The record-union., 1893-01-16


in 1891 twenty-nine schools received
from the State, Sl0,3o4. In making the
I estimates for the schools it must be re-
/ membered that the schools get more
money from the State than from the
county. Tuolumne County, which has a
larger number of schools. but belongs in
1 the same class as the proposed County OF
/ MADEIRA, in 1891 supported her county gov
! ernment on revenue for county pur-
/ poses not exceeding $40, 900, showing S2I :
/ 800 III favor OF MADEIRA COUNTY This is
| more than sufficient to pay the sinking
fund and interest on bonds for public
/ buildings, and to meet any possible con-
/ tingency, deficiency or discrepancy in
! any OF the figures and estimates made by
1 the committees appointed to investigate
/ the expense of running a new county.
This IS not an isolated instance; the coun-
! ties of CalaVeras, Del Norte, Lake Las
/ sen, Modoc, Plumas and others, are sup
/ ported on revenues much smaller than
/ would obtain in the proposed County OF
| MADEIRA, with tax rate of 81 % on each
/ 500.
The circular referred to goes on to say
After careful consideration of the whole
/ matter by several committees aDpointed
/ to investigate, 1t is the general opinion
/ that the county government of the new
county can be maintained, public build
lngs erected, and all things necessary and
convenient provided, with tax rate not
/ exceeding 81 p on each 500,
"'What particular benefits would accrue
to the people Of the new county bv its
establishments 1t would add greatly to
the convenience of the people by bring
ing the great majority of them much
nearer to the county seat than they are at
present, thereby lessening their personal
] expenses, from the very fact that being
so much nearer the county seat than at
! nTRSnnf If WnIllH fro. al Il
expenses, and at the same time allow
them to complete their business in much
I less time than now; the county not being
4 over -burdened with business the peoDle
/ would not be detained, as they now are.
\ Tor several days upon a matter that could
be easily settled in one. The courts and
( other departments of the present county
government are already greatly over
burdened with work, and in some cases
1t IS not mere matter of months. but
/ years to wait.
The division, as proposed, will neces-
sarlly give the people fuller and closer
representation, as may be illustrated in
the case OF the Supervisors.
Now the entire region. LARGER than
some Eastern States, is represented but
by one man, and however faithful and
d1ligent he may be, it is impossible for
him to give the care and attention that
the interests OF so large a region requires
IN new county this region would be
represented by five Supervisors. and it
needs no argument to prove that five
men, with the interest Of their constlt-
uencles at heart, can do far more than
one, ana by meeting with each other and
exchanging ideas and discussing plans
the people caunot fail to be largely bene-
fitted by the closer union, for the closer
the touch the closer the interests become.
and the result cannot be otherwise than
beneficial. A county has been defined to
be an administrative unit. If the popu-
Iatlon thus governed is not too large and
| the territory too extensive, the admins
tration OF the law and the transaction of
all public business is made more promnt
efncIent and satisfactory. In small coun-
/ ties the government is brought more in
touch with the people
The experience of the entire people of
the United States for the last century
ought to be reliable guide in matters of
this kind. glance at any county map
of the United States, and an examination
of the statistics of any of the rural conn
ties show that the people have long since
decided that it is not good to have coun-
ties as large as States.
1--WE think it has been shown that it
viii be good thing for the people of the
proposed new county that it should be
established, and such divisions will not
initiate against Fresno County, for at the
rate at which Fresno County is progress
ing it will be but a short time until it
contains as great a population and as
much taxable property as at the present
time; the division will leave Fresno
County with greater population and
more taxable property than it possessed
in 1890.
''She has more than enough territory.
more than sufficient population, more
than sufficient amount of taxable prop
erty, more county business than can be
properly attended to, and more cases than
her courts can try. What more does she
want?"