Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1900-10-31
THE cRESSET'S CIRCULAR.

the virtues of George Nay and misrep-
resenting and attempting to personally
iniure Marion Grouse. The circular
contains the same rot that has appear
ed in the Cresset all during the cam
paign, and each and every statement
made therein has been met and thor
oughly disproved, but we desire again
to point out the fallacy Of the state
ments which this circular sets forth.
The relation Of Mr.. Nay with taxes paid
here and elsewhere has been thorough
ly explained and 1t can be seen else
where in this paper this week. The
best that can be said in this respect is
that Mr.. Nays interests are greater
elsewhere than here. But we repeat
again that the question of Mr.. Nays
personal taxes is very Insignificant and
1t was only shown up because certain
republicans started report that Mari
on Grouse 1s not taxpayer. Hence it
was necessary to show that Mr.. Grouse
pays more taxes in Barber county than
Mr.. Nay does.
But we want to again discuss those
parts of Mr.. Nays official record
that the Axline- Lorton circular points
out. The things that 1t discusses, aside
from this tax question, are the assess
ment Of lands near Kiowa. the KiOwa
bridge controversy, the question Of spe-
eixl favors granted to certain pOliti-
clans, the reduction of land valuation
and the saving of $4,000 on bonds
and interest.
We will take these propositions up in
the above order. 1t is fact, and the
records show it, that land around Kio-
wa is assessed lower than IN other por
tiOns Of the county except In the very
remote townships. If, as the Gresset
circular says, L. G. Golf, the Popuilst
trustee, is responsible for it, was it not
the duty of the commissioners to equal
iZe 1t? The A. & l.. circular does not
state facts In the Kiowa bridge case.
The statement made by those who criti
else that suit is that the case will cost
the county and the township more than
the old lumber is worth before it is
ended. Nobody has ever said that 1t is
not worth $50, the amount paid A. l..
Noble to appear for the county in the
district court. 1t is admitted that the
county has done more repairing on the
bridge than the township, but the
agreed statement Of facts now on rec
ord in the district clerks office says
that after all this repairing has been
done, that the township still has two
thirds interest in the bridge while the
county has only One-third. Mr.. Nay
and Mr.. Rankin agree that this is true.
Yet the commissioners bring suit for
the whole bridge plus $500 damages.
The cOurt-a republican judge-gave
the county the bridge but refused to
allow damages. Judge Gillett advised
the township to appeal the case because
he said that there were some points of
law involved and he desired to see it
tested. In his decision Judge Gillett
stated that as matter of right the
township is entitled to the lumber but
AO ChOuShV VAoU OCOAAlOollJ LhC COunOJ
could hold it. The circular states that
there are ten or twelve other bridges
whose ownership is resting on this de-
cision which is another mistaken 9TH
er instances the townships reliDquished
their claims and there IS no contention.
This, however, was large bridge and
Kiowa township wanted its portion of
the lumber and the county commission
toner's could have easily compromised.
Even if they couldn't, it would have
been better not to go to court because
before they get through it will cost
more than the lumber can be sold for
even if the county gets decision
which is highly improbable.
There has been reduction of 33h per
cent in land valuation but at the same
time there has been an increase of 1O
per cent in the valuation of personal
property and the tax levy on the gener-
al fund has been increased 800 per cent
and consequently taxes are higher this
year than for years, and expenditures
during the past three years have piled
up enormously.
II is hardly worth the time to point
out instances which the A. & L. circu'
lar calls for, as to where Mr.. Nay has
favored one man more than another
but we will cite few of them. When
the poor farm was bought, 1t was turn
ed oyer to one man, no others were in
vited to apply or submit bid. The
district clerk was allowed clerk hire con-
trary to law, but the probate judge was
ignored. There were numerous in
stances when the commissioners need
ed somebody to assist their incompe
tent county attorney and they always
emplo Jed A. l.. Noble when they could
have secured as good lawyers for less
money. They refused the county su-
perintendent the right to hold school
exercises i'll the court house, but after
ward threw the doors open to political
meetings. These are only a few in
stances. We could name others some
| of which would strike Axline Il Lortor
right at home, but somebody would
say we are personal, and we don't care
| to let our lanes connect with it at all
although it is fact that we can Fever
| receive even courtesy when we have
business IN commissioners court.