, 1890-09-02
ETTR4VAGANCE IN PUBLIC
nHATD

Laramie Boomerang.l


the past four or FIVE years and had held
carnival in almost every Office which the
people have entrusted in Republican
hands. In 1856 both branches of the
legislative assembly fell, for the first time,
into Republican hands. Democratic
economy before that time had so far pre-
vailed and so subserved the interests Of
the people and the taxpayers thkt a tax
of a single mill each year, upon a valuation
much less than it had then grown to be,
had met the expenses of the three pre-
ceding years and left in the hands of
Treasurer Gannett the handsome balance
Of $3l, 1885. The total expenditures Of
the preceding year had amounted to only
$35. l 90.
There was n o territorial debt.
But in 1886, with Governor Warren at
the helm and a Republican majority in
the legislature, the doors were unlocked
and the taxing and debt-making power
Turned over to a horde Of shameless plum
derers. Then it was that the governor got
the famous slice OF 50, 597. 25 TO furnish
his office. etc etc, etc, The celebrated
New Orleans exhibit. furnished in
part Mt the public expense and partly by
private contributions, was made the pre-
tex Of a 81, 500 donation to the Hon.
Homer Merrill. Peace to its ashes. Two
hundred dollars was paid to somebody to
go 10 Green River and bring down the
election returns Of the preceding year;
$Is.025 was paid for printing and proof
reading the revised statutes, which should
have cost less than one third of that sum.
The Office OF attorney general was created
to furnish the governor with a place for q
political adherent, and 50, 200 wa appro-
priated for his salary and expenses. This
useiul Official afterward prosecuted a suit
in favor of his master against the terri
tory which he was appointed and paid to
defend. Numerous other useless and
ridiculous appropriations ran the total up
to sl02, s97. %, as against $40, 00s, 05 for
the two preceding years. This is OK
elusive OF public buildings. which added
$230,OO0 more, making a total of 1892,
s97 90. srent by this legislature.
The tax rate leaped from one mill in
1885 to two and three tenths mills in
1886, three aud two-tenths mills in 1887,
and six and mne-tenths mills in 1888.
Nor was thus all, Starting with a sur
plus of s3l, l75.45 on Jan. 1. 1886, not
w~ithstanding the enormous tax which
was levied each year thereafter and the
enormous sums thus raised and spent,
there was spent the further sun of
$320, 900. for which the territory went in
debt.
We are not decrying all the uses to
which this money was put. The state
has some very creditable and useful pub
lic buildings to show for a part of this
expenditure. But many thousands of
dollars have been s~quAndered IN other
ways for which the territory received
very little or no benefit. Il was almost
provIdential that the erection of the pub
lie buildings was entrusted generally to
the hands Of good ard conscientious men.
That was n miracle which does not always
happen. And the fact still remains that
besides the. b~urdensome taxation a debt
of 1920, 900 was piled up. 1t would have
been more-no man knows how much
il had not passed a law restrict
ing the territory from mourning debts.
But this tax has been a great burden
laid upon top Of the other burdens borne
by u people. The people of this county
paid into the territorial treasury last year
the sum of $25, 969. SO, being nearly twice
the amount paid for the support of schools
iu this county. Had it not been for the
action Of the Democrats. council in refus-
ing appropriations and the positive man
dates of the state constitution, we should
have paid as much or more this year. AS
it is we will pay nearly $50, 900.
Patriotic citizens do not complain OF
taxes which are levied for necessary pur-
poses. But the public funds are often so
easily diverted from their proper uses and
public officers so frequently bestow the
public bounty with SO reckless a hand that
the people must be jealous of their rights.
II eternal vigilance is the price of liberty,
SO constant and critical attention TO tho
management of the public finances is the
safeguard of the peoples savings.
The Democratic party and ticket, state
as well as county. stand pledged to the
s~trictest economy and the least taxation
which will serve the public necessities.
Its record everywhere inspires confidence
in its pledges. And it has declared un-
ending war upon unfaithfulness to the
public interest aad extravaganza in the
public expenses. In city, county and
state it will see that the public faith is
kept; public debts paid, public credit
maintained; and that the peoples busi-
ness is transacted with the same scrupu-
lous care which successful business men
exercise in their own affairs.
We stand upon the threshold oil a
career which may be made or marred by
the events of the next few months or
years. Statehood, with its high privi-
leges, its higher duties, its infinite posi-
bilities of success or failure. is yet our
new possession. We ask the people to
pause and deliberate before they cast
their ballots in our first and most mo-
mentous election. We urge them to take
the records and the platforms of the W
n-r.;ea oYauino ;nto tho 6tnasS md