Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1902-12-17

no power to put anyone on the stand,
nor, in some cases, has he thought it
modest to question too closely.
These being the facts in the case, ii
is not to be wondered at that some
were dissatisfied with the result of
the election; and so afterwards, as
you are aware, there was an effort to
remove the county seat thus located.
This was in 1856. A law ia just
been passed by which County
Judge of any county was tor bmit the
question of the county seat to the
votes of the people on a petition
therefor signed by a certain proper
tion of the voters in the county In
February, 1856, petition signed by
400 was presented to the Judge pray
ing an election to be ordered. At
the same time a remonstrance was
presented, signed by 500. Here arose
question. Was it the duty of the
County Judge TO oroer an election in
favor of the petitioners regardless of
the remonstrance, or in case of a re-
monstrance-and that in the majority
was he to disregard the petition?
Sides were taken, and lawyers en-
ployed !. For d.y and half, as the
case was argued before him. did the
Judge carefully gather all possible
light from the best legal talent of the
day, finally deciding against the petit
tioners No election was ordered. AT
the April election an unofficial vote was
taken simply to show the sentiments
of the people, which, as a matter Of
| fact, was in favor OF removal-Free.
port being the place named.
In June another petition for an
election, to be ordered by the Judge.
was presented, and another remon-
STRANGE, also as before, two to one, fol-
lowed by like decision of the County
Judge against the petitioners. The
case was then referred to the District
Court in July, where, by the District
Judge, the action of the County Judge
was sustained. In April, 1856, pro-
position was submitted to the county
for county loan of So, 600 to build
court house, which at this time car
ried, and so fixed the matter.
In reference to these, there were
those (among the dissatisfied, of
course, who talked of bribes and un-
fair dealing--in fine, of much ir-
regularity generally but here again
is the weakness of the historian. He
cannot give the real life, but must be
content with bare outside facts.
Some things, however, are very evil
dent. The feeling must have been
strong, and no pains spared on either
side, especially that of the remon-
strants. A petition of 400 and a re-
monstrance of 800, gives 200 voters.
AS a matter of fact, there were many
voters who signed neither. This, ac-
cording to the usual calculation,
would give TO the county a population
of at least about 5000 people-more
by half, as everybody knows, that
were then in it. There must have
been remarkable diligence, not to say
great skill, in finding signatures.
Had vote been ordered at the time,
it is generally thought that the ma
jority would have been for removal.
And again, had there been Judge
personally in favor of a removal. very
likely (such is'the weakness of human
nature) an election would have been
ordered, and Decorah's scepter might
have passed to Freeport -
The people of the county are con-
versant with the more recent agitation
on the court house question. 1t will
be remembered that in 1898. the Board
of Supervisors, realizing the dangerous
condition of the records and the need
of new building ordered a vote upon
the question of selling bonds for the
erection of new building When
the votes were counted it was found
that the propositin had lost by vote
of S4S for to 1929 against, majority
of 1851 against the proposition. The
next spring the town of Calmar offered
a plat of ground and $4,000 for the
removal of the court house to that
place, and circulated petition ask
ing for vote on removal, but they
failed to secure sufficient signatures
and did not file the petition. The
last vote, in 1902, was an overwhelm-
ing majority Tor a new building, zooO
for to 1884 against, a majority OF 996
for the proposition.
The following Iowa postoffices have
been raised from the fourth class to
the presidential list: Clearfield. Eli
OFT, Fontanelle, Inwood, Kensett,
Lake Park, Lohrville, Lone Tree,
Mediapolis, Milton, Mystic, North
English, Sloan, Vail.
Mrs. Ulysses S. Grant, widow of
the former President of the United
States, died at IL: II Sunday night at
lar hop,a In Wach;putop N ~ from,