Great Falls daily tribune., 1919-01-02
Mckay IS ON WAY
TO TALK DIVISION
Famous County Splitter Making
Pilgrimage to Belt to Con-
fer With DivisiOnists.

1 Having IN mind espousing the cause
Of the advocates of new county to in
clude the Belt valley and portions of
what are now at the east side of Cas-
| cade county and also something off the
west side of Fergus county, Dan Mckay
| of Glasgow, is in the city on his way to
| Belt to talk over the situation with the
advocates Of the new county. Mr.. Nc
Kay already famous as a county split
| ter has been IN a state of quiet SO far
as the county splitting diversion is con-
cerned, for q considerable period. Coun
| ty splitting, it may be said, for num-
Der of years, was his chief winter sport,
| and it is a sport he plays both indoors
and outdoors, depending on the needs, for
he has already gained general fame thru
the state as cross country orator on
behalf of county splitting. He is armed
| with the maui and wedge" on this visit,
which means his facts and figures re-
sulting from experience of other counties
in being split up.
'My visit to Belt" said Mr.. Mckay.
| lis being made on the invitation Of some
Of my friends who have suggested they
| would be glad to confer with me on the
general subject of organization for the
work of getting new county and be-
ing. as | am, consistent advocate of
creating new counties / am glad to make
the trip to Belt. Furthermore, can say
now that if, after hearing the statement
of facts, I believe the conditions war
rant the creation of a new county, /
will be for the new county. AS that sug-
gests, am not going with biased mind.
because / believe thtre frequently arise
conditions that cause some to want to
make a new county when no county
should be created. The matter Of as
sessment totals, nature and development
Of the county involved. distances from
present county seats serving the people
affected, facilities for communication
With other points, opportunity for devel-
opment by reason of the creation of
new county, and some other factors all
enter into my judgment as to when it
would be wise to create q new county.
Just what answer to these questions
will be from the people asking for
the new county in the Belt valley sec
tion, | can not forecast. But one thing
/ can say in advance and that is that
the people Of Great Falls need have no
fear from Il new county being taken off
there. as it will only tend. in my opin-
ion. to develop the country more inten-
sivcly in the new county and all develop
ment of adjacent territory helps the city
Of Great Falls.
There is going to be some more ac-
tivitv among the county division adyo-
Gates over the state during the next few
months. I think We will have a county
with Conrad the county seat from what
I can learn There will probably be
new county or two in the. northeast sec
tion Of the state within reasonable
time hear talk Of some other places
where county division is getting atten-
tion. but Just what viii happen in any
Of the sections is matter / would not
now hazard guess. because there may
be some legislation affecting the subject
within the next 60 days. In the mean
time. as in the past, | am firmly CON
| vinced that cutting some of the larger
connties and creating new ones is a good
thing for the state as whole and also
for the individual taxpayer"