The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1909-07-21
WEDNESDAY, JULY Fl, 1909.
DECElvING THE TAXPAYERS.

A circular issued by the Havre In.
dustrial association, which pretends
to give "a few of the eason why
Havre should be the county seat" OF
Chouteau county, has been received
by a great many taxpayers who are
expected to swallow the statements
therein contained without proper in
vestigation. The officers of the Dr.
g~anization which issues this circular
are supposed to be reputable citizens
who have some regard for the truth,
but in this instance they become spon-
sors for statements that are utterly
false, and which were evidently manu-
featured by a professional prevari-
Gator.
Any fair-minded person who is
familiar with the facts, and who de-
sired to inform the taxpayers truth
fully regarding the matters to which
reference is made, would hesitate to
give his endorsement to such false
hood as is presented in this extract
from the circular mentioned:
"The court house at Fort Benton
cost about $32, OOO, and at present the
building alone would not sell under
the hammer for an amount exceeding
$1,000, and will have to be replaced in
a few years by a new court house,
even if the county seat is not removed.
There is a proposition now before the
commissioners for repairs and inn
provements to the court house at Fort
Benton involving an expenditure OF
$40, O0O."
There is not a word of truth in any
of these alleged facts. Assuming that
the author of the statement was ignor-
ant of the matters discussed, he had
no right to misinform others; and if
he had accurate information regard
ing the subject, and intended wilfully
to deceive the taxpayers, he has GER
tainly earned membership in the local
Ananias club.
The Chouteau county court house is
a good, substantial building, with a
granite foundation, and after an oc-
cupancy of 25 years is in a good state
of preservation. 1t is not of such
ornate and expensive architecture as
some of the court houses in other
parts of Montana, but it is we'll
adapted for the purpose for which it
was built, and it's solid construction
insures it's stability for a practically
indefinite period. 1t is the property
of Chouteau county taxpayers, and
represents an investment of 5000 or
more. Compared with similar public
buildings in other parts of Montana,
the Chouteau county court house pro-
perty shows good value for every dol
lar spent in it's construction and
maintenance.
The statement that ''there is a pro-
position now before the commissioners
for repair. and improvements to the
court h~ousesat Fort Benton, involving
an expenditure of SIC, 1000" is abso-
lutely false. No such proposition has
been made, nor.has any large expendi-
ture been contemplated. That false
statement is simply the creation OF a
profe ssional prevaricator, or the pro-
duct of a horrible nightmare from
which he may have suffered.
1t is to be regretted that the Havre
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. should permit
its name tosbe attached to such false
and deceptive statements. Its reputa-
ton for truthfulness-an asset that is
necessary in it's work of attracting in
vestors and:homeseekers to the vicin-
ity of Havre-will suffer in conse-
quence. An individual Or organiza-
ton that falsities and m~isrepresents
the facts cannot command public re-
spect and confidence.
The litigant who ONE into court
with false testimony is generally re-
garded as one who lacks truthful and
conclusive evidence in support of his
case. That is the situation in the
Chouteau county seat removal con
troversy.