Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1897-02-25
LEXOWING !!
"0bSerVanl" Aids Observer" III the
Search For Reform.
Webster. s. D. Feb. %. 1897.

Ny atten ion has been attracted BY q
communication in the Day County Her
aid signed observer and while the
obvious intention OF the article is to
incite public opinion aud precipitate
another kiIkenney fight over municipal
offices, it contains some very pertinent
suggestions as regards the management
OF city affairs, and / arise to heartily
second the same. Skipping over his
conundrum IA to the whereabouts OF
the arteslan well and waterworks and
his error in regard to the compensation
OF the chief OF police, | reach the follow
ing ''The village council paid no rents,
the present council pays 10permonth."
There can be no Justification for such
unwarranted extravaganza. The village
council formerly met sometimes in one
mans business Office, sometimes in an-
Others, and sometimes not at all. No,
objections were ever raised to this tram
STORY mode OF doing business aud it
was eminently satisfactory,-at least
TO observer and myself. OF course,
the village possessed no fire apparatus
while the city does, but it does not fol-
low that rent should be paid for the
housing OF the same Tor it could. Just as
well rs net, stand in the court house
yard. The neighbors could then borrow
-
the ladders to put up storm windows,
the pals for house use, the axes to chop
XII ndiing. while the lanterns would be OF
use to citizens On dark nights on their
road 10 the station and elsewhere. Ii an
extinguisher would happen to freeze up
occasionally, it could be thawpd out by
the heat OF the first fire at which it
would be called Into use. The payment
of rent would not only be avoided but
tie apparatus would be OF inestim-
able value to the people in daily life,
instead OF standing idle in a building for
which the burdened taxpayer has to
shell out $40 each calendar month.
inother strong point made by the
Observer is ''Why should
NOT the street commissioner level down
the sn~nw-banks the same as other cities
cause 1T to be done ?" IT. is safe to
wager, Mr.. Editor, that Observer is a
LIST warder for that is the very question
that the residents OF that ward nave
been asking since the storm OF January
End, since which time they have been
compelled to traverse five to eight
feet OF solid snow, extending up Main
street from the Masonic temple to the
Lutheran church. Suppose
the artesian well would catch fire, how
on earth would the fire company reach
the scene OF con1agration with that
apparatus for which the toiIing masses
ire paying the munifcent sum of so
Der month for the sheltering thereof. 1t
s a shameful condition OF affairs aud
Mr.. Commissioner should be promptly
that instead OF spending his
salary in idle luxury he should
get out his shovel and go to loveling.
he gets through with that part OF
street, there is a twelve foot bank
snow in front Of the Elevator Store
md adjoining properties to which his
attention might be directed, and which
ne could proceed 70 distribute over the
,ast side OF the street. Fhis finished, he
tackle 1st street north OF the court
house and place that in navigable con
The cost OF leveling these banks
would be but % trifln and not only would
/ great benefit be conferred upon the
but it would encourage the down
jrodden taxpayer with the hope that
some more much needed reforms would
De attempted.
1t takes a brave man to deal blows
against existing evils aud to plead the
.ause OF reform, aud while Josh Billings
iarcastically declares that Reform con
lists of getting the other fellow out and
Yourself in" it i is very evident that this
5 not the kind OF reform that animates
he pen Of my friend observer" Public
ipiritedness breathes in every line OF his
COMMUNICATION and | anxiousiy await
lis promised letter giving further light
IN the existing municipal venality.
| have not trespassed on your
-aluable space. | remain
Yours respectfully,