The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1872-02-01
RETRENCEMENT.


| Unless Congress should make some change
in the time of holding general elections in this
Territory, on the first Monday in June next
the people will be called upon to elect full
set of officers from Delegate to Congress down
to Constables and Justices of the Peace. AS
aspirants for official particularly for
the various county offices-are beginning to
announce themselves, it is we'll that some ques-
tons affecting the material interests of the peo
pie should be discussed freely, fully and fairly,
prior to nominations being made by our party
conventions 1t has been too much the case.
heretofore, that official positions have been
sought and wrangled over under the belief
well founded, too,-that the successful candi-
date could realize from the office to which he
was elected a handsome competency during
his official term. The salaries and fees of
nearly all our county officers are almost as high
as they were eight years ago, during the flush
times of Boise Basin. Our population Is now
not one.fourth of what it was ut that time,
our mines not one-fitth as productive, and our
real estate has alarmingly decreased in value.
The income from the Chinese mining tax has
been cut off by special act of Congress, and
with heavy debt hanging over our county it
is about time some reformatory measures
were inaugurated, and 4 system of retrench-
ment aud strict economy introduced In the
management and conduct of county affairs.
Our taxes are now so high that an increase
will not be silently acquieSced in BY the people.
They have thus far borne the burdens OF taxa
ton without murmur, but the depreciation
in value of all property in our county admon-
ishes us that increased taxation will be any
thing but acceptable to the masses of our peo-
pie, irrespective of party. When measures
looking to reduction of fees and salaries have
been heretofore agitated the various county
officers have claimed, and somewhat justly,
too, that the emolumtEts of their respective
Offices should not be diminished during their
term No such objections can now be raised.
for candidates for the various Offices may rs
well understand now as at any other time. that
i reduction of all salaries aud fees will be de-
mandrd by the taxpayers nj tn" hands of the
next Legislature. We are not in favor of
economizng 10 such an extcnt as Ia become
in our allowances 10 public officials
for services rendered, but we believe that the
public interests demand that the extravagant
salaries and fees which have been heretofore
paid should be rradjusted in accordance with
the changed condition of the times. People
are not compelled to accept or retain office
aud if the salaries or fees are reduced 10 such
an extent as not to suit their IDEAS Of growing
fat in 4 short space OF time az the public crib,
they can resign and engage in some more prof.
table pursuit
Should the salaries and fees Of our county
officers remain unchanged. it is safe to say
that our county debt. which is already bur. |
den to our people will ncver be paid Self. |
interest, az we'll as the future welfare Of our |
county, requires that a reform movement |
should be inaugurated in favor Of retrench. |
nent and economy in our public expenditures; |
and the party, Democratic or Republican.
which rises 10 n full appreciation of the i'm.
portance of this movement will, in our humble |
opinion come out victorious in the Spring cam.
paign. Upon this issue we expect to find the
Democracy of Boise county, like their brethren |
elsewhere throughout the Union, foremost 10
their advocacy Of these needed reforms.
We agitate this matter thus early in view OF
the fact that persons who are, or may be, can
lidates for Office would. in the event of their
election, make serious complaint when their
salaries and fees are reduced, were nothing
said of the matter beforehand But we intend
hat they shall haze fair warning, that they
nay not plead ignorance Of what the people
demand. and what they will have right to
expect at the hands Of their representatives in
he next Legislature. We have considered
he matter carefully, and propose "to hcw to
he line, let the chips fall where they may"
-+~+-
RoBBEgY.-From letter received by Mr..
J. Wulf, of the firm of F. Miller &, Co. of