Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1921-12-29
new STATEPLAN
GAINS SUPPORT
4. ]. HUMBIRD, PROMINENT LUM
BERMAN, FAYORS CREATION
OF A NEW STATE
URGE AGGRESSIVE CAMPAIGN
New State Committee Named BY SpO.
kane Chamber of Commerce.

The new state idea is gaining
strength and a number of the influ-
entail men of the Inland Empire have,
in the past few weeks, talked favor
ably of the plan. t. j. Humbird, the
president of the Humbird Lumber
Company, of Standpoint, one of the
directors of the Old National Bank, of
Spokane, and man whose influence
ie powerful in the Inland Empire,
stated at Standpoint last week that he
thought the new state plan reasonable
and that it should be brought about.
Mr.. HUNDREDS talk was given at a
meeting of the Standpoint chamber of
commerce. He said:
II have noted with interest the eff
fort being made to so draw state lines
to make north Idaho close to its capi-
tai. I can see some difficulty in the
accomplishment of this purpose but
this should not deter us. proper
agitation of the project would be edu-
cational in its nature and would bring
the realization to everyone that dis
tinct benefits could be secured by the
creation of a new state.
II have heard much comment upon
the subject and most of it has been
favorable. There are those, of course,
who make much of the difficulties but
no one to whom l have talked has
denied the logic of the plan proposed.
II the proper effort is put forth the
purpose should be accomplished
"A few days ago / was talking to
George Phillips, president of the Spo-
kane chamber. He asked me what I
thought of the plan and l told him |
thought well of it; that it was to the
interest of Spokane and all the inland
territory to have boundaries which
would centralize the area, binding it in
its common interests.
North and south Idaho have vastly
different interests. They have nothing
in common. This is also largely true
Of eastern and western Washington.
But new state can be achieved only
by agitation, education aggressive
ness on the part of those who most
want it brought about. For my part.
! think the plan is reasonable and
should be brought about"
The Spokane chamber Of commerce
is becoming interested in the new state
movement and President Phillips has
recently named the members of the
eastern Washington new state com
mittee as follows: Waldo G. PAYNE.
Terminal building; George w. Dodds.
managing editor of the Spokesman
Review; j. S. Ramage of the Hawkeye
Fuel company, Terminal building;
Frank M. Smith, director of the Bunk
or Hill & Sullivan smelter at Kellogg.
Paulsen building; and Louis S. Case
OF the Weyerhauser Sales company.
Old National Bank building: all of
Spokane, and all having extensive in
terests in north Idaho as we'll as east
orn Washington.
George r. Barker, editor of the Sand
point Pend d'Oreille Review, stated
that he had found the public, peneral
ly, in favor of the new state but that
n was whispered that some of the
big corporations were opposed to it
on the ground of inequality in tax
levies between Idaho and Washington
and the difficulties of adjusting these.
Mr.. Barker briefly analyed the situa-
ton in its political aspects, saying
that the plan should find more favor
in congress than most people believed
1t would because of the Texas admis-
sion agreement with the union where
by four new states can be created out
- ebht oSoIO anu Ci6nb
senators added to congress; to offset
which new northern states, normally
republican, would find favor with
republican congress, even against the
possible disfavor of eastern states
which might view with trepidation the
reinforcement of the western group
in the senate. He expressed the belief
that if the matter were properly put
before congress, a favorable action
would be secured.
He supported Mr. HUNDREDS state
ment as to north and south Idaho
differences by reviewing the recent
county commissioners convention
held at Standpoint, attended by but
three or four commissioners from
south of the Salmon river.
And yet" said Mr.. Barker, "south
Idaho expects us to make the long trip
TO Boise every time we want recogni-
ton from the state government. They
decline to make the long journey here
and it is unfair to expect us to make
the long trip there. I believe with
Mr.. Humbird that we can interest
others, push the ball along and get
somewhere"