Kootenai County Republican. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1899-1903, 1900-07-06
REPUBLICAN, TICKET.


fore the people ~ this county and ask
ed To i,c supported at the polls upon
miicnisi pledge Ia inaugurate reforms
in The direction of economy. The
same aggregation Is about 10 again 60
before the people, and no doubt with
renewed pledges, and II is propcrat this
time % call the peoples attention 10
the facts nf what was done to redeem
those pledges OF two years ago.
Renewed pledges should not avail
II 1t can be shown by their record that
the fusiunists have isregartied their
vows OF two years ago, and The Repub.
jlcan believes 1t can. They have now
been on trial Tor nearly two years and
should be forced 10 stand upon the re-
cord made during that period
Have they inaugnrated reforms In
the direction Of economy? Have they
attempted 10 lnangirate such reforms?
Have they even attempted 10 do as
well rs Their predecessors in office,
whom ttay accused two years ago with
applying .gnldhng misrule?" The
people will turn To the public records
for answers 10 these questions. And
what do til. record. show. The rec
ords show conehlSiycly that no attempt
ar pretcnse iias been made In the al
rcction OF economy: thai even no at
tempt has been made TO keep the ex-
pcnses Of county government down to
the limit reached during the admins
fration of their predecessors, or down
10 any reasonable limit; on the contra
~, the people Of kootcnai county have
been treated 10 a most corrupt, incom-
petcnt aud oxtrayagant adminisi ra-
tlon.
Take II glance AT the public records.
The statement of the auditor and treas
nfcr, rendered Ia January, 1900, lust
oae year after the fuslonSts assumed
control Of affairs, shows an Increase In
the current Indebtedness Of kootenai
comfy of sla,653 l. over the previous
year. And by going n little deeper H.
10 this mattef II could be clearly dem
onstfated that this statement shows
mp the fusion administration far more
adyantagiuusly than III the court eX-
penses aud officers salaries ut the end
of last year were properly divided be
tween the two years.
This question naturally arises: How
have the expenses of county govern
mcnt Increased 50 enormously under
fusion con,roi2 The fusion advocate
can and no doubt viii oitnr Il variety
of excuses, and hat IN about all he can
offer, NJ best n weak argument against
facts.
To show the reader how these exit
expenses came 10 bc heaped ON the
taxpayers The Republican Viii ntYei
one simple illustration. II Will pas
over thc small matters, which have III
doubt contributed their share tewan
u deplorahle result, until the count,
beard met In April, ispa 81 tina,
time IL became their duty under Tia,
new law 10 fix the salaries Of COUNT
otiieialS, Including their own, for ia,
ensuing Two years. They proceeds,
"a Tia salaries At tn. limit preserlhet
hy law IN every instance. New, Their,
Il very deceptive feature In this nev
salary law. In some Instances tn
maximum salary alone does not appca
~ abnarmalls hign. but in addition [.
his salary an ot,ieer IS allowed hi
''aetllal and nececeSsary' expenses III
CURED ia the p~sofmance of anicia
hutics. and this Ii the deceptive feat ur
la tn. new law. Ordinarily. thu .ag
inal ard necessary" expenses ~ IN IN
dlvidnai are uat very large, particular
!, when such items as heard and luap
INK are mot % bc included. hut the fn
iawlna illustration viii suffice [
convince the average TAXPAYER Their
are items Of actual AMI necessary
expenses which evidently only faSio
oririal can ruumoEate:
At tlair Apul, iSa meeting II
f.ision baTd nf commissioners hNe
their own salary az sltea pr year. i
addition 10 which they had expecis
sis1 ~ allow themselves "artual an
nere SsafY@ expenses. Is Mil Re >haM
further CA. However. the suprrm
eonrl ., idahp decided that cesunt
commissioners siuiE 40, ti& their om
saisfles, and koateaal eauntyss warth
hoard MIS- therefore compelled a. aur
nnoeT the old lss 50 faf a. their con
reasatisn gees. hut shls dcelSia
caine too late "a prevent them fra.
improving their opportunity 10 >hoi
ihe taxpayer what they would ae
lnsler the cid Law county cummi.
sipner can not draw more than 800 i
pr diem, otherwise salary, during h