The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1914-10-09

reader will note that it seems ia he
practically universal that the taxes
% small and unpopulous counties are
rar less on the thousand dollars than
tney are In the larger and more
populous counties.
On page 20 of the report Of the
Idaho Tax Commission it shows the
warrant expenditures in the several
counties 10 the state OF Idaho during
the year ending the second Monday
10 April, 1918. During that year the
reports show that it cost to run the
large county of Kootenai, $l04, 964..
52. During the same period OF time
II took but $26. 1882 to run the
county of Adams; $23.275.39 to run
the county of Bear Lake; $25, SS5. .83
10 run the county of Custer; $50, 0,555,.
94 to maintain the county of Lewis.
Thus the argument that by creating
a new county you have additional
expenses has no merit for the report
OF the Idaho Tax Commission shows
conclusively that three counties the
size of Adams or Lewis could be
maintained for what 1T cost TO run
the county of KOotenai, and that
with profit to each county.
Again on page of the report of
the Idaho Tax Commission it shows
that the Indebtedness OF Kootenai
county is 1924, 664 38. 1t is safe to
assume that the average citizen does
not know what this Indebtedness is
for. The small county of Adams has
an Indebtedness of $3,2l365: the
small county of Lewis has an in
debtedness of $l3,S S72 l6; Washington
county a total Indebtedness OF $780,
05. We do not wish TO tire with
extensive statistics, as they are ever
tiresome, but we do maintain that
the report of the Idaho Tax Com
mission furnishes an irrefutable
argument for small counties, and for
smaller divisions of county govern.
ment 1t shows that the bonded
Indebtedness Is less, the expense Of
running the county is less, and the
amount of taxes that each individual
tax payer is required to pay is less.
AS far as the tax question is
concerned the question Of county
division is as vital to the people Of
the north part Of the county of Koot-
enai as it is in the south. If small
counties mean less taxes, and they
do, then it is as important to the
north end of Kootenai county to work
for county division as it is for the
people of the south end of the county.
III. Smaller Counties Mean Better
Government.
We live under representative form
of government. Our people rule
themselves and make their own laws
through representatives duly elected
by them. That government is the
best government that is brought
home to the people, that is brought
close to the people 10 way that they
can understand it. So long as gov
ernment is regarded as vague and
distant something that some how or
another will take care Of itself, we
will have poor government, but when
It is brought close TO the people and
everyone is made to feel that he mas
direct interest 10 the government, we
will have good government.
Ina large county the people vote
for candidates whom they 90 not
know. What they are doing they 90
not know, and make no efforts 70
follow. In small county it is posi-
ble for the whole people to kno"
avery officer and to have a direct
interest 10 how an Office is being run.
Tt is possible for them then to know
what a TAX levy is for and ho" the
money raised under it is to be used.
The old town meetings in which al
of the people met together and con-
sidered questions 10 government mas
been a great bulwark under our con-
stitution. In small counties the
people feel the same as they DO In a
city or village that they are directly
interested In the government or 1t.
Hinder our present conditions in
Kooteoai county, bandit might hold
nm an individual, his store. or his
hank and he well knows that the
sheriff who executes the law, Is 70
miles away and that while the sheriff
is coming Is miles, he can be going
away at least Is miles. 10 kootenal