The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1896-01-25
A PLAIN STATEMENT OF FACTS.
A Feast of Reasons for not Moving
the County Seat from Lexington.

which issue has lately been thrust upon
us. ] am glad to see before mo the faces
of so many old friends, and to know the
deep interest you take in this matter.
We left Lexington this morning on
time, and the train, like the current oi
our county affairs, rolled smoothly along
until we reached the city OF Higginsville.
Gaughter.) There we took on board q
delegation of Higginsville gentlemen,
whom l see before me. We had not
gone two miles before our comfort and
harmony were rudely disturbed by a
smash-up. (Laughter.) l do not say that
this occurred because of any conspiracy OF
the Higginsville gentlemen, or on account
Of their Prociivitles to disturb the eternal
fitness of things, but it happened, any,
how, after they had gotten OF board.
(Great laughter.) They did not offer us, as
strangers at their gate, any conveyance
to your beautiful city, SO we trudged
about four miles through the mud to the
opel wagon was furnished us to reach
Concordia. On the way we overlook a
house OF many painted colors, lodged
upon q wagon drawn by two small ponies,
aud the boys began to guess what 1t was
They finally concluded it was the pro-
posed Higginsville court house on wheels,
rolling about over the county from town
to town, to be offered for location to the
highest bidder. (Laughter.) But when
we finallyovertook and examined it,it only
DIOKCu W oC GhC aOlnC "a q w
hand performer. (Great laughter.) Our
journey was a fitting illustration of the
beginning and ending of the Higginsville
court house craze (Renewed laughter
and ~applause.)
But all pleasantly aside, let us proceed
to examine the claims OF the gentlemen
from H~igginsville IN the county seat
question. II they are safe guides we may
follow them; otherwise, not.
We find embodied in the resolutions
lately passed at a meeting of the citizens
OF Higginsville-which is the platform
the reasons upon which they claim the
county seat at Lexington hould be
ramoved to Higginsville. Do these reso-
lutions deal fairly with the voters, for
whose eyes they were written? Are they
not in keeping with b spirit oil the
article which before this agitation was
begun, was published in the Corder Dis
patch, and subsequently copied in the
Higginsville papers. to the effect that
there was an intention on the part of the
levy a tax upon the people between S4O,-
600 and $780, 600 to rebuild the court house
at Lexington?
The very first line of these resolutions
has no foundation in fact. They begin:
ssWhereRs, The city of Lexington sub
mitted to the county court of Lafayette
county a petition, &C., praying for a
rebuilding of the court house of said
county under the term and disguise oil
repairing said building"
The city of Lexington never submitted
any petition to the county court for any
such urpos much less for rebuilding
the court house, as was well known to the
gentlemen when that resolution was
penned.
Then why say, "The city of Lexington
did So" except 1t be by assuming a fact
not true, to prejudice the voters against
Lexingtonf Was this fair7
If there is any one principle dear to the
American heart, that principle is fair
play. (Applause.) But here in the very
outset of this agitation and in these
we find an attempt to unfairly
prejudice the people against Lexington.
further, the resolutions state
.tWhereas, the present Indebtedness of
county Is q burden to the people,"
in the resolutions? Is the in
debtedness of the county a reason for
removing the county seat? VIII such
pay the indebteduess3
o it not come with a bad grace from
Higginsville to speak of an indebtedness,
the fncurring of a large part OF which gave
life and q name to Higginsvillef
Read further, "Whereas, we believe said
appropriation is exhorbitant, &c,
unauthorized by law, that taxes have
been LEVIED for the same, &C."
Suppose every word OF this mere opinion
Is true. Is that 3 reason to urge before
men that the county seat should
removed? Let Us do some impartial
thinking here.
Admit that this opinion is correct, that
the judges of the county our acted
w%rongfnlly, crimiDally wrong II you
please. is that a reason for the move
Are we to punish innocent property
holders'of Lexington, Clay and Washing
townships-many of them widows
and orphans-by depreciating the value
of the property upon which they depend
q subsistance-which will be u sure
consequence to follow the reSaoyal-
because the county court has made an
unwise appropriation in the case given,
any Justice in this?
The gentlemen admit In these resolu-
tions that the court house needed REPAIRS,
not to exceed $2,50o-that they had SO
stated In their re nonstrance: fEsy men
amount, and then urge that fact as a
reason for removing the county seat to
Try a little logic on this reason:
"WhereRs, the bridge on Davis creek
Whereas, the county court has or0ered
an unreasonable amount for such repairs
be 1t
Resolved, that the bridge be removed
to Higginsville."
What an absurdity.
OH oAb viz - IN N.eS
si2, loo was appropriated has no founda-
zion in fact. The gentlemen do not render
court the justice to report correctly
they did appropriate. By reference
TO b order Of the court IT Will be seen
SO far they haYe actually appro-
only S2,300-two hundred dollars
less than the amount the resolutions
admit necessary. The language of the
order is in brief to appropriate. an amount
not to exceed S12, OO6, and of this amount
2 300 Is now Immediately appropriated.
So that it may be possible that $4,000
the whole amourt-may never be
or used. but only the first appro-
priation of g, 300 or say 5000. The whole
being at all events not to exceed
BIZ 1000.
(Here Mr.. Burden read at length the
order of the court and then continued.l
No petition, no remonstrance to the
was necessary as touching those
The court has the power, as also
discretion, and 1t is made its duty by
the law of the land, which they took an
to faithfully discharge, to alter,
repair, rebuild and preserve the county
property OF which they are made the legal
and only custodians by the law, Wtthq4t
any petition therefor.
Here Mr.. Burden read from the statutes
1, page 796, section 1884, as follows:
1.-THE county court of each county shal
haye power, from time to time to
repair or rebuild any county build
t4kQ NhlGA hRlO 1COh III Ah0y wa ~
erected, ne circumstances may require,
and the funds OF the county may admit;
and they shall, moreover, take spoh
as shall be necessary to preserve
all buildings and property OF their county
waste or damage"
Then continuing he said, that the court
house needed repairs IL beyond all guess
The gentlemen admit that but
differ with the court rs to tho amount
necessary. The grand Jury of your
a body of men selected from the
county, mostly from the country
districts, men of judgment and BUSINESS
men of integrity and impartiality,
~ their last session recommended that
the ooart house be altered or repaired so
as to be commensurate with the increasing
demands, and TO faci!itGte thp
transactiDg OF the public affairs at the
county seat.
The amount of the cost OF the repairs is
in the contingent fund, from
which alone it can come, and there will
be no need, as the gentlemen contend, for
Levy for its payment.
But snppQx9 It was necessary to levy n
tax for the W6olhaLnOgpt of 81, 900, which,
as ! have shown, could not pQsNiblY be the
case, what would be tho aRsassIRbnt1
We have about Sl2, 000. 900 worth OF
property in the county. The actual
amount Jun /, 1894, I believe, was sl1,
lSt sos. $4,000, therefore, would b fnst.
Two fhilis 6h Che 800 Of valuation 10
Illustrate, a man otfniuR sI,o00 would be
Sc ssed ten cents, & uan50uninC $4,000
L.H n n