The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1902-10-30
OUR CHIEF COUNTY ISSUE

The attention of the voters of the
county is particularly directed to the
"opeu letter. published in this issue of
the Islander, in which some Of the
more important reasons why a new
court house should be built are clearly
stated. 1t Will be noticed that the let
ter bears the signatures of the chairmen
of both the Republican and Democratic
committees as well as a committee of
citizens appointed to examine the
assessment rolls and acquaint each in
dividual taxpayer with the approx
mate cost of the proposed building to
him, if the proposition carries, as 1t
certainly ought to. 1t is only on the
broadest grounds of wise public policy
that the proposition OF the commits
sioners is earnestly supported by the
taxpayers of the county seat: If they
were to view it from the narrow stand
point of mere local interest they might
lend willing ears to the seductive sug-
gestion of the president of the Roche
Harbor Lime Company that the con-
struction of new building should be
deferred until the county can afford to
erect structure costing $50, 900 or S4O,-
600. 1t is hardly likely that Mr.. Nc
Millin really expects the people of the
county to believe that he would rather
pay taxes to erect building costing
$50 900 than one costing little more
than one-fourth as much. Inasmuch
as such building as the one proposed
would undoubtedly provide ample
facilities for the transaction of public
business and the safe keeping of public
records for quarter of century at
least, it would seem that the principal
corporation in the county, which is
likewise the largest taxpayer, should
cheerfully acquiesce in the moderate
proposition submitted, rather than
take the chances of being required to
pay several times as much at some
later period. On the basis of its pres
tht assessment the total cost to the
Roche Harbor Lime Company of
$4,000 building would be S732.l5, or
S73 u year if payment is distributed
over period of ten years. The COIN
pany has enjoyed most remarkable
period of prosperity during the past
few years. 1t is doing business in a
county having the LOWEST TAX LEVY
of any county in the state. Its prop
erty is situated in a road district that
levies the SMALLEST TAX THAT THE
LAW PERMITS and in a school district
that levies NO SPECIAL TAX at all. In
view of these simple little facts is it
reasonable to assume that the company
is opposing the commissioners PROPOSE
ton because of a public spirited desire
to have far more expensive building
erected than is now contemplated, or
needed?
The people of Friday Harbor cheerful
ly pay special school tax of five mills,
and have done so for years; the road tax
levy is six mills, and they will prompt
ly and cheerfully pay an additional
tax of one, two, three, four or five
mills any year to build a decent court
house and safe place for public rec
ords.
No one who knows the commission
ers can question for moment the alb
solute sincerity of their belief that the
proposition to issue bonds for $4,000
for court house purposes opens the way
10 the wisest solution of pressing
problem. Not one of them is a resi-
dent of the county seat or its iI,medi-
ate neighborhood. They represent all
sections OF the county. The chairman,
MI. Buckley, is one ofrthe most careful
and conscientious commissioners that
the county has ever had. he has been
yeritable watchdog Of the treasurynl