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The Hood River Glacier, Hood River, OR., January 25, 1906, page 1

PEOPLE WANT COUNTY DIVIDED
United Movement To That End
Increase in Population and Great Industrial Call for County Seat Nearer Its Heart

At a meeting held in this city last Saturday afternoon an informal organization was effected for furthering a cause which is fraught with greater benefits for the residence and taxpayers of Hood River valley and the western end of Wasco county than any other movement that has ever been projected. We say any movement that has ever been projected, but we slightly err in the statement, as it was projected once before and failed.
The moment in question is not a secret, for we think that it is by this time in the mind and on the tongue of almost every man in Hood River valley, and is in short the division of Wasco county, with the dividing line between Mosier and The Dalles. This is not a new question, as has been stated, but to reiterate it, is one in which every man who has the best interests of the section named at heart is vitally interested.
The meeting was representative and from those who were present information and encouragement was given that pointed to the fact that the project is being received with not only encouragement, but enthusiasm, irrespective of political affiliations, which is just what the legion of friends of the division of the county want, and also just what will bring it to a successful issue.
While the meeting was instigated and took place in this city, it is the intention to consult with and ask the support of all the outlying townships which will become a part of the new county if established and to which the benefits cannot help but be equally as great as to Hood River valley.
In the coming campaign there will be the usual political affiliations and the equally usual political ties which few want to and many cannot break.
The friends of county division are not asking any political sacrifices, but they do ask that everyone support the movement. They asked it because they think it is their right to promote what seems to be the majority, and is undoubtedly so, the best interests of the citizens who would comprise what would be known as Cascade county.
The rapidly increasing population, the great increase in valuation of property, immense development in business resources and an industrial growth that has no equal in any other section of this state outside of Portland, all call for the location of a county seat nearer to the heart of its activity.
"Time is money," so it is said, and to have a county seat located at Hood River would be the saving of much time to the busy citizens of the county contiguous to it, who are forced to make long journeys over country roads with a railroad ride of some length at the end of it. It would mean not only a saving of time to residents in Hood River valley, but a saving of both time and mileage to the residents of the west end of the present county and a greater convenience and benefit to all concerned.
The time was ripe for county division some time ago, but it has become now almost an absolute necessity and the unanimous call from all parts of the section interested has caused the Glacier to become its champion.
At the last session of the legislature the wishes of the citizens of this end of the county, while they failed of attainment, were so nearly successful that it is thought that by putting that the matter in its true light before the members of that body again and showing it that the desire is unanimous for county division, that every member who believes in the right of the majority to rule will feel compelled to support the measure.
The time is fast approaching when the voters will be called on to present the names of the men they feel are best qualified to represent the will of the majority in public offices. The direct primary law is in the nature of an experiment. Few seem to understand it and it would be well for everyone interested to look into the matter and make no mistakes. The success of the plan to create a new county must depend largely on a successful application of the new law and means a full and thorough registration. It also means going to the polls on election day with a solid front and the understanding that you are going to cast your vote on that date for the candidate who has pledged himself to use his utmost endeavors in securing a new county.
To this end and in order that an effective organization may be had we ask that the friends of the movement urge the voters to register early and thus get out the full strength of the vote. Various suggestions have been made as to formally opening the campaign so as to have all the districts completely in touch with each other, but it is the wish of the citizens of Hood River that the outlying towns select a delegation that can attend a meeting to be held in this city at some date to be named in the near future and that they communicate with either P.S. Davidson, chairman, or S.F. Fouts, secretary, of the Cascade County Association.