The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1906-10-04
THE TREE JUDGED BY ITS FRUITS.

lucfc udS ucNoT Dcou % HueA
maxim than that a tree is known by
It's fruits. A public official 10 judged
by his record. John W. McFsdden
has been presiding Judge Of Bates
county for nearly four years and the
business affairs OF the county were
never managed better from its or
gsnization. During bis administra-
tion nearly a hall hundred substan'
tsl iron bridges we're built,
m IRE than in any previous eight
years. Besides, during that period,
unprecedented floods have visited
the county, carrying away and dam
aging the bridges spanning the prin-
cipsl streams, all Of which have been
replaced and repaired.
A Atty thousand dollar court
house proposition had been voted
under a previous court and the con-
tract let and the house built for
about that amount. Several thou
sand dollars was used to furnish this
public building. But provision had
been made for a levy OF only Is mills
on the assessed valuation, for three
years, to pay for the court house.
The assessed valuation oi the coun-
ty, Of all property, Is about ten mil
lion dollars, and II every dollar OF
that levy had been collected, at no
expense, the amount would have
been only iorty.ave thousand dol
lars. But OF course the delinquencies
and costs OF collection reduced that
amount several thousand dollars,
and the difference had to be paid out
Of the general revenues Of the coun-
ty. So successfully has the finances
been managed by the court, presided
over by Judge McFadden, that those
extraordinary, but necessary expen-
SOS have all been met, besides the
current expenses paid and all county
property kept up.
The county poor farm, under the
old system employed by former
courts, OF renting the farm to the
superintendent and paying for the
board OF the inmates, was unsatis-
factory and expensive. The court
took charge Of the farm, employed
an oversser, stocked the place and is
farming it and this year have raised
enough to support the inmates, feed
the stock and keep up the impr ove-
ments. In other words, by good
management the court has put the
farm on practically sell sust aiming
basis.
The proposition to straighten the
Marias des Cygnes river and thereby
stop the overflow and redeem thous-
ands OF acres oithe most fertile lands
in the county, had strong adherents
and bitter, incorporating oppo-
sition. Judge McFadden was not
favorably impressed with the prop o.
sition on it's face, but refused to act
on prejudice. He gave the matter
much thought and study, and visit
ed other states where similar work
had been done and was under course
OF construction. He saw that it had
been an unqualified success under
similar conditions to this, and as
an honest, conscientious Off cial, he
disregarded selfish interests that
would have prompted him to tempo
rise In the face Of the strong oppo-
sition, and granted the prayer of the
petitioners. The work will be push
ed through to completion as fast as
possible, considering the magnitude
Of the undertaking and the various
interests effected. The action OF the
court is final and another county
court could not do other than carry
out its provisions under the law, but
unfriendly, preiudiced judges might
delay the work, impair the bonds,
and work q hardship upon the drain
age district. None but friends Of
this great enterprise should be placed
In control Of II until its completion.
The claims made for Judge McFad-
den BY his friends that be was .
business man has besn amply borne
ont BY his record a. Presiding
Judge. He has been renominated
BY the Democratic party on his
record and IL deserving Of the loyal
support Of every Democrat and every
good citizen who desires tosee the
affairs Of the county ably, honestly