Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1898-07-01
EMM0NSCoUNTy RECORD.
By D. r. STREETER.
Williamsport, North Dakota.
Pioneer Journal of the County.
The Record is entered at tile WIlliamspert
Rostodsce as second-class matter.

lS godsend to the Bismarck Tribune,
the Mandan Pioneer, the Dickinson
Press and other sheets whose owners
jump when the N. P. pulls the string. 1t
seems that there is disgraceful squabble
in Wells county between the county COM
missioDers the railroad company and the
attorney that fought the case for the
county. 1t Itappears that the commissioners
agreed to pay the outrageous price of SO
per cent to the lawyer for what he might
recover; that there was some irregularity
in the agreement and that much ILL.,
feeling has been engendered. The news
papers named gleefuily recount these
troubles-as they do all other matters in
which the taxpayers seem to be
getting the worst of it from the rail.
roads--and then point y moral because
the truly wise and good county boards
of their respective counties surrendered
to the railroad without fight. As a
matter of fact, there is nothing similar in
the conditions surrounding the tax li,iga-
ton in Wells and in Emmons and Kidder
was only small "dab" Of taxes in ques-
ton, as but little of the county is within
the land.grant. and nearly all of that is
in the hands of settlers. The Tribune
ct aL seek to convey the impression that
all the counties fighting the tax-sharks
are in the same boat. When the case of
Wells was decided by the supreme court
one or two Of the countys claims were
not allowed; but none of the disallowed
claims are similar to those now being
conteaded for By the two counties of the
Missouri Slope that were not sacrificed
by their boards Of county. commissioners
to the railroads.
When the editors Of leading news.
papers of section are so constituted
that they will seize every opportunity to
misrepreseut facts in the interest of .
thievish gang that won't pay taxes, and
decry the efforts of honest officials to
protect the interests of their fellow-set-
tiers; when one of these papers will laud
an official who shamelessly betrays his
constituents. for the position of local
land agent Of railroad company-when
these things come to pass it is time that
there was systematic agitation through
out the state for the purpose Of orgsniz-
Ing against corporations that through a
cowardly press and boodling officials are
doing their best to exempt themselves
from public burdens, and thereby placing
such burdens almost entirely upon indi-
vidual property holders.
In conclusion the Record desires to
state that there was no more reason for
Burleigh, Stark and Morton to surrender
than there was for Kidder and Emmons
to surrender. Aud there was and is
exactly the same reason why the rail-
roads should pay their taxes in those coun-
ties as that the individuals should pay.
There is no process of reasoning by
which the Bismarck Tribune and the
other Northern Pacific tooters can con-
vince their readers that land owned by
the railroad should not be placed in
exactly the same category as that owned
by individuals. In fact, since the
supreme.court decision in the Wells.
county case, it is not asserted by the
friends of the push in Burleigh county
that there was any reason for surrender,
but tho claim is now made that the books
under one or more ''has-been" auditors and
treasurers were kept in such slovenlY
condition that no case could be made
against Fernald and the other yultures
employed by the Northern Pacific 10
travel through the counties and claw into
the carrion of official incompetency, If
this be the true reason, why should not
the Tribune SO state it, and not seek to
raise false issue for the purpose of pref
udiciDg at the bar of public opinion the
case Of those counties that are now liti.
eating the matter.