The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1906-04-12
Mr.. KICKER ANSWERS
Replies to Critics who took ExCep-
tion to his Article on the
County Seat Question.
Grand River, Iowa, April 10, 1906.

Grand River, Iowa, April 10, 1906.
EDITOR LEON REpoRTER: When read
my own article in the Leon papers on
the county seat question l thought l
had said nothing, of any consequence,
but when l read the last issue of the
Lariat l was forced to believe that
had scored point or two any way.
1t was unfortunate that the proof
reader overlooked an error of some
consequence in my former article. You
made me say "Our people would never
have petitioned for a change had not
the foreigners come into our midst
They signed only when purchased" by
Decatur City," In my manuscript l
used the word persuaded" instead OF
"purchased.'
With this connection l have no
apologies to offer for my article. What
l have written, have written, and was
exactly what meant.
am attacked by three separate writ
ers in the Lariat, but not single one
attempts to refute my arguments, or
present anything to show why a
sensible man should vote to move the
county from town nearest the center
of the county, possessing two railroads,
with over 1000 people, to little
village five miles away, with but a
single railroad, and with only 32S
people, and which fell off 80 in popula
tion over what it was five years ago, and
actually farther from the center of the
county.
To summarize my arguments for
Leon:
1st. 1t is the nearest town to the
center of the county.
I'd. 1t is we'll located as regards to
health.
Sd. 1t has two railroads to Decaturs
one.
4th. 1t is, and has been, the county
seat for years, and real estate values are
based thereon. To take the county
seat away would kill the town and
depreciate property. We have no
moral right to thus financially injure
the people of Leon, unless the general
welfare of the county demands it.
Thus far no one has risen up to show us
where the general welfare Of the county
demands change.
9TH. made it clear, think, that the
petition to change the county seat had
not originated with suffering people
at all, but could be traced directly to
the business interests of Decatur City.
9th. l now bring forward another
point. The census of 1905 shows that
the county is almost equally divided in
population between the east and west,
and that locating the county seat at
Decatur would place more people east
of it than west. 1t would make
greater disproportion than now exists.
Now please brother and sister scribes
of the Lariat, if you are bursting with
enthusiasm, armed with facts and
pregnant with argument in behalf of
Decatur City, let it issue forth in
answer to the six propositions enunciat-
ed above. Don't quibblc over nom
essentials. The lawyer does that when
he has no case.
NV name is not in the column of
the Richland taxpayers, say my critics.
Quite true. am a tenant farmer, and
though it is a part of my contract that
must pay the taxes in addition to my
rent, be they much or small, yet l get
no credit for it. l contributed in this
manner over $50 last year to the
county treasury, and will "dig up more
this year.
My dear critics, you have shown the
calibre of your mind in raising this
point. Who votes in this land of the
free and home Of the brave? Money or
men? Who sustains this great nation,
the idle rich or the busy workers?
Everyone but the tramp pays taxes,
and as these taxes are raised by means
of tariff on what we consume, we are
paying them all the time. What we eat,
when we dress, when we sleep. You
can't scare me out of the ring by such
talk as this. know my rights and am
prepared to meet them.
Now it happens that am one of the
parties circulating the remonstrance.
have at this writing canvassed 81
Richland voters of whom 80 signed my
paper, and of the 80 there were 16 who
had signed the petition. | met in my
canvass persons of the "a who said
they wanted the county seat removed
to Decatur. The other Is would not
vote for Decatur, but having signed one
paper would not sign another. When
asked why they signed the Decatur
petition they gave the following
reasons:
1st. To get rid of the canvasser.
I'd. To scare Leon into putting up a
bonus to build new court house.
Sd. To get the matter before the
people so they would vote on it.
When a man tells me he wants the
county seat located at Decatur / leave
him alone. That's his right. But when
he makes any of these statements
quoted above try to show him that
mutual interests as citizens of the
comfy would be served by down
ing the Decatur petition.
A. w. KICKER.