The Political Price of a County Seat

The county seat question is agitating the minds of the people somewhat, and as things now look, a change in the location of the county seat is certain to be made from Steilacoom to New Tacoma. At first the majority of the farmers did not regard the proposal with much favor, but since the Tacoma people have offered such liberal inducements in that direction, many have changed their minds and come to the conclusion it will be best for the county to accept their offer by making the change immediately. Everybody sees the necessity for making the change before many years, but many doubted the policy of making the change at the present time, as the money necessary to erect county buildings is needed for other purposes, such as building roads, bridges, etc. Many even yet think these improvements should be made before others are contemplated. In truth, the change in public sentiment is owing largely to the consideration that the offer of the free use of buildings for county purposes, including the city jail for two years, will obviate the necessity of the immediate erection of buildings by the county. Whether this is the view the county commissioners will take is doubtful, as such boards are not in the habit of studying the wants and wishes of the farmers very closely; yet, the boom for a change is mainly based on that supposition. The Tacoma Land Company has promised to donate the county several lots of land on which to erect buildings, and this will greatly influence public action, as it is confidently asserted by the interested ones that the said property is even now more valuable than the whole of the county's property at Steilacoom, buildings included—but of course this must be taken with a grain of salt.