The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1895-01-26

materially affecting Meagher county, and
my position concerning the same. | have
carefully examined and considered the
petition from Neihart and Barker. pray
ing for annexation to Cascade county,
and while l note the absence of a few
names that | had hoped to see expressing
themselves in relation to this matter, Ell
ther for or against, yet as | find a great
majority of the tax payers and bona fide
residents of Neihart and Barker express
ing their wishes as plainly as they have
by signing this petition that is here for
our consideration, | feel in duty bound
to support it, regardless of what my per-
sonal judgment may dictate. No remon-
STRANGE having come in against the petit
ton, | will consider 1t the unanimous
wish of my constituency and will act ac-
cordingly.
A petition for the creation of Broad
water county, comprising over 700 sig
natures reached me on opening day of
the session, and | introduced the same.
Up to the present time no remonstrance
of any kind has reached me.
Representative Collins of Park county.
has introduced a petition and bill for the
creation Of Sweetgrass county, which in
cludes in its boundaries a strip of about
eight miles wide from the southern por-
ton of Meagher county. AS to the
probable fate of any and all of these
measures, | cannot say, but | find a very
strong sentiment among a great majority
of members against any movement
toward county division Of any nature
whatever. AS to my position on these
matters, | will say | realize to the full
extent of the term that | am IA servant of
the people of Meagher county, and
when any considerable portion of those
people petition me for my action in any
manner, and no portion demonstrate
against the action, | believe my duty
compels me to favorably consider the
prayer embodied in the petition, and that
the only thing left for me to determine
is, whether the granting of such a petit
ton will materially injure or affect any
considerable portion of the citizens Of
the county, not directly concerned in the
prayer of the petitioners, and | assure
you ali such determination will be care
fully arrived at, and | herewith ask YOU
for your cooperation in the matter.
Your Obedicnt servant,
A. E. SPRIGGs.
1t is thoughtful of this honorable
gentleman thus to define his position
upon a question which affects us all.
Referring to a petition sent from
Neihart we observe that he express
es disappointment at not finding it to
contain certain familiar names. We
know of whom he speaks. There is
nc doubt that our community is di-
vided on this subject. There are
those here who would not under n
any condition sign the petition.
There are those who did so with re-
%luctance. We deny that our people
are acting in bad faith, and affirm
that quite the contrary is true. But
we venture the assertion without the
slightest fear of contradiction that
the Neihart movement owes it's in
ceptlon to the Broadwater and Sweet
grass county movements, a part of
our people reasoning, perhaps wise
ly, perhaps unwisely, that if Broad
water county or Sweetgrass county,
or both, are to be created, they
would rather be a part of Cascade
county. a majority, if not a totali-
ty of our citizens are favorable to re-
naming in Meagher county unless
segregation from the south and west
should succeed in which case we be-
lieve the dictates of good business
sense might make other steps advis-
able.
We wish to inform the public
generally, that an adverse petition
has already been sen to Helena.
Our representative has ere this seen
it. 1t contained names of the owners
of four-ffths of the property in Nei-
hart and is opposed to segregation
upon any lines. Mr.. Spriggs prom
ises us a willing ear and an active
service, for which we are truly thank
full. From our standpoint we trust
that Meagher county may remain in
tact.
THE hopes of Broadwater county are