Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1897-08-06
EMM0NS COUNTY RECORD.
By D. r. sTREETER.
Nilliamsport, North Dakota.
Pioneer journal of the County.
Tie Record is entered at tile Wizliamsp0rt
R0st017ce as second-cl0ss matter.

IT is q fine state of affairs when the
board of county commissioners in
certain counties assumes the RESPONSE
bility Of cutting down the taxes
of the Northern Pacific Railway
company. In Burleigh county, while the
N. P. has been allowed to pay taxes on
its own terms, there is nothing in the
published proceedings of the county
board to show that other taxpayers have
been treated in the same way.
~*4
The trouble is that this overbearing
and interruptions corporation owns a
number of the officials of the various
counties within the land-grant. When
the people find county officer who has
pass over railroad-for which he has
not rendered legitimate service-they
should carefully scrutinize his acts when
he ls placed in a position where he must
choose between his neighbors and the
railroad. 1t matters not whether he be-
longs to an old gang, or a new gang,
or an intermediate gang-a man who is
paid for serving the interests of the
people should not-with an actual or
implied understanding Of reciprocal fa-
vors through the influence of his position
as an oficial--take pass or other gift
from any individual or company whose
interests are wholly or partially antag-
onistic to the interests. off, those who
elected him and who pay his salary. A
man cannot serve God and Mammon.
~ =
It Is the fashion to speak of the
newspapers within the influence of the N.
P. as being subsidized by the railroad.
But the truth is that every newspaper
publisher who exchanges advertising for
transportation pays al least two prices,
in space, for his mileage or trip tickets.
Furthermore, instances are numerous
where newspaper men in this state, with
N. P. transportation in their pockets,
have stood by the people when their in
terests came in conflict with those of the
giant corporation. No publisher likes to
secure the i'll will of such q power, but
many have spoken plainly when the
company has sought to gouge the com.
munity in which the publisher makes his
living. The editor of the Record had
been agent for the sale or lease OF
the N. p. lands in Emmons county for a
good many years. For dozen years he
has had transportation in exchange fol
advertising. He knew very we'll, too
that the company would not tolerate
criticism Of their methods without seek.
ing to get even. He had no desire to gel
himself disliked by Fee. Fernald ct al.
But when the notorious tax.dodgine
Fernald began his crusade against the
taxpayers of this county. the writer be-
lieved it to be his duty to espouse the
cause Of the taxpayers. And the get
even act was quickly done by Mr.. Fee.
~
The officials of the Northern Pacific
company seem to firmly believe that they
own this country, and in some ways there
is good reason for that belief. The com
pany waters its stock enormously, and
then charges exorbitsnt freight and pas
senger rates 90 as to make profit on the
basis Of Its watered stock. On the Mis-
souri, Slope il has monopoly OF The
transportation business in most parts
and establishes such rates as 1t pleases
Its rates are much higher than thoss
of the Milwaukee road or Of the 800
road, and for this reason good many
Of the stockmen of Emmons and Logar
counties drive to Eureka or to Kuhn t
ship. rather than TO Bismarck, or ster
ling, or Steele.
In the republican state convention q
Grand Forks last year the writer offered
. resolution expressing the sentiment o
the convention that the Northern Pacin'