, 1883-10-20

Al lnlS ldle nOuE any lnllR lndl
may be said for or against the divi-
sion Of the Spokane county can have
little or no effect in the result of the
deliberations Of the body of territori-
al law makers now holding session
at Olympia, before whom the matter
has been presented for adjudication.
by this time the members have had
ample opportunity to hear both sides
Of the case as presented by able dele
gates representing both factions.
We see that bill providing for the
organization Of the county of Sprague
has been submitted and ordered
printed. The only effect that further
controversy on lhe subject can have
is to keep alive a feelingOf rancOr
that has apparently grown up out OF
the proposition at first introduced by
the people of the western part of the
county, and afterwards seconded by
those residing in the eastern section.
1t is not for the purpose of adding
fuel to the fame that we now refer to
the matter, but merely to reiterate
statement that has appeared in this
paper, and which parties in certain
quarters are attempting to make
light Of. Perhaps the old maxim
that "all is fair in love and war;" ap-
plies to this case, ut least it seems 50
to see the efforts made by neigh
boring village to carry their point.
1t has been publically asserted, with
out the prefix lit is rumOred," or ait
is thought" that no petition was
STOLEN at Spokane Falls, as the pa
pers therein published had asserted,
and our contemporary, Mr.. Cowley,
Of the Chronicle, an honorable gentle
man who would not lend himself to
cOuntenance anything that had the
tincture Of fraud about it, has been
soundly rated for publishing such
statement, and the fact of his having
been a minister Of the gospel has
been made an object of ridicule. We
consider these attacks, in their spirit
and style, harsh and extremely un-
just. The gentleman is a credit to
the profession he has chosen, as he
was, undoubtedly, to the cloth. He
said petition containing over 800
names had been surreptitiously taken
from an Office in this place, and
though the statement may be denied
by every man from Cheney to Hades,
it is none the less the fact, as many
men will make affidavit to if neces-
sary, men whose words, without the
lacking Of an oath, would pass cur
rent for gold. We regret the loss of
the petition, not alone on account of
its value as a factor in bringing
about that which our people are so
anxious may come to pass, but be-
cause Of the dark shadow of chican-
cry that the affair throws around the
opposition to the measure. We find
no fault with our neighbOrs in their
efforts to stave off a change in the
borders Of this county which is inev-
liable. 1t is but the natural cOnse-
quence following the springing Of the
project Wehave no charges to make
against their mode of procedure.
Their hands may, or may not, be
clean. No proofs Of perfdy or cor
ruptiOn have been shown us beyond
this one instance, and it is hardly
fair to yoke this disreputable act
upon the shoulders Of an entire COM
munity. And yet it looks as though
the deed is winked at by the efforts
to make it appear that the petition
was never purloined. This rather
frail manner of treating the subject
may hOOdwink few, but those few
are men who would not believe the
truth II it was presented to them by
an angel.