Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1932-02-11
SHERIDAN COUNTY
RECONSTRUCTION

1t is freely admitted that Sheridan
County is In a mess. Before trying to find
a remedy or to plan any Reconstruction pro-
gram we should come to a full realization
of the real seriousness of our situation. The
deeper we go into the matter and the clear
er we make it the better and the sooner
we shall accomplish something.
Our financial affairs are in a deplor-
able condition, the State Examiner told us
about that last summer. now we fully real
ize it. The most optimistic are at a loss as
to what to do
The Montana Taxpayers Association
is a recent bulletin gives us the credit for
having the highest taxing rate In the state
we know it. too-and they say, If you
owned a 100000 farm. $500.0O in mach
inery. and 5000 in livestock, and lived in
Sheridan county. you would pay $4,000
in taxes compared to the lowest $3.50 in
Treasure County. This may not be a fair
comparison inasmuch this year we were
compelled to make an extraordinary levy
for Bond Sinking Fund in order to pay off
our in~de4btedness coming due in a couple Of
years from now. Nevertheless, we are up
against it. WE MUST PAY.
In a recent news dispatch it was seen.
according to the State Treasurer report,
that in taxes due this fall that Sheridan
County was next to the lowest in payment.
McCone, the lowest paid 24-68 percent, we
paid 1852 percent, and the next highest
was Daniels with 1894 percent. This means
that we paid a little over 70 percent of our
first halt, OF approximately Is of our total.
There were. however, some delinquent and
full year taxes paid which brought our total
up near the 81 percent as reported earlier
this winter But it is still far from the nee
essary funds required No wonder that we
are In a jam. no wonder that our $40, 900
floating Indebtedness bonds could not be
sold lately. no wonder that the warrants are
being turned down or discounted-the
COUNTY Is BROKE
OF course the foregoing is not good
advertising for Sheridan County, It is most
regrettable, and this is not intended as a
knock" We have been called the red
corner of Montana, and figures will GER
tainly prove the assertion in the matter Of
finance But facts must be faced, our think
ing must be kept straight. and there should
be no further mud-slnging or shifting of
blame The past is past-our problem is
here right with us. and will stay here too
until we take hold of it earnestly and impair
tally in trying to find a solution. Where
are we to go fro mhereo-that's the idea.
1t would seem that some sort of CO.
ALITlON program would be most desir-
able, if not actually necessary. The serious
ness of the situation should preclude any
though Of political or selfish motives or ex-
pcdiences- Conditions have come to such a
pass that 1t will require the full cooperation
of all Of us regardless Of political or faction
al strifcs- The bitter partisan strife Of the
past has been nothing but demoralizinR and
desrucive- We are now paying for it, and it
has been plainly seen for some time. 1t is
up to us. NOW. to hgckle down and solve
this thing that has come upon us. The man
ner in which we viii go about it will deter
mine the effectiveness of such an effort.
This IS not a political appeal; it may
be called an appeal to citizenship. Has SHEER
dan County got the stuff called Citizen
ship"
Continued next weekly