The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1913-09-19
The Plant of the North.

North Idaho is firmly convinced
that it pays an unjust and inequitable
share Of the taxes. How this idea
originated is unknown but it exists.
As Justification for the idea the Pend
D'Reille Review says:
with Ada county short four mil
lions of its last years assessment, with
progressive" Canyon county coming
under the wire three millions shy over
last year and several OF the other
southern counties showing decrease
in their valuations during the past
year, and with northern counties, not
withstanding the natural reduction of
their timber values from year to year
from consumption, indicating in their
valuation returns a healthy growth
and some degree of prosperity, it
looks very much as if the oft repeated
statement that the northern counties
pay the tax" has plenty of substan-
tiation in fact"
The Review is published in Bonner
county. The assessed valuation o.
Bonner county last year was SIS, 7l2,
463. This year it is $24,9o7,7l3, re-
duction of over $86O,OOO. Last year
Shoshone county was assessed at $685.
795,4l2. This year the valuation is
$l8,2o5,4l2. a reduction of over FIVE
and half million dollars kootenai
county was last year $29,472,836. This
year it is $27,33S,539, reduction Of
nearly two million one hundred fifty
thousand dollars. The above figures
do not include railroads, etc. 1t will
be seen that north Idaho valuations
have dropped off materially. 1t must
be understood that the reduction in
no wise indicates that one section of
the state is being favored over the
other. We give the figures simply to
show that the reductions were general
and not confined to one or two coun
ties as the quotation from the Review
might lead one to believe. The Tri-
occasion that north Idaho is not get
ting the representation in the state
houses which its health and population
entitle it. We would gladly help it if
we could but there is nothing that
we can do. However, the north is
not Disseminated against in the mat
ter of taxes.
Better Men the Solution.
In discussing an editorial which ap-
peared in The Tribune in its issue OF
August %, which dealt with the ques-
ton of Mormon influence on the at
fairs of this state, the Salmon River
Sun says:
mo one has claimed the Mormons
to be in a majority or anything like a
majority. They hold a trading bal
ance only at best We do recognize
the pernicious three-fold working OF
the Church, and the menace it is to
Idaho institutions under the present
order of things. We even recognize
that the permanence of this influence
cannot but result in much harm. The
fact still remains, however, that petty
politics rule in the non-M Mormon coun-
ties when it comes to the selection OF
legislative ticket and the best men
rarely ever go to Boise.
1--WE believe the solution to be in
the sending Of a larger percentage OF
real men to the thirteenth legislative
session-men with enough cohesive
ability that they will be able to put
through legislation without Mormon
support. We recognize the Mormon
question as the one question in Idaho
worthy OF any consideration-there is
no other question at the present time
The twelfth leg stature disposed OF
several OF the most troublesome OF
the states problems. The schools were
all taken out of politics. There will
never again be United States sena-
tor elected by our legislative body In
the next election not even a presiden
tial selection will figure. The Sun is
not quite ready to admit that the
American party is the solution to our
problems. Perhaps it is"
1t would be very nice to elect such
men to the legislature but where are
We to get them. In Canyon county we
have hard time to get men to go to
the legislature at all, and after they