Kootenai County Republican. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1899-1903, 1901-09-13

stitute the dividing lines and in how many
parts it may be most beneficial to divide the
county. Let this be determined and let It be
agreed to divide and then let each portion
settle its county seat question.
Referring to the quotation from the
KOotenai Herald to the effect that
Standpoint is ambitious to become
county seat, the Republican desires to
say: ifsuch an ambition exists among
the people here the sentiment has not
yet crystalized sufficiently to be ap-
parent on the surface. That is, the
subject has as yet not received great
deal Of attention. The Republican
has no doubt, however, that in the
event of division Standpoint would be
a candidate for Il county seat. But as
the Courier says, that is u question to
be decided after II has been ascer-
tanned whether o. not the people of
old Kootenai are In favor of division
at this time, and IL they are, after the
division lines have been agreed upon.
Otherwise 1t would be placing the cart
before the horse, because 1T IS not
now known what points would be
most accessible for county seats in
the event of division.
The Republican does not desire to
be understood as advocating county
division at this time, but since the
subject has come up for discussion,
feels called upon to state that II the
taxpayers favor division the move will
not be opposed by us.
Heretofore the writer hereof has in
variably opposed any scheme looking
toward division, simply because
such schemes invariably reflected the
selfish ambitions Of self-seeking poll
ticians or OF the people OF prospective
county seats. The subject appears
never to have been considered from
business standpoint. Old koOtenai
has enough territory within her bor-
ders for two good-sized counties. No
person will dispute this fact. The as
sessment roll Of 1901 will show there
is property in the county OF sufficient
value for three county organizations,
That there is no end of dissatisfaction
on account OF remote sections being
unable to secure just recognition from
the authorities in the matter OF pub
lie Improvements goes without saying.
In this respect, at least the county
appears to have outgrown the capacity
of one board of three commissioners,
each Of whom Invariably can only sue
coed in looking after the public i'm
proyements Of only small portion
of his district. This has been
demonstrated at nearly every session
Of the board for the past three or four
years.
Following the question Of public
improvements comes the one of econ
omy. Is it more economical for the Of
ficers at Rathdrum, who are compelled
to travel about the county, to draw
large amounts for mileage, and the
same In the case Of jurors, than 1t is to
maintainanother county organization?
Is 1t more economical for at least one
third of the taxpayers In the county,
who have business at the county seat,
to pay railroad and stage fare for more
than 100 miles each way and spend
from four days to week each trip,
than 1t Is to maintain another county
organizations
These questions should govern the
taxpayers Of old kootenai in this mat
ter. Politics and county seat SQUAD
hles should be relegated to the rear,
at least until the real questions at
issue have been settled and these are
Is 1t more economical to maintain
two county organizations than the one
under the present system, individual
expenses in travelling to and from the
county seat considered? and, in case
division is decided upon as Il practical
move, where shall the dividing line be
located?