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The Hood River Glacier, Hood River, OR., January 23, 1908, page 1

COUNTY DIVISION BY INITIATIVE TO BE VOTED AT JUNE ELECTION
Commercial Club Decides to circulate Petitions to Vote on County Division

     The county division matter has come up again come up, but in a new form. It will be taken up this time by the initiative, which is becoming a popular method of securing needed legislation in Oregon. A special meeting of the directors of the club was held last week and it was decided that this was the best method to pursue at this time, and although the time is very short to secure 9,000 names, which are necessary to put the matter before the people, yet it can be done. To this end an army of workers was sent out Monday morning, covering several parts of the state and the work of securing names is on the dead earnest.
     The increasing burden of county taxes without corresponding benefits in return is becoming a galling yoke to the people of Hood River valley, country and city.
     The figures received from the office of the county clerk show the total valuation of the county this year to be $8,220,070, a gain of $1,517,165 over last year, of which the gain in the proposed new county is $1,143,580, leaving but $373,583, for the balance of the county.
     At this rate of increase Hood River will be soon bearing the bulk of the burden of the county expenses. As long as we are to pay the bills we should have the say as to where the money is to be spent and it should be spent at home.
     It is said that sentiment is changing in The Dalles in favor of the pro-posed new county, as they realize that it must come sooner or later, and the feeling of animosity that is continually growing between the two places is not favorable to business relations between the two places. It causes a good deal of trouble at election time and this is worrying the politicians.
     In order to get the petition before the people of the state at the June election, there must be 9,000 names of voters secured and these must be tiled with the secretary of date by the last day of this mouth. The committee has organized the state into districts, each with a manager, who will secure workers in the several districts and report to Hood River every day. Not a minute is to be lost and every one in Hood River in favor at the movement should make individual effort to secure signers. Any one having friends in different parts of the state should secure a petition from B.F. Davidson and send to that friend to sign and have him get his friends to sign. Telephone Mr. Davidson and give him the name of your friend and he will send him a petition. The time is short, so do it now.
     The expense of getting this large number of names will be considerable and must be met by subscription. While many have volunteered their services, charging nothing for their time, yet traveling and hotel expenses must be met, and it will be also be necessary to hire workers in different places where they have no direct interest in the matter and must be paid for their work. It is expected, how-ever, that no difficulty will be had in getting this subscription, as the interest in the new county is general, almost unanimous in its favor in the city and valley and the Hood River spirit will be shown on this as well as other occasions.
     W.L. Clark and Chas. Hall have been appointed a finance committee to circulate the subscription list and when they see you respond as liberally as you can.
     The Commercial Club banquet will be given at the Odd Fellows hall Friday evening, January 31, at which time the project of securing enough names will have succeeded or failed, as that is the last day for filing the names with the secretary of state. There must be no failure and the success will be one of the features of the occasion. To make success a certainty; however, it must be a time when everybody works, including father.

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©  Jeffrey L. Elmer