, 1882-05-13
THE OFEECIALCITY PAPER
Una.illa County Must be Divided.

If unanimity Of sentiment will accom-
plish the desires of the people concerned,
the Division OF Umatilla county viii be
accomplished at the next session OF the
Oregon state legislature. Ii is one OF the
hardest things in creation tn secure unity
Of purpose aid earnestness . siO-s ON
the part Of any p5.,ion OF the American
pco,,. 10 consummate their purpose, AMI
the very fact that the citizens of eastern
Umatills county are practically an unit
on this question demonstrates that diyI-
sion Of the county is burning issue and
must be accomplished.
And the nature of the question is such
that no satisfactory or practical aPposi-
ton can be made against division, while
the reasons in its favor are overwhelm-
ly conclusive, as 10 its justice and eX-
pediency There is no disputing that
Cmatills county is too large and un-
weildly. Counties are organized for the
better administration Of the laws. In
new countries with limited and scat
tered population, it is natural that cOun-
ties should embrace an immense area Of
country in order that the burden Of taxa
ton should not press too heavily upon
the shoulders Of the pioneers But as
the resources Of the country become de-
veloped by the influx Of population, new
sources Of industry and wealth hitherto
undreamed of are revealed and the IN
crease Of business transactions get to be
of such frequent occurrence and the de-
mands of business in a growing country
are so incessant that business men cannot
spare the time involved in making The
trip to distant county seat to maxi The
necessary legal records on matters OF
everyday business transactions. Hence
the demand for new counties.
The opposition 10 the formation Of new
counties invariably has its origin III the
county seat Of the old county usually an
old established commercial center. Pro
perty- holders and business men al those
points fear that the loss Of trade will be
detrimental to tn ir pers nal interests,
that the supremacy OF their town as a
commercial center depends upon the main
County officials are usually the most bit
ter opponents Of the formation Of new
counties, and their hostility, like that
of the others, is based upon the sacrifice
of fraction Of their fees derived from
the tax paying public OF large county.
In fact, selishness is the basis of all such
opposition, and as Is usually the case,
j. fails to recognize the progress and ne
cessities OF the times until it Is rudelv
thrust aside.
Pendleton is an apt Illustration Of the
case IN hand it is an old established com.
mercial center i'll fact her commercial
supremacy is unquestioned. Neyerthe
less it is fact that the timidity of s"Ine
Of her business men, property holders and
county officials is so fully developed that
division is to them as big hugaLoo as 4
burglar upon their private premises. To
do them justice, however, the business
men of Pendleton have practically built
up their county te its present status iy
giving credit To new settlers, but sume-
how her citizens have become So saturated
with the idea that Pendleton is the center,
the life, the body and soul of Uma:ilia
county, that they believe their fellow
citizens who are unfortunate enough To
live outside her corporate limits, are
bound and should be compelled 10 come
to Pendletcn to do their trading This is
a great mistake Pendleton is hut a
small portion of Umatilla county, and the
citizens thereof are not bound TO 10 any
thing, In fact we are personally acquaint-
ed With men who have withdrawn then
trade from Pendleton for the sole reason
that they were dissatisfied with the rascal
ly manipulations carried ON al the last
election.
The area, present population and future
growth Of Uma;illa county demands its
immediate subdivision into three coun-
ties. We can speak with the utmost pos
itiveness that the demands of the people
of the eastern end OF the county are based
upon their necessities. Why should they
not have new county? They are able
and willing TO support new organization,
to accept any equitable boundary lines
and to assume their fair share OF the debt
of the mother county.
The subdivision of all counties is
guarantee of prosperity and progress II
stimulates private enterprise by reducing
taxation, encourages the influx Of popula-
tion and capital and the growth Of new
towns. and adds to the sum total Of the
wealth Of the state
Moreover, small counties are guaran-
tee of the more perfect organization and
administration of the forms of justice and
the maintenance OF law and order
Large counties are SO notoriously lax in
this respect that they practically offer
premium to evil-doers and encourage the
proceedings of Judge Lynch.