Kootenai County Republican. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1899-1903, 1902-03-14
TAKE ErrmER HORN.

gives space to column and bali ef-
fusion which, for glaring misstate-
mcnts and an utter disregard for the
truth, certainly entities It's author to
The palm. At the next fusion seancc
he no doubt will be voted a leather
medal for assininc stupidity.
The article in question is intended
is "a reply to the Republicans article
Of two weeks ago, IN which it was
shown and proven that under three
years of fusion misrule in this county
The current Indebtedness had been in
creased $50, 1O3.SO. As usual, the
Blade article becomes personal IN the
first sentence and so contin ues
throughout. Since the subject under
cons lderation,is the fusion record and
not personal matter, the Republican
will ignore personalities directed
against it's editor.
or the many garbled statements APP
pearing in the Blade article two only
are worthy OF any attention, but these
will be sufficient to establish the Blade
editors utter disregard for the truth.
The Blade says:
II has been the custom and practice to APP
ply the receipts Of the current year to the
payment Of the outstanding warrants Of the
nast ,n
1t may have been the ''custpm and
practice" Of the customers to do this,
but 1t certainly is not the law. The
yerY fact that there Is warrant re-
liemptiop" fund bellies the Blades
statement. II the receipts OF the
current year could be applied to the
payment OF the outstanding warrants
VI the past, there would be no need
for a warrant redemption" fund.
The fact is that the same law which
empowers the commissioners to create
warrant redemption fund requires
them to make the levy for current eX-
penses sufficiently high to meet those
expenses. TO illustrate: The amount
III tax muney collected for 1901 availa-
bic for the payment Of warrants. must
be applied toward the payment Of
warrants issued during 1901 only.
This law has been in force since 1895,
when the counties OF Idaho were au-
horized to fund their outstanding
warrant Indebtedness, and thereafter
we're required to do business upon a
lash basis.
When the customers came into power
The net outstanding warrant Indebted
ness was sl2 ,s55.5S: this has been in
creased during their misrule OF three
years, to S5l ,959.32. According to law
these warrants can only be redeemed
with Nancy apportioned to the war;
rlnt redemption fund. The amount
apportioncd to this fund out OF money
collected for 1901 Is only So, l63.S5.
Tlis would not. much more than pay
lie interest at 6 per cent on the pres
eli outstanding warrant Indebtedness.
rac fact rs that under fusion misrulc
IA, outstanding warrant Indebtedness
his ontgrown many times the highest
levy that can be legally made in any
81, year for warrant redemption pur-
30 IS, and another bond issue will be
he natural consequence. Again, the
u ade says:
Tho present administration IL making Il
sood record In county government Since
Tho reins Of government wcro assumed by the
peape In is09 In the name Of the fusion party,
i'ot outstanding the great expense Of roads
al bridges made necessary by the rapid
growth 1T u now county. the total indebted
nrss ncsry all Of which fell To them ~ u leg
acy, hns been reduced tl,5ys,Si.
The auditor aud treasurer state
mcnt issued In January, 1899, whel
thc customers took the rcins OF gov
crament, shows the total net debt ol
n, county at that time to have beer
ii55, 1853 81; the statement issued II
January OF this year shows the tota
net debt Of tho county to be sE7, 4s9.
Is. This shows the net increase, dur
ing the three years of fusion misrul'
% be s2l, 633.74. is not that y "goot
record ?" Since the Blade claims
net reduction in the debt OF $4,5ss. 81
he above figures, which are, absolute
y correct and can be verified by tn
records, make the blade editor IL pre-
.aricator by just $40, 232. 2:l Is tina
the only policy" to which the Blad
eefers in large lettersP.n
The Blade further devoteS consid