The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1904-04-20
wolf bounties TO pay the poor to sup
port. Books and atationaries cost 4 po0d

wolf bounties TO pay tho poor to sup
port. Books and ststioneries cost good
deal. Anyone who will come and ex-
anime and stop to figure, what expenses
and demands this county has from all
directions, will be surprised to find that
this county is in as good shape as it is.
Now we all want roads and bridges,
we need them. The majority of us want
the laws enforced and the poor looked
after. But it takes money to do all this
and the only way to got money is to
either borrow it or pay taxes.
Another item in the said article reads
like this "Why did not the county ap-
propriate some money for bridge
across the upper Des Laos? Ask Muir
ply" II Murphy was the one that pre-
vented the building of said bridge, he
did good thing, and the people should
thank him for it. The facts in the case,
however, are this: The Board of County
Commissioners we're the ones who pre-
vented the building of said bridge, for
the reason that in the opinion of the
board, said bridge would be too expen-
sive and benefit only small stretch Of
country at Bowbells. The only one of
the board in favor of said bridge was
Commissioner Richardson. This action
of the board was not due to Partially
towards Bowbells. On the contrary, the
board had previously to that time, de-
monstrated that no Partially existed, by
the fact that the same members of the
board, who refused to build the bridge
across the Des Laos, granted seed grain
to be distributed to the people around
Bowbells and in no other place in the
county, because the Board of County
! (Nov, Colt hot i.,1y,
around Bowbells worse than in any part
that the Board refused to build the
bridge, was this: That they did not
consider themselves justified in taxing
the general public of the county for
bridge that was not necessarily needed,
and which would, in all probability, cost
the county more than all the rest Of the
bridges and culverts in the county COM
bined. But this, / suppose. is the kind
of economy the reformers of the county
are going to practice when they come
into power. The policy of the majority
Of the present county administration of
this county is to keep out of debt, if pos
sible, and if that policy is continued, in
few years, this county will not only be
out of debt, but county taxes will also
be considerably lower. This howl about
Murphy running the affairs of the coun-
ty is all bosh, and you know it. Fair
and honest men when criticising others
give credit where credit is due. And
they never let personal animosity and
jealousy rule them. Reformers should
first reform themselves before they at
tempt to reform anyone else. If w. J.
Carroll and County Commissioner Rich
ardson, who are such honest men, know
of any stealing going on by the county
officials, why do they not expose it? IT.
they will let me know where the steal
ing is done, will at once have an inves-
tigation. For my part, do not know of
any. I'm always in favor of reform,
when it is in reality reform. But such
balderdash as some of those political
shysters are stirring up, under the name
of reform, is an insult to true reformers,
and l, for one, will have nothing to do
with it, I'm not pleading for my own
position. know that have attended
to my duties as County Commissioner
conscientiously and that is satisfaction
enough to me. And can easily stand
the abuses of those selfish. narrow
minded office seekers. And ] will fur
Their say that am not again candidate
for the position as County Commission
er. 1t is not very enviable position to
have, and anyone is welcome to it, for
my part. But to my successor, would
like to see man of his own honest oon-
viction and one who has also the ability
and courage to stay by them for the
good of the general public.