The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1864-12-24
The Bill to Fund the Debt of Boise
County.

acted upon by the present Legislature. IN
little more than one year, Boise county has
fallen behind about seventy thousand dollars
The debt increases with accelerated velocity.
AS it enlarges, the value of county warrants
dininishes, and the more of these are required
to purchase any article necessary in carrying
on the county government. Scrip is now
worth about one-quarter of its face. A sack
of -four, worth in the market So, in feeding
the prisoners, costs the county about $500,
and everything else in proportion. What IS
to become of this county at this rate? With
debt increasing in this ratio, what Will be
the debt of Boise county one or TWO years
from, now? In four or five years the debt
woald amount to a million of dollars. Bank
ruptcy is as certain as it is certain that two
and two makes four. Any Individual con-
Quoting his private business IN TINS way
would be called fool or a mailman. The
funding bill introduced by Mr.. PIERCE: If
passed. will cut short this all-absorblng debt,
and reduce the expenses of the county within
its revenues and through the operation OF
bids upon the Redemption Fund for the sur
render Of warrants would rapidly reduce the
debt. upon terms beneficial to the county and
scrip owners.
Some measure of this character is impera-
lively essential to save this county from IN
eyita Bile financial ruin. The only interest
opposing it comes from few individuals
largely interested in old scrip-mostly office
holders. In their case the bill would not
work any serious injury. The bonds issued
in lieu of the scrip would sell at as high
figure as the scrip will sell for now. Such
has been the practical effect of similar laws
lin nearly every county in California, Nor
have they any just cause for complaint were
the warrants to sell in the market for much
less. They knew when they performed the
services for which the scrip was issued, that
1.-THE debt must be funded at some period, and
lthey performed the services, and received
ltbeir pay with that understanding They
took the chances of the funding, and ought
not to complain at this late day, if those
chances have gone against then. Certainly
the interest Of the whole county ought not
to be sacrificed or that altar. On the con-
trary. it is an additional reason why the bill
should pass at this session; for the longer it
is DELAYED the more scrip will have been is
sued and the greater will be the number OF
holders interested against it.
On question of this magnitude, involving
prosperity on one hand, and utter bankruptcy
on the other, the people, irrespective Of
party. will hold their representatives in the
lCouncil and Assembly to strict account
Were the question submitted to the people,
the bill would receive three-fourths Of all
the votes in the county. No repres sentative
who sinks the universal public interest merely
to subserve the interest of half dozen
friends, can expect to ever receive theindorse-
ment of the people of Boise county again.
TAXING THE MNEs.-The following was
telegraphed from the East under date of De-
cember 9th:
In connection with the subject of increased
/ taxes and the necessity of providing addl-
toRal revenue from ordinary sources, the
Secretary of the Treasury, in his report, calls
attention to our public domain, especially to
that, portion of 1T Astounding in precious and
other metals, which, by the policy OF the
Government, has been preserved to the ma
ton. He hopes Congress may be able to de-
wise some mode by which these lands may be
made available to an extent in some measure
proportionate to their yearly production.
| When it was declared in this Territory a
few months ago that such would be the poll
cy of the Republicans if reelected, it was
hooted by many as nothing more than parti-
san SANDER. They will scarcely deny the
loyalty" of the Secretary of the Treasury ;
nor will they doubt the loyalty Of the
present Congress when it passes, as it surely
will an act for seizure of the mines, and the
condemnation and confscation of every right
heretofore acquired on the public lands by
miners. "The subject of increased taxes,
as it is modestly termed, is bound to eventu-
ally inaict serious, if not fatal, blow to all
these States and Territories. In whatever form
it may come, 1t will be most disastrous. The
hopes of this Territory lie in in its lodges.
Let them be claimed by the Administration,
or be heavily taxed under penalty of forfeit
ure, and prospecting will cease, stamps will
grow rusty-business will wither, and towns
rapidly decay. More ominous than all things
else, hangs that gloomy recommendation up
on the uplifted strata that walls in Idaho
from the world. Translated, it means
" meme, Meme, TEKEL, UPHARsIN."
ITEMS ON THE RoAD.-Mr. L. M. Loup,
w. F. & Cos. messenger came through
from Walla Walla, arriving here yester-