Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-03-05
LET THE VOTERS DECIDE

me third argument used by the
Rathdrum county seat committee,
in the circular which 1t scattered
over the county in an effort to preju-
dice the voters through appealing TO
their pocketDook, is as follows:
From the last quarterly report OF
the county auditor TO the board OF
county commissioners. for the period
beginning October IL, 1907, and ex-
tending 10 January Ii, 1908, 1t will
be found that the Indebtedness OF
Kootenai county Is S1l8,044.S1.
This vast sum Is made up OF out
standing warrants and county bonds.
Since that report the condition re-
mains practically unchanged. At
the present time It costs In round
numbers about $4,000 annually to
run the county, and the revenues
are now, with economy, sufficient to
pay these expenses. During the last
few years something like 100000
600 has been paid out In liquidation
OF the county Indebtedness and un-
less hurled back to the starting
point BY some such unwise and pure
ly local move as now confronts the
people of the county, IL very few
years the county will be well along
the road to an absolutely cash basis.
which means, 1t need hardly be sug-
gested. reduced taxes, cheaper Nv
ing. less toll and more Of the COM
forts and luxuries OF life for us all
The assessed value of all classes OF
taxable property In the county at
the present time Is upward OF $4.-
2s7, OOO."
II we accept the above figures az
correct what do they signify? Sim
ply this: That the county is amply
able TO build a new courthouse, If
necessary, without causing a hard
ship 10 be placed on any taxpayer.
The assessed valuation was last year
s4,27s,0OO, and this year It is esti-
mated that II will be not less than
Ss.60O,O00. With annual expendi-
lures OF $4,000. az claimed by our
Rathdrum mathematicians, it will
be seen that the county will have
ample funds to pay all running ex-
pensea and reduce It's tax levy to at
least one-half that of last year. II
q $4,000 courthouse we're con-
structed and bonds issued bearing
8 per cent interest the added ex-
pense would be just $4,000 a year.
with as much more placed In sink
Ing fund TO pay the principal when
due in 90 years. That win still
leave the expenditures for county
purposes proportionately lower than
at present.
But all OF this figuring on court
house and the cost OF the same Is
premature. because the question does
not enter into the contest except as
a secondary matter. Before a court
house or other county buildings are
constructed it Is first necessary to
place the county seat where II will
remain permanently, and no one viii
deny but what that location viii be
Occur d'Alene-if not this fall. then
In six years from that time because
this city will some day have the vote
within It's corporate limits to re-
move the seat OF county government.
Then why delay the matter and
jeopardixe the county records for
another six years by keeping them
In the old fre-trap at Rathdrum
simply to help the people OF that
town.
The county seat removal Is one
thing and the building OF court
house ID another. Both must be
voted upon separately by the peo-
pie and can not be combined at all.
The removal comes FIRST. and the
state constitution requires two
thirds vote to make the change. In
all justice and fairness we submit
that II twe-thirda OF the voters wish
to make the change they have a
right to do so. or else our boasted
rule by the people Is a farce. Tho
removal question Is further safe
guarded BY the law requiring a PEE
tition to be circulated and the
names OF a majority OF the voters
OF the county obtained to the same
before removal can be submitted to
vote OF the people. and this petit
tion must be approved by the dis
trict court and the election ordered.
Under these conditions even those
who might vote against removal
could be fair and Just enough 20
sign the petition and let the people
vote upon Il. No other method
comes nearer the choice OF the peo-
MA than fbalR e,wnrasaad will NJ fha