Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1900-03-23
THE VILLAGE GOVERNMENT
Some Facts for Conservative Property
Owners TO Consider.

"c va OVOut WhtCH cuOuiu 10
particularly gratifying to the
present board Of village trustees.
Certainly q more representative
meeting Of the citizens of this berg
never assembled for any distinct
lively public purpose, and the fact
that the turnout was SO large and
voluntary, and the further fact
that it renominated the old board,
and furthermore, gave them an
unanimous endorsement by the
passage of the resolutions which
were adopted, disposes of the idea
that any considerable or influential
part of this community endorse
the shameful and malicious sland-
ers with which they have been
villifed for some weeks past.
After the nominations were made
Mayor Wax was called upon and
took the floor, and made a short
speech which in a great measure
served to dissipate the clouds of
misrepresentation, ignorance and
imbecility which have marked the
attacks upon the board. While
the criticism to which the board
has been subjected has been want
only malicious in some cases, yet
ther are quite few who have been
led astray by misinformation, and
these people were able to hear from
the lips of the mayor and the other
members Of the board just what
had been accomplished during
their administration of the villa ge
affairs.
Mr.. Wax has been mayor of the
village since it's organizati on, and
he was therefore able to dwell at
length upon the work which has
been done, and the difficulties
which the board has had to contend
with. He referred particularly
to the feature which prompted the
raising of revenue by collecting
licenses iom the business interests
during the Buffalo Hump boom of
last summer, when large numbers
OF people were attracted here in
the hope and expectation of making
a cleanup in a few short months
and then pulling out for new fields.
He showed how the revenue col
lected from these people had largely
helped to pay for the improvements
which the village can boast of to-
day. Many of these people have
left, and others are getting ready
to go, and it is nothing but right
and just that while they were in
business here they should contri-
butte something towards the support
and maintenance of the village
government-towards maintain
ing the police force, fire protection,
electric lighting of the streets and
other improvements and requires
ments which facilitate the transac-
tion Of business on our business
thoroughfares. Mr.. Wax showed
how, through the collection of
licenses from these transient estab-
lishments, the village had made
improvements during the boom of
last year which, under normal
conditions could not have been
completed in two or three years.
In fact, the board made their hay
while the sun of prosperity was
shining, and as a result we have
the improvements completed and
the village government practically
out of debt. He also showed how
the village was nothing short of a
mud hole when organized, and how
we can today walk five or six miles
on sidewalks laid on grade without
stepping into the mud of the
streets. Whatever may be said
for or against the license system
Of collecting revenue, it is plain to
all that it was a mighty good
thing for Grangeville during the
boom Of last year and we venture
the statement that any board Of
trustees confronted with like con-
ditions would carry out the same
policy and derive like ben efits.
The people who come here to make
stake in brief time and then
fold their little tents and depart
may kick on the payment Of
license tax, but the permanent
inhabitants of this berg, the people
who have their little homes here
and who are here to stay, are also
entitled to consideration, seeing
that they will be paying taxes
long after the transient element
has packed it's grip and gone; and
this permanent part Of our popula-
ton are not likely to entrust the
management Of their municipal
government to new hands on any
of the propositions which the
alleged reformers wish to impose
upon those Of us who are "stay-
ers."
1t was clearly the intention OF
the meeting to renominate Mr..
Sweet, and but for the fact that he
requested the convention not to
consider his nomination he would
undoubtedly have been again one
ofthe candidates. The malicious
lying which has been circulated
about the old board had aroused
their friends to such an extent that
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