The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1913-04-25
PERTINENT news OF
STATE With OUR
own Comment

The Kootenai Democrat calls at
tention to law passed at the last ses-
sion of the legislature putting Koote-
mai county in class by herself. The
law provides that the county COM
missioners of Kootenai henceforth
receive salary of $4,000 per year
instead of $4,000 as in the past and
that they devote their entire time to
the county. The Democrat is inclin-
ed to think the increased cost to the
tax payers will exceed the benefits
that will acrrue to them. That of
course is a question that will be an
swered in time. We are inclined to
look favorably upon the plan The Of
flee of county commissioner is a very
important one. In few counties in
this state has the office attracted the
better, more thorough and more eff
fic;ent class of men. The low salary,
the liability to criticism and general
thanklessness which seem to go with
the office ha deferred the best men
from accepting the office except in
rare instances. The increase in salary,
which will carry with it an increase
in honor and prestige. will incur opin-
ion secure the services of better
and more competent class of men.
There is no question but that the
county commissioners if honest and
capable, can save the tax payers more
than the additional salary amounts to.
In addition they should promote bet
ter and more efficient county govern
ment. The county commissioners
TOUGH the people at every point. They
make the tax levies and spend the
money after it is raised They build
the roads and vitallv influence the
country schools. They supervise the
other county offices; pass upon all
claims against the county; authorize
the expenditure of money; and in
many other ways make for good OF
bad local government. Such author.
ity and responsibility should be vested
in men of the highest standing and
greatest ability.
The constitutionality of the Koote-
mai county law has been questioned
The Tribune trusts the law will stand
We would like to see the plan worked
out in order that the tax payers may
ascertain if there is any better plar
for county government than the one
now in use. If additional salary will
improve the government and at tn,
same time reduce the cost the peopl.
OF Idaho want to know it. Let tn.
kootenai experiment be carried out
Park district and dis tributed them il
the various streams until that distric
has been depopulated of fish. TIL,
first complaint came from Idaho Fall
and were seconded by the sportsmer
OF Pocatello, Rigby and other town!
IN that section of the state Just wha
the sportsmen expected from a de
partment controlled by politics ant
never headed by a man thorough,
competent is more than we can ex
pect. The fish and game department
has been passed around year by year
The office of fish and game wardei
has usually been given to some one too
incompetent for anythingelse but pos
sessed of more or less influence il
politics. The results have been tina
very little has been done towards tn
conservation of the fish and game o
the state. No other results will b.
obtained until competent and sym
pathetic men are placed in charge o
the affairs of the department 1t will
probably be several years before thi
comes about. In the meantime TIL
people will continue to regard the de
partment as joke and the annual II
cense as a fee to be given for tn
maintenance of some politician o
other.
In speaking Of the efforts put fort
by the game department as they ef
fected the Island Park district an
other districts in that section, the Ida
no Falls Post says:
"Sportsmen of this city are becom
ing thoroughly aroused over the tax
ing Of spawn of Camas creek, an
steps Are now being taken to enjoi
the game department from furthe
activity in that line. And this
right. The game department shout
get down to right principals at ono
and either maintain fish in a privat
pond for spawn producing purpose
or else buy spawn or fry from Out