The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1904-10-22
A WORTHY AMBITION

JCNOAOA4 o. w AOASSA -"
our citizens who may not favor the
proposition. The ambition is a
laudable one and in it you find
evidence of pluck and energy on
the part of those who go to make
up the citizenship of Underwood.
In it you find evidence of public
spirit and Observation-Disclosures it
succeeds in wrestling the countyseat
honors from Washburn or not-is
fortunate that it can class among
it's citizens SO many men that are
ambitious for it's future. 1t certain
ly bodies we'll for the town and it is
to be hoped that the zeal and ardor
of these public spirited men will
continue and that their efforts will
be rewarded by the growth and the
Importance Of their town--that it
may become a center of population
and business and that it's citizens
may prosper and be contented with
their lot, and that the spirit of COM
munity of interest may expand.
That is the honest hope and desire
of The LEADER. We would have
every citizen of Mclean county
shun jealousy and coAetousness.
W. would that every citizen was
bounden together and stood as a
unit for the development and
growth of Mclean county as a
whole. We would that there were
no differences, but that We could
meet on a plain level and work and
labor for Mclean county and that
there we're no drones or backslid-
ers among us. We would that
there were no east, west, north or
south end, that there were no di-
vision of interests, but we were
oil united and of one mind. We
would then accomplish much and
be a power for good.
However, that is uot likely nell
ther is it probable, inasmuch as it
is contrary to human nature. 1t is
natural for man to be selfish and
work for his own interests as he
might see them. That the devel-
opment Of Mclean county is in its
infancy, that is the accepted opin-
ion Of all though ful and observ-
ing citizens. That we are destined
to grow and increase in import
ance and in population, that is an
assured fact. That railroad build
ing will be incident to this growth
and development, that is not ques-
toned. In the course of the next
few years Mclean county will
have more people, it will have
more farms, it will have more rail-
roads, and it will have more towns.
We are on the eve of great bust
ness activity and promotion. Towns
and industries will spring up as if
by magic-in a single year the en-
tire map of Mclean county may
be changed. These are not the
dreams of a dreaming mind, but
they are among the actual prob.
abilities of the near future.
With these changing conditions
it may become desirable to have
the present Mclean county cut
up into three counties, and it may
be desirable to have the boundaries
of the county remain as they now
are and in the neighborhood of
Turtle Lake or Coal Harbor or
some other point not now known
by name, may be found a logical
place to make the permanent coun-
ty seat of Mclean county, and at
such point suitable buildings could
be erected and accommodations
provided for the dispatch of county
business commensurate with n
large, rich and populous county.
We are not at this time prepared
to state but what this point may
be Underwood. However, we have
no fault to find with Underwood or
it's people for urging it's claims for
county seat honors SO long as they
permit fairness and honesty to
guide them, so long as they urge
Underwood on it's merits, we shall
applaud and commend their efforts.
If there is merit in Underwood's
claim, and if Underwood is the log
ical point to be the future perma-
nent county seat of Mclean county
and this can be demonstrated to
the entire satisfaction of the voters
and taxpayers of the county, I'm
derwood should be awarded the
honor which it asks for. However,
Underwood can hardly expect to
carry off the prize except on these
two principles-me,it and logic.
It can hardly expect that the intel
igent voter will take kindly to a
campaign of sectional prejudice
where neighbor is asked to array
himself against neighbor, and ar
guments are tainted with malice
and falsehood. Hardly not. The
voters aside from those who are
intimately associated with and have