The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1914-10-08
OPPOSE S DIVISION.
A. r. Parker Fires Another Broadsider
Of Cold Facts Into DlvislonIsts

According to Bro Winner, of the Cot
tonwood Chronicle, the ambition for a
new county arises from the desire t.
get away from the mountain country.
Cottonwood would like a compact coun-
ty made up exclusively of nine tenths
of the agricultural lands on Camas
Prairie and the reservation country,
leaving Grangeyille with a little over
township Of agricultural lands to sup
port and maintain law and order
throughout the vast mountain area OF
old Idaho county. The Chronicle state
ment Is not put in that direct state
ment, but that Is implied beyond dis
pute. Our west side neighhors want a
compact county like Lewis county made
up exclusively of agriculture lands.
We may be willing to admit the ad
vantages to the proposed Randall
county II they can work their scheme
out; but we are equally willing to ad
NIT the manifest injustice to what Is
left of Idaho county.
And herein lies the weak point in the
division argument. AS I have repeat
edly aforetime pointed out, no legis
lature will ever consent to the division
OF Idaho county for the sole advantage
Of selfish clique which desires to
dodge its share of just taxation. The
people Of Grahgeville did not create
Idaho county. The mountain country
has been part and parcel of Idaho coun
ty ever since Its organization in A1S72.
Senator Eckert once told me that when
he was in the legislature six years ago,
he could have sloughed off the noun
tain country south of Salmon river to
Boise county, but he neglected to
take advantage of his opportunity And
again four years ago, when Senator Ec-
kert and E. l.. Parker (both of Cotton
woody were making their initial efforts
to create Randall county, they made
no effort to attach the mountain re-
gion to Adams county which they voted
to create. Neither Adams nor Boise
counties are willing to annex any part
of the mountain territory of Idaho
county.
When the Cottonwood division con-
tingent visited White Bird recent,
they were asked what is to become of
old Idaho county, and the reply was:
''To hi with old Idaho county. We
do not give d--n for old Idaho coun
ty. We are working for our own inter
est We want a county seat af Cot
tonwood.''
| / also have a letter from a citizen
! of one of the Clearwater river towns
in which much the same language !;
used. l quote:
| "As to county division, the Clear
water sections are unanimous in want
ing these (division) matters. and arr
entitled to new county from various
reasons, and 1t is about time that you
people realize that the longer you tr,
| to stem this tide the harder you will
be dealt with when county is carved
out of Idaho county,
Such are the sentiments which in
spire the desire for county division
Grangeville. 1 assure my friends as
have assured them before, that the.
! will have to advance better argument
before the legislative committees t
secure any division of Idaho county.
The county division idea is premature
The entire United States has beei
marking time for the past six years
and Idaho county Is no exception. II
four or five years more the treaty witt
the Nez Perce Indian expires. At tha
time the Indians without exception
will sell their allotments and the reser
walton will be settled up with whit
land owners, and we will then hav
more taxable property, and more pop
ulation. Furthermore, there will the
be railroad developments from Ferdi
nand through the reservation countr
direct to Green Creek and Grangeville
thus giving transportation facilities t
the great producing sections of tn
i, reservation which is now as far fror
railroads as 1t ever was. These neN
conditions will materially alter tn
present status of affairs, and may the
lead to the creation of new count
. lying between Lawyers canyon and Cot
, tonwood canyon. with a possible cour
ty seat at Ferdinand The reservatio
country will then have no interest
. Randall Or Selway counties, and tn
existing conditions will be transformed
. With the further construction of II
Missoula Cutoff, and the Pittsbul
g and Gilmore line. connection with IL
!, north and south road from Ne
Meadows, there will then be vast tai
able valuations sufficient to justify Il
creation of half a dozen of more riv
and prairie counties along just al
i equitable division lines.
- am peddling no hot air. The
events are sure as fate, and thereto
:. we contend that the presnet era
marking time" will be supplement
by an era of extensive railroad co
struction throughout the central Ida
region The people can we'll afford
wait the few years necessary to s
=, the contamination of this long await
=. period of development before und'
"a taking to create new counties at
present inopportune time.
" A. F. PARKEI,
Grangeville, Idaho, Oct s, 1914.
n
u THE MARKET REPORT.