly replied referring me to
the county treasurer as the proper person
to apply the rod of correction to the Offend
ing deputy, but that would not feed my
cattle. Now gentlemen l suffered two
wrongs. First l was unjustly denied the
privilege of competing for the purchase
of aforesaid grass by the Dep. Treasurer,
but more. In my judgment he %misappro-
priated an amount of school property
representing the difference between the
real value of said grass. which might have
been realized had honest competition
been permitted, and the mere nominal
sum which it is presumable was paid by
his son John, leaving you and me in the
gap by Just so much. l censure Greig
for not having done his duty even as a
tax payer. much less as a superintendent
of schools. He should have gone to Mr.
Hawker and demanded that said grass be
sold to the highest bidder and if he re-
fused so to do, he, DR.. Greig. should have
through the press, and thus washed bis
hands of all mean completely in the
matter. But I am sorry to say his on
duct was decidedly otherwise. Instead of
correcting. he covered the sin and sinner,
with a mantle of political charity.
Gentlemen, we expect the motto of our
county officers to be LET brotherly love
continue, but the danger is a confliction
of interests between the loving brother
hood and the people.
S HOWARD.