The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1908-10-02
CAPTURED THE MEETING.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE oNE)

tenth OF the present rate II possible
aud be touched on Occur 'Alene'I
enormous debt, lover $3.50, 000. The
burden Of taxpaying, hardly felt by
the rich, falls, heavily ON the little
fellow, the man with little home, a
small farm, and few cows. etc., II
is be that taxpayIng touches hardest.
Furthermore, the speaker pointed out
the bad business policy of building a
mansion on borrowed money when
one already has modest, comfortable
home. He applied this observation
to the county, pointing out that the
county now has comfortable, service
able buildings in Rathdrum. Has
them. There Is no doubt OF that.
1t Is a fact. Why then, move the
county seat to Occur d'Alene; at this
time. when the county debt is $780,.
600. and then have to increase that
debt ny voting bonds to replace the
abandoned buildings? He empha.
sized the III" of Occur d'Alene's
arguments concerning the ''free"
lease, "tree" sites, and other uncer-
taintiest which could not replace
abandoned buildings in Rathdrum.
A to the voting Of bonds to build a
new cohrt house in case OF county
seat removal, he called attention to
the Claim Of Occur d'Aleners that
they alone had 5000 voters, when
there are not 5000 voters 10 the en-.
tire county, and, IL such were true,
how easy 1t would be for them to vote
any amount Of bonds they chose
andIt small property owners who
make up the great mass of the tax
payers, would have to bear the
heaviest part Of the burden.
In the course of his remarks be
reminded his hearers OF the time
three or four years ago when Occur
d'Alene thought 1t had the county
seat and was offering sites for sale at
-, 600 to $1,000 for court house pur.
poses. Tney had no free sites then.
He also spoke Of the doubtful saving
Of expense of travel by moving the
county seat, the absurdity of Occur
dAlene's argument that people had
! to 70 to the county seat to pay their
taxes when such business could be
ansacted by mail, and the influence
Occur d'Alene used in having the
/ county divided so far south of the
Pend Oreille, etc.
Mr.. Mcfarland, for Occur d'Alene,
spoke with mock sincerely OF his old
associations and pleasant memories
as an attorney la the court room at
Rathdrum. He was amusingly au-
daciOus ia his claims that records
were kept 10 woodshed, that the
court house was a fretrap and the
vault would melt 10 case of fire and
the records be burned! He enlarged
upon the resources of the county say
Ing now was the time to move the
couhty seat and build a new court
house while the various interests
could be made to carry share Of the
burden.
Mr.. Dunn folio wed and dwelt more
particularly on the argument that
Occur d'A1ene is nearer the center
OF population than Rathdrum, that
expenses 10 reaching the county seat
would be reduced. etc.. exhibiting a
diagram showing Occur d'Alene in
the center Of large circle to illus.
trate his point. He also expatiated
upon the value Of the s'free" sites
and the use of the city hall offered,
as evidence Of Occur d'Alene's gen.
erosity which he said should be con.
sidered. Mr.. Dunn, in the course of
his remarks, made some astounding
statements considering the costly
efforts being made by Occur d'Alene
to secure the county seat. For in.
stance he stated that "a county seat
will not benefit but slightly the town
it SIN" He also warned his hearers
to close their eyes to the bonding and
building question In case OF county
seat removal. 1.-The question now"
he said, 'ls to move the county seat
to Occur d'Alene-not a proposition
to build court house." Mr. Dunn,
too, Joined Ia condemnation Of the
court house aud vault at Rathdrum.
Bartlett Sinclair was then intro
duced, and eloquently and ably pre-
sented the side Of the opposition to
county seat removal. He attacked
the so-called city hall lease which Mr..
McClear had claimed was binding
and could be enforced bv the county