The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1891-02-07
DIVISION.
"The Will Of the People is the
Law Of the Land"
A Growing Population Calls
for Smaller Counties.

3
for Smaller Counties.
Communicated.
EDITOR TRIBUNE: The question of
dividing the counties in Idaho is one
that will recur at every session of the
Legislature. In large State like Idaho,
with sparse population, the counties
must necessarily be large, but it is not
best that they should always continue
50. AS population and wealth increase,
the convenience of the people require
that the counties should be sub-divided.
How far this should be carried the peo-
pie themselves should decide, and their
representatives or servants in legisla-
tive assembly should cheerfully carry
out their will.
The counties of Idaho now number
IS, with superficial area of more than
$4,000 square miles. With our boosted
resources the number of counties ought
to be soon doubled, and whenever a
fair division of any large county is
asked for by a majority Of the tax
payers of the proposed new county, it
should in justice be granted them. They
are the ones that will have the bur.
dens to bear.
The state of Iowa, with surface of
only little over $1,000 square miles,
has ninety-nine counties, and Missouri,
| with an area of less than $4,000 square
miles, has lis counties.
The average county in Iowa is about
twenty-four miles square. So that the
remotest settler is not over fifteen
miles from the county seat. This is a
very convenient size, but as we are not
able yet to reduce our counties to this
minimum, it does not Of necessity
follow that they shouli always
remain as, large as an ordinary state.
The northwestern part of Ada county
is about fifty miles from Boise City,
the county seat, and many of the citi-
zens have to 60 that far to
transact county business. If they
feel that this is greater hardship than
defraying the expenses of new county,
they have right to ask for change,
and it is the duty of the legislature to
give their request respectful hearing
and grant the favor if possible. "
We do not expect those whose inter-
ests are wholly in Boise City to favor
county division. 1t IS generally con-
coded that mankind are selfish and
somewhat excusable for manitesting
this trait on all occasions, but it is also
conceded that disinterested parties are
expected to do justice with clear heads
and generous hearts.
The majority of the present legisla-
tive assembly, having no interest in
Boise City, are not expected to stand
in for the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of that place
alone, at. the expense of the people of q
larger portion of the county. We trust
they will view the matter in the inter-
ests of the majority, and act according;
~. The fact that three-fourths of the
tax payers of the proposed new coun-
ty have petitioned for the division,
ought to be ponderous argument in
its favor. Most of these petitioners
gave the matter careful consideration
before signing the petition.
The expense of running two counties
would seem to be greater than one, but
such is not always the case, as may be
easily demonstrated by reference to
the expenses of the new counties of
Logan and fillmore since their separa-
ton from Alturas. If Gray, Branstet-
ter and Ballentine, whose interests are
mostly in Boise City, should think best
to oppose the division Of the county,
let them do so with becoming modesty;
the balance of the Assembly are upder
no such pressure. Any factious oppo-
sition on their part might be resented
by the people. The old Jeffersonian
idea still seems to be somewhat preva-
lent that the representatives are not
autocrats. Gen. Grant. as candidate
for the presidency, got more votes by
his terse little motto "the will of the
people is the law of the land, than by
any political document he ever wrote.
The people love to be flattered by
cheerful recognition Of their rights