The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1905-02-18
RIVER IMPROVEMENT LAW.

The house has passed the river
improvement repeal bill and there
is reason to believe that it will pass
the senate. This shows how little
Legislators sometimes know about
matters with which they have to deal.
We are aware OF the fact that there is
much opposition to the law, and many
persons will approve of the action Of
the house, yet 1t is a fact that in
most Of the timber states a river i'm
provement law is in force and recog-
nized as of great benefit to not only
the lumbermen, but to the individual
owner of timber. 1t is the facilities
for logging and driving that largely
ok the market value and create a
demand for the logs, whether they
belong to individuals or companies,
and anything that improves these
conditions is beneficial For these
reasons, other and older states have
had river improvement laws for years,
and If the present Idaho law is lame
in any respect let it be amended, but
do not repeal it, which will mean in
many instances, injury to our lum.
bering interests.
The present law gives the state
board of land commissioners, CON-
posed of the governor, superintend-
emit Of public instruction, secretary
Of state and attorney general, the
absolute right to fix the tolls to be
charged by any company holding a
river franchise; this board also
passes upon the application for a
franchise and has undisputed author
ity to refuse to grant the same where
Improvements are not necessary. If
this state board does its duty honest
ly and honorably, keeping in view
the rights Of the public, we fail to
see where an injury can be done any
one by such a franchise, while the
benefits are beyond controversy IL the
application Of the law is made where
necessary. There are many streams
districts where logging is impossible
without the expenditure Of large
sums Of money In improvements and
in such cases the law Is not only
beneficial, but absolutely needed, yet
the legislature. a majority Of whose
members know as little about logging
as they do about latin, seeks to re-
peal this law, instead Of amending it,
to the detrtment Of the numbering
section Of the state. It Is another
evidence Of the utter ab. o ice Of com
munity interests between the north
srn aud southern portions Of the
state.
In the absence Of any good reasons
for the repeal of the law, which
places all responsibility for it's just
and honest enforcement on the state
land board, we must conclude that
the republican Legislature Is afraid
to trust its state officials to be honest
Eith the people; 1t must fear that
these officials will be led astray by
the persuasive influence OF any one
seeking a franchise. These are the
only conclusions that can be safely
reached under the circumstances, for
1t is evidently not the law that works
an injury on any one, OF is detrt-
mental TO any section, but the fear
that officials will fail to do their
duty Then why not apply the
remedy where it il need ID
Que member Of the Legislature
charges that the law Is a vicious act.
passed by a democratic legislature,
and what might be expected from
that party The fact Is that the
democratic legislature thought the
law would be administered b. honest
officials or it might have thrown more
safeguards around it. Fix the laR
up TO compel the officials to honestly
administer it II necessary aud it will
prove "a benefit t. the numbering in
dustry Of the state. A river i'm
provemsut law i necessary IL We
wish to encourage the development
Of our numbering industries.