Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1895-01-18
wAnrED--A STATE INSTITUTION

I While nearly every towa in the state
is demanding the establishment of pub
lie institution of ono kind or another,
why should the people Of Billspert not
be up and doing3 What the state needs,
and needs badly, is the education of the
badger and the domestication and judic-
lous Improvement of the Russian cactus,
That the badger can be tanned il shown
BY the fact that in occasional instances
boys have made pets Of individuals of
the species: That they possess wonders
ful digging powers is demonstrated by
the frequency with which their annoying
excavations are. met along the public
highNaYs lake the, populists. as gen.
eraF thing they take the middle of the
rosA. Bat il it not possible to divert
their useless energy to q useful channel,
Let the scoffsr pause. Centuries passed
ere science discovered a method of con-
trolling even part. OF the gigantic
wasted power Of NiagarA. This town il
in senatorial district: that ii: more than
three to one Republ blican. The vlctors
belong the spoilss Why should not the
legislature establish q Billsport school
for the purpose Of euueating the badger
and teaching it to plow? If thsnoWer.
now wasted by this species in digging
pitfalls in the highway could be con.
served "
be no need Of turning furrow in the old
way. 1t the badger could be taught to
plow our fields and the aickertall gopher
employed to spade eur gardens, the life
of the North Dakota farmer would be q.
continuous picnic.
Again, from Jimtown to Medora, the east
ern and western limits of region wherein
the stock interest is fast becoming para.
mount, it is only question of time when
fields will have to be fenced, It 1s known
that horses cannot be driven through
patch Of ripsned Muscoyite cactus. If,
therefore, this weed, growing wild, pos
sssses the quality Of turning stock, why
could it not be used for fencing? Some
thip-s skinned moralists may clam that
1t would not be just to the taxpayers to
found q new institution at present; but
this IS an age of utilitarianism, and dis.
ciples of this ''ism" believe that the end
justifies tho means, provided that said end
serves humanity. Emmons county pre-
ssnts fine field for experimentation
along the cactus line. Perhaps, by ju.
aicious system Of cultivation and by root.
on the bull. thistle, thorny tree
could be evolved that would serve . use.
tul purpose as hedge fence. Who
knows but that, by further careful &C.
lection and survival Of the fittest, this
Zee might be 80 improved as to produce
.imber fit for building purposes and for
fuel3
We offer this idea merely as 4 sugges-
ion. 1t has been developed after PAIN.
'ul mental effort; but, like salvation, it's
'res. And, IN closing, we desire to ina.
sress upon the minds Of Senator Wishek
md Representatives Armstrong and Rob-
srts the importance Of this matter. If,
when the appropriation grab begins, they
hall succeed in joining the band Of patri-
ots who are most numerous and power
tpl, and shall obtain fiys or ten thousand
1ellars for the sstab abllshmsnt ct Billsport
If "Sohool for the Edusatlen of the
Badger" or a"State Farm tor lmprov-
ing the Muscevite Cactus Until 1t Makes
Suitable Material for Building Purposes
and Firewood," the voters Of the free and
borough of Emmons will
next time make crosses before their names
With 4 gold pen dipped in red ink.
II Billsport doesn't get this necessary \
public institution--and some elerks--she
proposes to rebel and pay no more taxes.