Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1884-12-04
WORK FOR OUR LAW

| "OeA On w u Ia w IN "A n = he
The people Of the northern counties q
, Idaho, so far as we have heard them ex
press themselves, demand that there b
some modification in the laws of the Ter
ritory. They seem to think that SOM
Of the laws now upon the statute books
are quite oppressive and if the moditica
tions to be made cannot be made genera
throughout the Territory they demanc
special legislation, applicable to these
northern counties.
Among the items of legislation they
demand repeal Of the registration act
or its modification, SO as to work no hard
ship upon the voters. If, as is claimed
the law itself is nullity let it be wiped
out of the statute book and the extra ex-
pense incident to its provisions be avoided.
Among the most prominent of our citi-
zens We find the belief that no registration
act is necessary in this Territory to pre-
serve the purity Of the ballot box. A
provision should be made that tickets
upon which ballots are either written or
printed should be upon one colored paper
and Of nearly the same sized tickets, so
that the voter can deposit his ballot with
out knowledge Of the party or person
for whom he votes being conveyed to the
by-standers, by his vote.
Another item of legislation is the re-
duction Of the per capita tax from 81 to
81. Another point that is very much
complained of is our road tax law, which
now requires that III all the Territory
outside of the cities Of Boise and Lewis.
ton that all real or personal property be
taxed 81 on every 81 900 for road pur-
poses in addition to the per capita road
tax. Another reform in the road law.
very much needed, is that law be pro-
vided by which all roads shall be desis-
mated in the several counties of the Ter
ritory by the board Of county commission
ers for each county, and made a matter
Of record, thereby avoiding great expense
of litigation, respecting what are, and
what are not county roads. 1t will be
very simple and easy matter for each board
Of county commissioners to designate what
are public roads now in existence and
make record Of them and then have
power to establish, by order, such other
roads as may from time to time become
necessary, and compel parties through
whose lands these roads may lie to prop
erly fence against intrusions upon their
lands BY stock from the public highways.
Another matter Of Importance is re-
modelling Of the present revenue law, so
as to give more time for tax payers to
pay their taxes. The time within which
taxes become due, operate sadly and op
pressivcly in these northern counties,
where tho products of the farmers are
gathered so late in the year and transpor-
tation and the opportunities for the ex-
change Of products for money with which
tc pay taxes in each year are so long de-
layed, as We find them in these northern
counties. Especially at the present
law operated oppressively upon the peo
pie the present year, as is fully evident
BY the extended list Of the dclinquencies
in this county, the people have not been
able to pay their taxes at the time re-
quired because they could not exchange
the products Of their farms for money.
and they feel it great burden to be re-
quired to pay Is per cent. addition by
reason of their being compelled to let the
time required for payment 60 by. We
think that our legislators should make
such provision a; would secure to the
Territory and the counties the assessed
lax without the Is per cent. addition. |
The provision should be made for the
collection Of taxes which will not require
% heavy an expense for collecting. I'll
efficient time is given, we opiue that |
Iery large proportion Of our tax payers
will call personally upon the treasurer and
nay his just dues to the county and Ter
itory without extra expense in fees and
uits, There are but few men in each
ounty who will voluntarily refuse to pay
heir just taxes within tho reasonable
inc and let those few be treated as ex.
Cd and not under any general rule
u eaF payers, and where they are
bic md wont pay, let them be treated
nth the severity Of the law.