The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1901-09-20
A County Division Pointer.

I
indicates a willingness on the part
OF the people Of that place to have
the county divided. The article is
an arguement in favor of county
division. 1t is reprodu ,ed here
without comment, merely that our
readers may note what is going on.
The would-have-you- believe milf
ference of Sandpointers on the
county seat question will be better
understood when it is stated that
some of the big guns of that town
declare that they will be able to
poll 500 votes there at the next
election, aid the claim does not
look extravagant either. The Re-
publican says:
Referring to the quotation from
the Kootenai Herald to the effect
that Standpoint is ambitious 10 be-
come a county seat, the Republi-
can desires TO say: If such an am
hilton exists among the people here
the sentiment has not yet crystal
lied sufficiently to be apparent on
the surface. That is the subject
has as yet not received a great deal
of attention. The Republican has
no doubt, however, that in the
event of division Standpoint would
be candidate for a county seat.
But as the St. Mary's Courier says,
that is a question to be decided
after it has been ascertained whether
or not the people of old Kootenai
are in favor of division at this time,
and if they are, after che division
lines have been agreed upon.
Otherwise it would be placing the
cart before the horse, because it is
not now knoMn 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 foI
discussion, feels called upon to state
that if the taxpayers favor division
the move will not be OPP posed by us
Heretofore the writer hereof has
invariably opposed any scheme
looking toward division, simply be
cause such schemes invariably re-
fiected the selfish ambitions of self
, seeking politicians or of the people
of prospective COUNT seats. TIL,
subject appears never to have beer
considered from a business stand
point. Old Kootenai has enough
territory within her borders for TIVE
good sized counties. No person
will dispute this fact. Theassess
ment roll of 1901 will show Their
is property in the county of suffi
cient value for three county organ
izations. That there is no end o
! dissatisfaction on account of remOt
. sections being unable to secure jus
9 recognition from the authorities il
the matter of public improvement
goes without saving. In this res
pect, at least, the county appears t
t have outgrown the capacity of on
, board of three commissioners, eacl
! of whom invariably can onlv sue
coed in looking after the public i'm
! provements of only small PORTO
r of his district. This has been dem
t Onstrated at nearly every session {
=. the board for the past three or fou
O years.
Following the question Of publ
y improvements comes the one {
}. economy. Is it more economics
# for the officers at Rathdrum. VII
!. are compelled to travel about II
county. to draw large amounts f
mileage, ard the same in the cas-
z of jurors, than it is to maintain al
e other county organiza ton? Is
n more economical for at least on,
v third of the taxpayers in the count,
= VINO have business at the count
seat, to pay railroad and stage IA
9 for more than 100 miles each wa
Re and spend from four days to wee
= each trip, than it is to maintai
e. another county organization?
These questions should COVER
the taxpayers of old Kootenai
II this matter. Politics and count
s. seat squabbles should be relegate
To the rear at least until the RI