Fergus County argus., 1902-10-29
Exposes OF Conducting County A.
faii Have Been Proportionately
decreased for Seven Years.
PROF OF GOOD MANAGEMENT
With Democrats in Control the Per-
eetase Of Increase Has Been Ex-
cessive-Figures Prove It

~ DcihocTdtb y attempts 10 lHdhe
DOlipal capital by showing reports
and cures concerning individuals or
coung government have always prov
an bomerangs. Some way that does
not ppear to be the Democrats long
suit. A few months ago the Democrat
staru a great hue and cry about the
ndeledness of Fergus county hav-
ms icreascd in such terrible proper
tiona but after two or three weeks
OF qalifying II had to finally eat
crow Two weeks since the Democrat
uadeiook to show-and. by the way.
they re still running that item-that
sc, et tRepublican candidates had held
oficaor an aggregate of some forty
FIVE Vars. The ARGUS very prompt
ly shTed that five of the Democratic
candidates had been holding office or
had eI candidates for Office for ex-
actly n equal period. The difference
was favor of the Republicans, for
while he people had expressed conf
deLccin the Republican candidates.
they Nd turned the Democrats down
hard.
Andla last week the Democrat under.
took I show lavish expenditure of
public funds and contained state
ment I the expenditures for each
year slice 1895. Remarkable to state.
the figres were correct. Heretofore
ouI cotemporary has usually started
We rng md had to first correct mis-
3yatemats before basis of argument
could b reached.
But V will admit that in the year
1895 thttotal expenditures in Fergus
county Iere $61.226.5S and that they
varied tom as low as $47,095.57 in
the yea 1898 to $SO,929.26 in 1900
and thauast year they were $80,0S6.-
43. AndGe will further admit, amply
proven the figures given above,
that since 1S95-seven years-the ex-
penditureaof the county have increas-
ed thirty YER cent.
But in tese seven years how much
has the POPULATION increased? Prob
ably one Kindred per cent. And in
Il csc seven years how much has the
taxable valetion increased? Just 81.
731,449, or hrty-one per cent.
An increass of forty-one per cent in
taxable waltl. probably one hundred
per cent In population and only thirty
per cent n exIenses. To any reason
able man that s a great showing. for
usually expense, increase in about the
same PROPORTION
And comparing the expenditures of
the year 1895. which were $61 ,226.5S,
with those Vi 1901, which were $50,
43, let us see IN what funds the in.
crease has occurred.
In the general fund. that from
which the miscellaneous expenses are
paid including those of the district
court, election, schools, etc. the in
crease has ben $6,563.14.
In the contilgent fund, that from
which salaries ire paid the increase
has been $4,73,39. And during this
period each officer has received an
increase of salay as provided by state
law.
In the road nnd the increase has
been $G,923.37. In this period Of sew
en- years the ounty has expended
over $21,577 in the erection of seven
iron or steel Ridges. including the
big ones at Nusselshell. Samples
crossing. Lavina Warm Spring. Utica
Sage Creek and Ross Fork.
In the poor ind the increased ex
penditure in 1871 over 1895 was $621.
IN a,I IN allfto.a1 IA hoe haap
spent on Eccout teachers institutes
If the Democnt or Democrats think
public funds hive been squanderet
let them point h which one of these
items the squahering has been.
And in these seven years the ta'
levy has been decreased and in place
of an impoverished treasury the coun
ty has ample finds on hand and II
prepared to buih a $4,000 jail with
out borrowing, loating bonds or ser
iously depicting the funds.
That is what Republican commits
sioners have dne for Fergus count.
affairs.
But while we 10 not wish to be con
sidered as crititising the conduct o
the sheriff's offce. though we Nigh
possibly find sufficient grounds for dc
ing so, the fad that Sherif SHAY
has been the ohy Democrat In offic
of late, the EXPENSES of his office al
ford the only lossible criterion o
what the proportion Of increase Nigh
be were Demochts to be given larf
er control.
During the lat year OF Republ
can sheriff the expenses of that O.
fee, including lis salary. were $3
99304. The last report of the count
clerk. from whih the Democrat quo
ed. shows that in the year 1901. wit
a Democrat as sheriff, the expenses
including salary. were $6,127.2o or a
increase of fiftyfour per cent.