The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1897-02-27
Us HEAVY WORK AHEAD
IDAIsO LEaHsLATURE HAS MOST
IMPORTANT MEASURES UP.
County division, Especially the
Clearwater Project. In sure 20
Cause . Lively Debate.

smelling committees have been at work
diligently. and reports from them may be
expected to precipitate lively discussion.
All the heavy work OF the session remains
to be done. though the finance committees
and others charged with the preparation
of Important measures are well advanced
with their work.
The finance committee Of the senate Is
headed by ], II. Ballentine of Ada. who Is
somewhat notorious TOR bis economical
tendencies. The senator Is one of those
who Is inclined to place a sentinel over
every dollar with peremptory orders to
shoot It on the spot II II manifests a dis
position to levant. His committee Is pre-
pairing the appropriation bill. and some
deep cuts are anticipated. Members of
the state administration are already Som-
planning of the disposition to cut them
down TO such an extent that the work OF
their Offices can not be properly done. II
ID understood that the appropriation eill
to be presented will provide for Topping
on number of clerks. and a cry of dis
ress Is likely to be heard from all the
officers affected. 1t was an easy matter
to demand retrenchment In expenditures
In the various departments SO long as the
party making the demand was In opposi-
tion- Now. when II Is charged with the
duty OF running the state government. II
hnds there Is work TO do and that assist
ance Is needed for Its performance.
Senator Ballentine. however, turns a
deaf ear to the plea for assistance. SIM
ply taking the ground that the work will
be done some way. and that II Is neces-
70 h. akaea l..
involved.
County Dtvtsi0n.
IL IS the understanding that all projects
for dividing Fremont county or changing
Its boundaries have been efSectually
smothered. but the proposition to create
the county Of Clearwater In the northern
part Of the state Is still lively one and
promises to give rise to some exciting
maneuveFs before the session closes. The
situation with respect to this project IL
peculiar.
As has been explained heretofore in
these dispatches. the plan Is to create a
new county out of the southern portion OF
Shoshone county. taking In a strip Of Nez
Perce and an irregular piece OF territory
now embraced In Idaho county. Singular
~ enough. all Shoshone county favors the
scheme. II Is also earnestly supported by
L'atah county, but. as Is natural. II meets
with opposition from Nez Perez. That
the night over the bill Is TO be determined
Is shown by the character OF the staSe-
ments emanating from different localities.
Lewiston sends word that nobody, not
even within the limits Of the proposed
new county. favors the project. while Ia
formation from Kendrick Is to the eif,ct
that the people support It unanimously.
Shoshone county faVors division because
the southern portion that IL Is proposed
to cut on now costs the county govern
ment more than It receives from IT, The
people In Pierce City. welppe and other
places in the contemplated county of
Clearwater desire the project to be sue
eessful 50 that they may be able to attsnd
to their county business without beinR
Obliged to travel 800 miles as now. L.atah
county supports the proposition from con-
nlcting motives. There has long been a
desire on the part OF the people of Ken
1rick to have new county created out OF
he territory which Il Is proposed to elm
brace In the county Of Clearwater With
their place as the county seat This has
been so strenuously opposed by the -sEt
of Latah county that Kendrick candi-
1ates for legislative nominations have
uniformly been turned down. Now the |
Latah delegation supports the Clearwater
project simply because Il will put a auls-
lus on Hendricks ambition.
The people of Kendrick. on the other
hand, seem to feel that their hope hos
been permanently blasted. They. how
'ver. do a large business with the mining |
amps that will be embraced In the conn |
~ OF Clearwater, and they are Of the
opinion that this trade will be increa.ad |
~ the impetus given business In that
'scuon through the establishment Of the |
new county. Hence they also favor the
proposed bill.
The Zee RiII.
When the senate meets on Tuesday the
isht on the fee bill will be renewed. This |
Measure has already occupied much time
n that body. When Il became apuarent
hat the bill under consideration could
Tot pass. the entire subject was re |
erred to special committee OF the two
louses. This committee has reported n
uosutute which Is made a special order
the senate for Tuesday afternoon. The
ubstitute bill leaves fees In civil caSoa
Unchanged. but makes a reduction of 30
'er cent In those arising from criminal
'usiness- The mileage IL also cut down.
'heriffs now receive Is cents a mile one
way. The new bill proposes to give them
cents a mile one way. excepting vbs,
raVeling by rail. when the onlcer IL to re-
eve 10 cents mile for the distance act
ally and necessarily Travelled.
An important feature OF the aubzti,u,e
I'll Ii a provision that all state, county
nd precinct officers shall keep fee books,
fhich books shall be open to public in
pection at all times and which shall be
ept up at regular periods.
laundering Measure,
A bill providing for the Improvement NJ
treams Tor iog-driving purposes Is row
ttractfns great deal Of attention. IL ia
roposed to permit corporations or indi-
iouais VINO shall open streams for such
-amc to collect tolls from others making
Sc OF the improvements. The work In TO I
. zone unoer the supervision OF the sta.s /
mo board and that board Ii to have au-
lorlty 10 regulate the tolls charged. On
se headwaters Of many Of the large
reams OF the state there are large tracts
magnificent timber. These are unavaI.
bic because the logs can not be fioated. a
mere are no other means of transporta. a
on to market and unless the rivers ats C
nproVed these timber resources will re- :
ain undeveloped for many years 10
me. None Of the numbering connern. !,
'erating in the state have felt iustIGod
making the expenditure required IN n
zen the streams. but II Is an open ,ec,o, h
at capital Is ready to undertake ,hs
DIRK II II can be protected against freq "
e OF the same by competitors. On the
lyette river. for instance. there are mag :"
hcent bodies OF timber that have COM
Anded the admiration of all Iumbermsn
no have gone in TO inspect them. II viii m
quire an expenditure of from sao ooo a, re