The Colville examiner. [volume] (Colville, Wash.) 1907-1948, 1908-10-24

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For several years prior to 1906 the finances of
Stevens county kept going from bad to worse.
Republicans had entire control of the county's
finances and since the day that the populists were
turned out to give way to the republicans the
county has not been on a cash basis at any time.
The Indebtedness kept growing, the current ex-
pense fund became swamped, and yet the resources
did not increase in any perceptible amount. It
finally became apparant that the condition was
serious, and the property owners began to pay at
tention to the growing county debt
Two years ago the voters and taxpayers of the
county awoke to the condition and elected an en-
tire democratic board Since that time the in
debtedness of the county has been decreasing each
year, as shown by the following auditors reports:
Net Indebtedness June 3O 1906, $183, 252.49.
Net indebtedness June 80, 1907, SILL 929.11.
Net indebtedness June 80, 1908, $168, 1855.
In the mad rush at the auditors office to secure
the election of L. E. Jesseph (who has been in the
office four years. the auditor in his 1908 report
overlooked the fact that the poor farm still be-
longs to the county. At conservative estimate,
this is worth $800O which would make the net
Indebtedness of the county but $3.50, 1855 In
other words the present board of county commits
sioners IN tUo gears has decreased the countys m
debtedness $685. OOO
w. l. Fountain of Locke is the only one of the
board who seeks reelection, and the fact that
through the aid of his business sagacity the county
is gradually creeping out of debt should be the
strong argument for voters of all parties to give
him their undivided support.
H. W. Sparks of Kettle Falls is the other demo-
cratic candidate for commissioner. He is well
known over the entire county, having lived here
about 20 years. He is especially we'll known along
the Columbia river, where he may be expected to
draw practically unanimous support. He has
been one of those greatly instrumental in the up
building of the county, and his strong interest in
county affairs during his long residence in the
county marks him as man in whom the people
can place confidence
Stevens county can not afford to let the county's
affairs get out of safe hands. The record of the
democratic board for the last two years is
sufficient argument for the election of demo-
cratic board this fall.
Even friends of Bottorff admit that the chances
for his defeat are becoming more apparent every
day, still his most intimate acquaintance try to
convince themselves that there is little hope and
continue to pray for sympathy. His case is pitable
but whenever public official ignores the rights of
his constituents as Bottorff has done during the
past two years he deserves to receive their re-
buke e-Northport Republican,
t>t
Owing to the dissatisfaction on the east side at
being allowed but one republican candidate, and
he the weakest one, the Index ring is now willing
that Sammons be elected representative, provided
the east side voters will support Spedden for rep
resentative and Jesseph for auditor. The election
of Sammons was already assured but this pro-
posed trading affair to cover up the defeat of the
four east side republican candidates is not drawing
any particular amount of support to Mr.. Spedden
or Mr. Jesseph Since the republican ring here
has declared that Newport cuts but little ice in
campaign" why not let Newport alone, and allow
it to cast it's 'iceless" vote as it pleases?
p>t
Several visitors from Onion Creek were in COL
vile last week. Three of them said they had not
seen an assessor there since Bottorff had been in
office, and that there had been no assessment
made on personal property. Yet the assessors
office has a report covering this section, and
deputy was paid to assess this section. Evidently
the assessors officials prefer to do the work in the
office, in preference to actually going into the field
It would seem as though the assessors office cost
enough money the last year to have the work
thoroughly done.
The Pondexter meeting at the opera house Tues
| day evening was attended by about dozen peo-