Kootenai County Republican. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1899-1903, 1902-03-21
BOND ISSUE INEVITABLE.

The Silver Blade or last week says
that the Republicans contention to
/ he effect that the law requires the
payment OF current warrants out Of
tax money collected for the year dur
ing which such warrants are issued,
is "open to question" The Blade
then continues:
at is true that the law Of '95 pro-
vides for the funding Of outstanding
warrants. Whether the con-
,truction OF the treasurer and auditor
Is the proper one can legally be deter
mined only by court decision. Their
will certainly carry as
much weight with the people as that
Of the editor OF the Republican,.
If the Blade editor had sufficient
ambition to investigate this matter
he would find that the supre me court |
Of idaho has already passed upon this
law. and that the Republicans "con-
structiOn" is based upon such decision.
The supreme court has held that the
law Of 80 is not capable Of more than
one construction. as the crudite ed
itor Of the Blade wisely remarks, but
that 1t means exactly what it says:
That the current expenses OF each
year must be met with the revenue
collected for that year, and il any war
rants remain unpaid, due to failure
of the commissioners TO make the es-
innate and levy for current expenses
sufficiently high, such warrants must
be paid out Of monies apportioned co
tle warrant redemption fund, which is
created by a separate levy. made for
such purpose.
The fact Is that the customers, evil
IDENTIFY through an effort to deceive
the taxpayers for political purposes,
have for several years past failed to
make the levy for current expenses
sufficiently high to meet those ex-
penses, resulting In the enormous DELI
cit of SOL ,959.32. According to the
law of 1895 this deficit must be met
with monies apportioned to the war
rant redemption fund. Since the law
limits the levy to be made for this
purpose In any one year-the legisa-
iure evidently not anticipating that
any board Of commissioners would pur-
p ,sedly make the estimate for expenses
insufficient by many thousands of dol
lars, for political purposes, as the fu-
sion commissioners OF this county are
II the habit of doing-the customers
have adopted and following the GUS
tom OF rcdeeming outstanding war
rants in the order Of their issue with
ont regard TO the provisions OF the
law. To Illustrate: The tax money
collected fer 1901. instead Of being APP
plied to the payment of warrant is
sued during that year, was applied to.
ward the payment Of warrants issued
prior ia 1861. This custom" of the
customers may serve to keep warrants
nf the county at par for the present
but it Is not according to law and the
county treasurer may at any time be
enjoined from continuing that Gus
Tom. In that event outstanding war
rants would Immediately 60 below par
and remain there until provision is
made for refunding.
This custom, which is plainly COP.
tmry to lazy, has enabled the fusion
politicians to deceive the taxpayers in
he matter Of tax levies. They are In
he habit OF pointing to the alleged
fact that THE tax levy has been reduc-
cd, hut they do not explain that slch
alleged reduction Is made at the risk
If the c0unty's credit and has resulted
in deficit OF S5l.9593 81. And wher
The Republican undertakes to expose
their deceptive and dishonest method,
they naturally grow quite wrothy, anc
in an effort to confuse taxpayers anc
detmct public attention from tho rea
points at issue begin To bubble about
irifles which can not affect the mair
facts, rs has recently been very aptly
illustrated by Deputy Auditor Cook
AS heretofore explained. the lev.
which can be made for the redemp
ton OF outstanding warrants Is limited
by law, and the highest legal levy
that can be made for this purpose il
any one year will produce but littl
more than sufficient revenue to mcel
The interest on the present outStand
ing warrants. In view OF this fac
such warrant indebtedness can not b.
iiquidated in tie manner provided b.