The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1914-05-08
AS A TAXPAYER LOOKS :
At THE LOCAL OPTION

1t is a foregone conclusion that
the wet element of Nez Perce
county, Idaho, are thoroughly de-
termined to sacrifice the county
again upon the alter of a third To-
cal option to the tune of another
$6,0O0.O0of hard tax money. Four
years ago, when the first local op-
tion election was held, the county
was voted dry by a majority vote
of 800. This was a revelation that
brought CONSERVATION into the camp
of the wet element, and they i'm
mediately got their Henry Clay
heads (minus the Henry together
and decided that by dividing the
old Nez Perce county, and thereby
divested Nez Perce county of a
large and rich taxable territory,
they would dispose of large dry
vote, and they hoped thereby to de-
feat the force and effect of the local
option law. Firmly believing that
after trading off this vast and valu-
able territory, now embraced in
Lewis and Clearwater counties, they
would easily defeat the local option
forces, they petitioned the county
commissioners for another election
in 1912, and were again defeated
by a majority of 230 votes, and an
other expense of $4,000.
Now, for the third time, these
"wise" men of Lewiston have de-
cided to invest another $4,000 of
the peoples hard tax money in an
other local option election, for the
sole purpose of giving Lewiston the
licensed saloon; but they cannot
and will not win. They might
misrepresent and hoodwink some
people into signing their petition
for election, but if they only knew
it, they will find that such misrepre-
sentation only strengthens the cause
OF justice, and defeats their own
purpose. They contend that none
of the promises of a dry county
have been realized. They claim
there has been no improvements in
business conditions, that Prohibition
has not prohibited, and they, more
than any other class of people,
know why. They claim there has
been no improvement in morals
accredited to the reform.
All this sounds like the wailings
of fretful child. 1t is simply
insipid. The following, from the
Orofino Tribune of December IL,
1913, and reproduced in the Lew
iston Tribune, will, we think, BAN
ish the brainless contentious about
the business conditions in Lewiston.
The article, in part, says: Con-
sidering the fact that the city of
Lewiston has, since the dropping of
the apple blossoms this spring,
brought to successful elimination
such gigantic enterprises as the star
!. ting of the construction of the john
son railroad, the building of the
Clearwater bridge, bringing the
city in close touch with the Genesee
and Moscow sections, and with the
cooperation of her sister city of
Charleston, opened the Snake River
bridge to free traffic, thereby
!. insuring the construction of the
STANDARDIZATION -Walla Walla state
macadamized highway, started the
operating of a street car system,
constructed miles of concrete work,
S are now busily engaged in grading
t down the streets leading to the res
Y idential section on the bench and
steadily carrying forward many of
her lines of improvements, all Of
0 which have taken of the time and
: more or less of the means of the
n business interests of Lewiston, it is
1 a wonder how the business men of
the city found the time to devote to
: the more than successful livestock
'show.
:, Lewiston, from the viewpoint of a
visitor, has apparently awakened
from her Rip Van Wrinkle sleep and
: is taking to the airs and dignity of a
city. The railway companies en-
tering the city are realizing the
= necessity of expansion, and the
Northern Pacific has already COM
d menced the disbursement of many
thousands of dollars on new yards
and buildings, while the o. R. & N.
e are seeking bridge site across the
y Snake for the purpose of connect
o ing with their Huntington road
which they announce will be extend
ed from Homestead to Lewiston,
next year.
Why Lewiston still prefers the
al licensed saloon to such substantial
al improvements and achievements as
i'll noted above, and others that might
re be enumerated, we are at loss tG
ic comprehend. Lewiston might want
m the licensed saloon, but she will moi