The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1904-08-12
Count Division.

County division, although it is
becoming a warmer topic Tor dis
cussion every year, is not yet a
political issue before the people OF
Kootenai county, having been tab
ooed by both party conventions.
Yet both candidates for state sena-
tor are on record as being in favor
OF division, both being residents OF
or near the one town which would
e benefited by division into two
COUNTIES. The position Of the
candidates for representatives is
similar on the respective tickets,
me on each ticket being for and
t on each ticket being against
,ounty division. Presenting, fer
he sake of eliminating irrelevant
.rgument, that both Legislative
ckets stand equal chances OF
lection, is 1t to be supposed that
.ither would be so forgetful of the
est interests Of the majority Of all
he people they represent, as to
c TRY ont design which would be
b .nehcial to but few real estate
owners and townsitc promoters?
Would they be so prejudiced t.
heir own personal desires as t.
ignore the wishes of their constit
uency?
Everybody we'll remembers that
the position Of the kootenai repre-
sentation in the last legislature,
was exactly the same as that of the.
candidates on the two tickets now
before the people, although it is
true such was not generally known
to be the case until after the legis
lature met. Then the senator
introduced bill in the interest of
his own town and it was defeated.
The one representative who fav-
ored county division drew up a
bill, but, on inquiry, found that
his two colleagues were firmly OPP
posed to it. Perceiving that he
was one against two and that his
efforts were futile, he sensibly de-
clded to abstain from introducing
his county division bill. In fact
he seems to have been but luke
warm in favor of the scheme.
himself. 1t is not likely that an
effort, should one be made, to di-
vide the county in the next legis-
lature would result differently.
The project is unpopular with the
great majority of the tax PAYERS
even in the towns which are its
advocates. They see in it only an
increased debt and heavier taxation
with a doubled official payroll, all
OF which, the benefits to be secured
would fall far short of offsetting
The votes, therefore, which will
be cast for either legislative ticket.
this tall, must not be considered
cast Tor county division, but that
Nootenai county might have repre-
sentation in the state Legislature.
While it must be admitted that
kootenai is large county and
that division is a possibility and in
time will probably be a necessity.
yet every disinterested person who
has studied the problem under
P esent conditions, must be aware
.'id. the time Tor division has not
come. Conditions will not be ripe
Tor division for from six to ten
years, from present indications all
depending on commercial and in.
dustr'al prosperity and immigration,
Then it will be necessary for tbe
taxpayers to consider we'll the
manner of division. To make two
counties, on the line marked in the
Yost bill, and to divide the county
without the consent ofthe majority
OF the people of the entire county
to be divided, are two propositions
which should not be tolerated I'm
der any circumstance. The first
woulo not be permanent since the