The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1916-11-02

but they have all worked in harmony to
the end that the taxpayers of this coun-
ty have been the benefciaries.
One of the most important offices in
the county is that of Prosecuting Attor-
ney. During the present term this of.
flee is being ably and efficiently filled by
Henry A. Grifiths. Mr.. Griffiths is a
lawyer Of experience and ability, having
been practising law for upwards Of
twenty-five years. He has been success
ful in securing the conviction Of many
criminals during his term Of office, and
has demonstrated his ability in the eff
cient, manner in which he has counseled
the other county officers and assisted
them in the savings which they have
! been able to make, In former years
the bills of the prosecuting attorney for
| livery hire have run into enormous fig
ures. Mr. Grihiths has made an enor-
nous saving in this connection bv using
the automobile at the sheriff's office for
his transportation, to a very large ex-
tent Mr. Griffiths is opposed by a
young man without experience as "
prosecutor, and the people Of Canyon
county are unwilling that its prosecuting
attorneys should gain their experience
at the expense of the county, Space
will not permit lengthy discussion OF
the important matters which have ably
received attention at the hands of Mr.
Griffiths, and we mention merely one
instance, which, if it were the only one,
would entitle him to the everlasting
graft ude Of the taxpayers Of this Goun
ty Four years ago the United STATES
government brought suit against Ell
more county in this state to restrain the
county officials from ta~ing the lands
under the irrigation projects until the
water rights had become fully paid for.
Either through lack of a strenuous op-
position by the county attorney of that
county, or the manner in which the case
was handled, the United States District
Court held that those lands were not
taxable. This had the demoralinng ef
feet of depriving the settlers under those
irrigation projects OF the right to tax
themselves to maiptain their schools
and roads, with the result that their
personal property had to be taxed to the
limit, and if they wished their schools
conducted it had to be done by private
subscription. The result was a very
backward condition prevailed in that
section OF the country. The 70 mer
county officials OF this county followed
the ruling Of the United States Supreme
Court with reference to the taxation OF
the lands in this county under the gov
eminent project, and had this condition
been permitted to prevail it would have
resulted in the lands under these sec.
tions becoming depopulated, because the
average American citizen of today viii
not live where he cannot have the ad
vantages of good schools and good roads
| Under the instruction of Mr. Grifiths
as prosecuting attorney, the lands under
the government irrigation project in
Canyon county, amounting to some $50,
| 900 acres. were assessed and placed on
the tax rolls Instead of assessing the
lands themselves, the equity" of the
settlers owning those lands was assessed
Mr.. Grifiths took the position tha
| those lands were patented, and the own
| ers had an equitable title which has q
value, and that that equity should be
taxed. The result was the United States
government brought a suit against the
officials Of Canyon county and cited
them into United States court to show
cause why the order made in the Elmore
county case should not be. complied with
| in this county Mr. Griffiths represent.
ed Canyon county in this suit, and the
result was the ruling IN the Elmore coun-
| ty case was reversed, and CANYON coun-
ty was enabled to collect approximately
100000 a year on the lands under the
government project for the next twenty
years, or a net sum approximating a
million and a half dollars during the
next twenty years, which results in a
reduction Of taxes over the rest of the
county for a like period, and at the
same time places the settlers on the
lands under these irrigation projects in
position to keep up their schools to
the average of efficiency, and their roads
will be maintained the same as in any
other part Of the county. In addition
to this there are number Of important
cases in which Canyon county is inter
ested, and with which Mr.. Grifitbs is
thoroughly familiar, which demand that
he shall be returned to Office in order
that these matters may be pushed to
final Judgment. lie has made good and
he devotes his entire time to the duties
.of the office.
The Office of Probate Judge has been
conducted without the appointment OF a
probation officer during the present term,
at 6 saving OF between two thousand
and four thousand dollars year. The
duties of this Office have been efficiently
handled by the combined efforts of tie
sheriff, probate iugde, prosecuting al
torney and the other county officers In
addition to that saving has been made
to the county in the Office of Probate
Judge Meek, Notwithstanding the in
crease in the number and amounts of
widows pensions which have been paid
during the present term.
In tI,n nffinn Of rcilnr.t,r trnnc,,r, I, ro..