Rosebud County news. [volume] (Forsyth, Mont.) 1901-1906, 1904-04-21

to uphold that same government, where
as if you get the option OF private
citizen the report is a vastly different
one.
| You are told that one of the advan-
tages of incorporation will be .nlore
and b better sidew alks.' At whose ex-
pense will these sideW alks be laid?
Will the city stand the expense? No
An ordinance will be passed demand
ing that you, if Il property owner, lay
a sidewalk on the street side of your
property. Should you be unable to do
SO the city would order the walk laid
and the expense would be taxed
against your property. Should you
still be unable to meet the bill your
property would be sold in the same man
ner as property is sold for delinquent
taxes. Think moment! Do you wish to
perpetrate upon your neighbor, whose
intentions are the best yet whose fl
nances are not in as tlourshing condi-
tion as your own, d hardship of this
nature for the wholly sclfish inclination
of avoiding a little mud? Doyou wish to
close out man who is putting every
dollar he can get together into a home?
You may say that the small amount
necessary to lay Is or SO feet of side
walk would not close out anyone. The
tide of fortune has often been changed
by smaller sums than this.
Those who wish sidewalks can put
them III without Incorporating the
town and thus working hardship on
the small property owner.
AS for police protection, we have
three men in the sherif's office who
are on our streets the Greater part of
the time; men thoroughly competent to
keep order. What more could be
asked?
Fire protection. The only benefits
derived in this direction would be the
probable installation of one or two fire
extinguishers, machines that are not
recognized by any insurance company
in the United States; your insurance
would be lessened not one cent. A
system of wator works is the only rec
ognized fire protection and this is con-
ceded by the most ardent advocates of
incorporation to be among the impossi-
bilities.
| Cleaner streets and alleys. This
branch Of our town industry is at pres
ent as it would be with incorporation,
| under the supervision of the county
health officer, who has full power to
act His power would not be increased
one iota were the town Incorporated.
The plain fact is that Forsyth is not
ready to become city, and were she
to attempt to assume this dignity it
would be only to her own shame.
| 1t is a matter of history that
an institution of no kind can be crea-
ted merely by the organization of the
working machinery for the the enforce
ment of the laws and rights necessary
for the maintainence of such an insti-
tuition. 1t matters not how great the
|
al law holds good. A thing must
grow from within and not from with
out. No amount of adornment can pro-
| duce vigorous growth. A city is not
| thing that can be created merely by
| the election of mayor and councilmen.
| There must be that which will war
rant the support of these officials
premature organization of this kind
would produce only a round of abuse
! for the office holders, and the dscon-
tent of the taxpayers, causing any
thing but the spirit which would pro-
duce healthy and natural growth.
The picture presented by some of our
more visionary bretheren, of beauti-
| fully LAID streets, clean alleys, the
perfect maintenance of law and order
and the enforcement of all ordinances
relative to the organization of a city, is
enticing in the extreme, and with its
| Elysian like appearance may prove a
lure to many, but those who are ac-
quainted with the workings of a city
council and mayor will readily detect
"snare and a delusion'' in the oilv
sentences of the advocates of incorpor
alton.
Were it possible to regenerate For
syth, to increase her popul alton to