The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1912-07-19
THE INITATORY STEP.

Several business Illtu vi OTONllle
met in E. Fitzgerald's Office Monday
svenine for the purpose of launching
county division campaign. The meet
10 vas not for the purpose of fOrmu-
,tinr any plan of action. but to take
surh steps as were deemed proper to
ri people together to discuss the
oronosition, and learn the drift of pub
H. sentiment. The meeting was alto
,sther Informal, and those present de-
sIded TO call a public mass meeting to
Il held in Cummings hall on Monday
syeniug. July %, to which the people
n the north half of the reservation,
vho have already expressed them
ssIyes in favor of division. the resi-
dents Of LOOmis, Nighthawk. Chesaw,
ronasket, Ellemeham, and all the sur
munding country are invited to at
tesd. or at least send delegates to
reuresent their several neighbOrhOOds.
the division sentiment is stronger
At this time than ever before since
division was first suggested. 1t has
heep a subject of discussion Biennial
" for years. People have been lOath
10 embrace the cause of division. hop
Ing that the experience of another two
ysars would see the expenses of cOun
" government reduced. and a reduc-
lion Of taxation in like ratio But in
stead Of decreasing the cost of county
government is steadily increasing,
With no tangible, or visible, benefits
ior the Increased expenditures. Year
after year the assessed valuation of
property Increases, and the property
holder finds his taxes going up in the
same proportion to the increased as
sessment. and the people are at last
opening their eyes to the fact that the
business of a county of the unwieldly
size Of OkanOgan cannot be admins
tered economically. 1t is no reflection
upon the officials that this is true. No
natter who is placed in Office so long
- 0kan0gan county remains its pres
slt size the cost of running it must
continue to be out of all proportion to
what the running of an ordinary cOun-
y should be. In a discussion of the
necessity of division personalities
and the Individual must be eliminated.
Il Is not matter of personality. but
strictly plain matter of business.
When q merchant finds that his busi-
Ness enterprise is not paying he at
oace investigates and if possible re-
noves the causes. In the same sense
vhen ponderous county is found to
= uteadyily running behind it is time
IL those who foot the bills make
one provision for change. That Is
he position of the people of Okanogan
county. Division has come to be simp-
y a matter of necessity. The ques-
tion dev0lves itself to the point wheth-
e re are to continue on in the pres
at rut. piling up more debt, sub
hitting to be multched for increased
expenditures, or reduce the size of the
lsfrttory to sizes where economy can
= practtced, and some of the burden
lifted from the shoulders of those who
are called upon to pay the shot. Those
vho believe that division is the sOlu-
llon to the vexed problem will have
wrong argument to back their con-
leetton, and 1t is believed that the
residents Of the county are ready and
Wiling at this time to carefully and
Without bias weigh the arguments
uat may be advanced. And with that
coadltton. of mind prevailing the move
ment Will continue to win support.
Ine residents of the MethOw valley
nave already organized and COM
mehced campaign of education. Ev-
~ argument set forth in favor of cut
ing on OF the MethOw country as a
separate county applies with equal
,oFce to an east and west division.
urge number of the residents of the
aortn part OF the county have just re-
Gently put themselves on record as
nVoring an east and west division, and
propose to urge such cut at the next
seSsion OF the legislature. The line
VI cieaveage, as suggested two years
sso' Is the most practicable that could
W suggested. 1t leaves a good sized
eounty to the north, with ample ter
,aory and assessable property for old
o.ahogan county to the south.
heretofore the people Of the north
nlt OF the county have been lame in
%elr ehorts at division owing to TAX
as up the subject at the eleventh
Wur. 1t is proposed to commence
airy this year, appeal to the intelli-
ss0ce and understanding of all the
ueopie. and present the case strictly
won Its merits. The name of the
%uhty, the location of the county seat.
r.O"ia be secondary considerations.
,n me 0iviston of the county should be
me one aim of all interested in the
p.soIosition. y and to that end the people
oroville and the neighboring coun-
~ wall bend all their energies until