Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1890-09-26
A Word With Our Legislators


tics. but there are certain considerations
affecting the public welfare involved in
the election of legislative candidates
which can be discussed without tree
passing upon the domain of partisan
politics. We refer primarily to the sub
ject of state and county finance. Under
the constitution the county governments
are compelled to do business on a strict
ly cash basis. No more scrip can be s-
sued. The legislature viii therefore
find itself confronted with the delicate
and hazardous task of devising a plan
for raising revenue enough in advance
of the fiscal year to anticipate the ofdl-
nary, as Tell as the unexpected, ex-
penses ofthe counties. The constitution
says in effect, that the taxpayers of the
several counties shall pay to the county
treasury, in advance of its requirnhents,
not only enough money to meet its or
binary current expense account, but
that they shall,in addition thereto, keep
constantly ON hand in said treasury
surplus fund for the spot cash payment
OF unexpected. unforeseen and extraor-
binary contingencies, as for instance, n
wave Of criminal business before the
courts, or litigation in which the county
Is IA principal-as in the Warden suit
now pendng--the damages assessed
against the county, if any, would
have 10 be paid Immediately in
~ mr. &C I.a a.
a man or business honse in America
can afford TO do business on such a ba-
sis. And in county like this, where
there is chronic scarcity of the circu.
laiing medium, the system will entail
further disadvantages by Withdrawing
what little money there il from the
channels of trade and locking it up in
the treasury, where, by the way, it Is Il
constant temptation for the treasurer to
run off with it. when that same money
might as well be permitted to remain
and fructify where it belongs, in the
pockets of the people, until it was want
ed for governmental purposes, when it
could have been collected and disbursed
again Immediately. 1t is question that
will take nice judgment on the part of
our legislators.
And while We are at it we wish to re-
mind the legislators elect whether they
are democrats or republicans-that the
f. Z. proposes to hold them to the
strictest accountability for every vote
they may cast in the state legislature
where dollar of the state money is
appropriated for any purpose that Is not
demanded by the legitimate needs OIL
the state. Now that we are state, the
state treasury will be attacked by half a
hundred ihieving schemers and plum
derers. Already We are advised that a
raid is contemplated for the World'e
Fair in 1895. similar to that for the late
New Orleans exposition, in which Gov
Shonp, rs the Ihaho commissioner, sue
ceeded in securing appropriations from
the territorial treasury of twelve thou
sahd dollars, all of which was thrown
away. Another scheme Is projected to
secure an appropriation for the purpose
OF printing the proceedings and debates
of the statesmen who framed the state
constitution last summer This is a
steal, pure end simple, "a the enabling
act which admitted w into the Union
appropriated money for the payment oil
the expenses of the Constitutional con-
vention.
We want the delegation from Idaho
county to bear in mind the fact that we
have only 1000 people in the entire
state, and that many of iaem are very
poor. That our total taxable property
is not much over twenty millions of dol.
lars, and that with the added cost of a
state government thrown on our
shoulders, it behooves them to keen a
close grip on the purse strings of the
state, and not To sanction the appropri-
alton OF n dollar of the state money for
other than the necessary expenses al
The state government. Legislators are
none TO be liberal with other peoples
money. and are apt to he led astrav by
SOCIAL and other Influences at the Cam
tnl TO vote away the pubic money for
P"lI''StS anu sChtntS which benefit IN
dividnals Instead of the state A very
lerent legi- lalnre at Boise City nm.
propriated 5000 of the territorial money
10 buy picture to hang in the Capitol
nnilding. 1t was nice picture, painted
by nice young lady. She desired To
visit California aud so some of her
friends formed a lobby to sell the MR.
ture to the territory. and by social and
other pressure succeeded in making the
sale. The last We saw OF the picture il
was stored away in the attic of the
Capitol building Every session has
similar schemes, the one object being TO
yet money from the treasury
The state of Idaho il in no condition
TO stand jobbery Of this dpscription.
The legitimate expenGas OF the state
government will he heavy enough with
ont saddling additional taxation upon
The backs OF the people. To start in
with, th-fe are the expenses of a long
string of state. district and judicial OH
risls to pay, rs well as the entire ex-
penses OF the state legislature to he met.
u new insane asylum must be bniit to
replace the one destroyed bv fire a,
Blacktoot last winter The state mi
versity has to be provided for. a new
state prison must speedily he provided.
while annual appropriations will be re-
Qnlred for an indefinite period to put
,he finishing ~ touches to the Cani,ol
bniidIng Ia say nothing of the monav