The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1922-10-05

leu trough, IdtIeHlnS At puDiic eS
pense. In the long run the infuenc
of the County Seat Community fxe
the brand of government a count
has. Grafters and county ~treasur,
bleeders may not all stay in the sam
place but their business thrives IL
certain places and languishes ant
dies in others.
Some towns chance to be bull
that way and they never change, fo1
the leopard cannot change 1T:
spots" Their business is politics anc
their chief source of subsistence Is
the public %exchequer. 1t is granted
that they are expert at the game
That is why they so often win and
the taxpayers lose. Such towns are
rather rare and are known by their
fruits and their records.
But they will not win in the pres
ent campaign in Roosevelt county to
give the people control of their af-
fairs through faithful officials and
a change of County Seat.
The voters will not longer be
blinded or lulled into sleep by econ
omy arguments that are easily con-
troverted and which look only to the
present hour and Poplar's benefit.
The voters will not be turned from
the all important issue by loud and
often repeated shouts of about "the
center" Location is but one point
of many to be considered. There
can be altogether too much centrali-
cation, as in the case of Poplar and
those dependent on its political
bounty. With them, Poplar is the
center of opportunity, the center of
distribution" the center of self
interest, the center of the pie, the
middle of the melon. Others recog-
nize it as the center of reckless county
expenditures, the center of heavy
county losses, the center of tax
causes, the center of candidates, the
center of gang operations that have
led to the county liabilities now to-
falling over one million dollars.
At the election two years ago over
SO per cent of the voters were unim-
pressed by the center argument and
voted for towns away from the CEN
ter for County Seat.
The Safety First Consideration
In the sober judgement of voters
who keep the welfare of the whole
county in view, Safety First" is the
consideration in choosing a
permanent seat of government for
he county. Such voters know that +
heir best chance, and their only
nance in this campaign, to insure
.ontrol of county affairs to the peo- Z
lie, as against the manipulations of \
cliques is to vote the County /
Seat to Wolf Point. They know that \
UGH a change will mean genuine, \
ontinued economy to-the county 4
OF higher taxes, but lower taxes. y
hey know that it is well nigh i'm
osible for more county money to
e squandered than during the past
while Poplar has had access
!, the treasury. 1t remains to be
lown that changing the County Seat
i'll cost the county a single dollar.
The Right Attitude Toward County
Seat
Wolf Point is far from assuming
s'holier than thou attitude, or max
claims that her people r made
superior clay, but it so chances
lat Wolf Point is fortunate enough
be constituted of a balanced popu-
ton that checks itself against un-
1e tendencies in dangerous direc-
The result is a city progress
g in sentiment, democratic in at
tude-a city in which varied inter-
It's and industries are represented.
{ record at the ballot box and in
,unty campaigns proves that 1t
ands with the advocates of econ
nv and fair dealing in conducting
e county business. 1t has the dis
sition and the voting strength to
| the fair-minded, justice-lovlng
ople, who are found in the rural
mmunities and other cities of the
lnty. in establishing and retaining
preventative and businessllke gov
1ment for Roosevelt county. This |
but a single phase of Wolf Points
my and sound arguments.
Point is fully sensible of the
Ultimate benefits accruing to a
unity seat town but lays claim to I
ing large enough and sufficiently
,ablished in its institutions and re- !
to be Independent and self =
staining. It looks upon the County ]
at as an honor and a privilege
Their than a main chance and a ]
al ticket-an opportunity to be a :
edit rather than a liability to the J
unity. On these grounds Wolf Point !
the support Of all the friends /
better and cheaper government ,
r Roosevelt county.