The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1909-09-30


blood and all the treasure that they
have cost, their victories are OF pass
ing note and passing value and as
nothing compared to the victories won
by the man who follows the plow zap
plaus).
l could talk on the subject for a
long time because there is no end t..
it, but l won't keep you here. am
glad to see you all. 1 am glad to see
so many OF you prosperous, and bear
ing in mind when we came out here
and pioneered it and for five years
had to work for nothing and board
ourselves (laughter). We want you
to remember that your progress means
our progress. On the other hand,
you cannot afford to be unjust to us
in anything. Maybe you think that If
you could only stick the railroad it
would not cost anybody anything in
the county. Now I want to let you
into the secret OF that (laughter).
Every dollar we pay-and If it is
a right dollar we ought to pay it.,
If It is wrong dollar we ought not
to pay it because to that extent as
are trustees We collect l. from you,
it goes into the expense account and
you have to bear that account. Maybe
you think II We wanted piece Of
right-of-way 1t would be nice thing
we always like to pay two or three
times what mans land is worth be-
cause we recognize we would damage
him to some extent. 1t is not the mic
est or Aost convenient thing. or
something that sings him to sleep at
night to hear the screaming locomo-
tive md the rattle Of the cars. but
after we have paid larg price for
it we have not poisoned i, air and
water.
You have all the highways and the
right to make rs many mere rs you
desire, but we have brought something
to you with our money that is of great
service to you, and all we ask is to
treat us as you would like to be
treated If you were in our place.
= Together we can accomplish a great
deal. I do net want to find any fault
with the way the people of North Da-
kota have treated us. 1 think
have an abundance Of friends all
throughout the state. I have always
felt so, and have always relied up
on them; but if your land is taxed at
rs or 80 per cent OF is current value,
tax us in the same proportion because
the tax We pay to the state are part
Of our expenses and they are all
charged up to you and collected from
you (laughter). We have no other
place to get them. We have no other
place to go. It is your pocket book
that we go to all the time (laughter)
and we want to be Just as light on
y~u ~ ~ en-. Now I saw the other
day coming from Tie Interstate Can.
merce Commission statement CIV
ing the net earnings OF the railroads
Of the country ara the taxss and
I found that the taxes amounted to
nearly twelve per cent Of the net in
:o;ne. or o: she entire r:ct1ts on the
business. Toll me which one Of you
would IKE TO pay II IL per cent Of all
vo,,p cain In toYQa
We do not want to register any
grand kick, but there comes a time
when burdens are too heavy, and the
Constitution of the United States pro-
vides that they must b distributed
fairly, that II you want to use our
property you have right to. but you
are bound in duty to pay US q fair
return on our investment. We are
not going to charge You with the de-
fciency OF five early years but we
will keep step with you, we will keep
shoulder to shoulder and try to put
the good name of North Dakota for
ward. We try to bring people in here,
VIZ try to nlawe your ard worth
more than you think it is worth, but
l want to tell you today that farmer
had better hold onto his land no mat
ter what price he is offered for It,.
unless he can buy better farm some
where else for the same money. That
is the only excuse he would have for
selling it but II you neglect 1t and
take all the fertility that is in 1t out.
in twenty years there will be only one
excuse, or rather two for your keeping
It, one would be that the fellow had