The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1912-10-04

value of the lumber of Canyon county
according to the assessment roll IS
100000. If the editor of the News
were not a printer, we would charge
him with ignorance of the cost OF
printing; if he were not candidate
for county assessor, we would charge
him with ignorance OF assessments
and assessment classifications. AS he
is a printer and candidate for county
assessor we must charge him with .
willful attempt to deceive the readers
of his paper. 1t is reasonable to as
sumo that candidate for county as
SCISSOR has given the Office and its
methods some attention. Otherwise
he would not have attempted to show
the record. If in one insance, he can
not honestly or intelligently quote the
record, what kind of county assessor
would he make? He states that the
cash value of lumber of Canyon
county is 10000, when as matter
of fact the assessed valuation is nearly
49,, 10000 The assessed valuation OF
the lumber in the yards in the city OF
Caldwell is $3l,lS0.OO; in Nampa, $z7,..
10000; and in Payette and the rest OF
the county, about $25,OOO.OO. Now ii
q man would overlook little item like
$4,000 in lumber, what might he not
overlook in estimating the cost OF ~
GOO ballots? As a matter OF fact the
editor Of the News is shockingly ma
licious or disgustingly ignorant. The
5000 to which he refers was the as
sessed valuation Of saw mill at
Emmett, and did not include the lum-
Der stock there or anywhere in the
country. ~
This year the primary ballots were
printed in The Tribune Office, the
number to be printed being arbitrarily
fixed BY law. Two years ago they
were printed in the Caldwell News
Office. Notwithstanding the fact that
the primary ballots this year were
larger: and that the law had been
changed so that the position OF the,
candidates on the ballot had to be
changed as many times as there were
candidates for the Office and arranged
accordingly in the ballot books fur
nished the election officers, the
Tribune charged 50 cents per thousand
less than the News charged two years
ago. To this was added the cost Of
changing the names, bringing the
price only 50 cents above the News
price-for more than twice the work.
As shedding some light on the ques-
ton Of printing primary ballots. we
quote the following figures:
In 1910 the News charged $3.50 per
In 1912 The Tribune charged 500
per 1000. with changes. T.@ per
my
In 1912 it cost Ada county $1,000
In 1912 it cost Oneida county $1,000
per 1000.
In 1912 il cost Bannock county
$1,000 per 1000.
In 1912 it cost Washington county
$ll.5O per 1000.
Other county records have not been
secured to date but we venture the
assertion that none will be found
lower than The Tribune price. The
Caxton printers, of this city, say that
they would not attempt the job for a
cent less than The Tribune charged,
and think that $1,000 per 1000 world
not be excessive The printing of the
primary ballot in accordance with the
state primary law is difficult and in
tricate job. Not many printing houses
cared to undertake it. In Boise no
printing establishment would give an
estimate of the cost and the county
clerk was forced to give the work to a
reputable house and the cost was $40
per 1000. We think it more probable
that the News is ignorant of the cost
of printing than that every printing
house in the state is grating the pub
lie.
The Tribune thinks that it has gone
into the two items mentioned extern
sively enough. The other eight or
ten thousand items on which the peo-
pie are being robbed will be investi-
gated as they are presented by the
News. For its own reputation for
honesty we trust that it will be more
happy in pointing out the graft and
special privileges in the future.
The Caldwell News, like all others
of the same character. is very prone
to charge graft and corruption against
public officials. 1t seems to think
that as soon as man gets into Office
he loses all sense of shame and honor
We cannot see why its editor wants
to place himself under such tempta-
tion. We can only account for it on
the theory that he. wants to be tempted
in order tina he may fall If the
reader will investigate matters he will
find Canyon county, and all other
counties in the state and the state
itself. has pretty fair and pretty
honest administration. Our officials
are good, responsible men and women.
There is no organized gang deliber-
ately raising taxes in order that they
may squander money. This is a new
county and new country. The ex-
pense of administration has been high;
taxes have been high. However, If
the people will but take out those
things which they themselves have
authorized by bond issues, they will
find that the cost has not been ex-
cessive. People cannot have court
houses. bridges, primary elections.
bond elections. pavements. sewers,
sidewalks. public libraries, school
houses state caOito1 hs,i1dinU and a