Amador ledger., 1905-11-03
A Sta "tling Admission.

There are eight counties in tn
state without all Incorporated cit
within tneit territory. These are Al
pine, a nai0r, CalaveraS, Madera,
M3Hu. Pidmas. Suiter, and Trinity
Of the,e NJ ,dera, Calaveras ahu
SutteI have ID larger assessment roll
than Amador, all the others have d
much smaller assessment than this
county. 1t may also be observed that
jackson Is the largest and most
foJul us town III the list of counties
without an incorporated city.-Ama-
dor Ledger.
1t would seem all these towns are
getting on just as we'll without it, for
the incorporated ones are often
checked in progress by being incor-
porated. .-Colusa Sun.
This expression of opinion coming
from one of the leading country
papers in the state, published IN a
town that has been incorporated for a
generation, will certainly como as a
surprise to many. Colusa is in a
position to speak from experience
She has enjoyed the blessings OF self
government long enough to appre-
ciate them, or at lesat to estimate
them at their real value. She is in
position to know the advantages
and disadvantage of municipal con-
troll. And yet after a generation of
experience the principal journal
frankly acknowledges that incorpor-
alton is often found to be an obstacle,
instead of help, in a path of pro-
gress. No explanation of this state
ment is given. Why it is found to
block progress we are not told; each
reader can form his own conclusions :;
but that the surprisingly candid ad
mission is made honestly and in good
faith there can be no doubt
There can be no question that if
jackson could receive that consider
alton at the hands of the supervisors
that its population and tax-payi ing
record demands, it would be just as
we'll to remain unincorporated. If
we could have anything like fair
treatment, and a reasonable portion
of the money contributed by the pro-
perty holders of this town for the
support of the county government,
were expended upon the streets, and
other legitimate and necessary ways,
incorporation would not help US one
jot. But the fact remains that we
contribute great deal of the funds
for local government, and get pract1
cally nothing in return. Our money
is taken and spent upon outside high
ways, and if any thing is contributed
toward our streets from the public
treasury, it is looked upon more as
an act of concession or condescension
than matter of right. Until very
recent times, it was the avowed policy
of the county managers 10 Ignore the
streets of the town in the expenditure
of road funds. The citizens were ex-
pected to contribute privately and
specially to fix up the streets, in
addition to the regular tax for road
purposes. And this is not the only
direction in which our rights have
been ignored, and righteous appeals
unheeded or thwarted. jackson is
a rich and a thriving town; it is
able to pay for what it needs; it has
the county buildings, and all the
business that flows therefrom; her
citizens ought not TO call upon the
county treasury for anything" Such
is the argument that is urged; which
reduced to real import means that
the county seat town ought to be
made to pay every year for the honor
of being the seat of local govern
ment. 1t is this spirit that is re-
sponsible for the strength of the in
corporation movement.
On the other hand, the principal
handicap of incorporation is the
fear-widespread and not baseless-
that an additional governmental re-
gime, means more officials, and that
means more political grating, more
avenues for the display of favoritism
and the reward of political hangers
on. The graft game permeates to
every nook and corner of our govern
mental system. If the people OF Jack
son were only satisfied that a city
government could, and would, be
carried on for the welfare of the
people alone, incorporation would
carry with scarcely dissenting vote.
But this ghost of gratt-this fear that
the city government will speedily fall
prey to political schemers, who are
ever on the lookout for more worlds
to conquer lis after all the only soIif
basis for opposition to the plan to
place jackson on the list of self
governing communities.
The office of the county treasurer
was insured against burglary by the
board of supervisors of Amador
county with the same company that
insured MADEIRA county against burg
larry. The thing was so ridiculous
that the Amador board cancelled Its
contract with the insurance company
at their last meeting. Criticism on
the part of the taxpayers, who OBJ
jected to having their money wasted
in this fashion, was the cause. -