The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1894-10-09

| bo oAC hASe'tC cASJ he'is ssuN fCAAS>~
tiary, pay salaries and expenses
of the State officers, and gener-
ally to provide for the running
of the State government for two
years. This bill provided for
the issue of the above amount in
bonds, bearing 5 per cent. inter
est and to run twenty years.
Mark you, this amount was pro-
vided for, to be expended within
that period. This bill was rush
ed through the House, the Popu-
lists and Democrats opposing it,
and transmitted to the Senate
three days after it had been in
troduced in the House, exhibit
ing desire for speedy legisla-
lation on the subject of borrow
ing money, strongly in contrast
with the desire to reduce taxes,
for that bill, House Bill No. 36),
still slumbered in committee.
When the bill to bond the State
went to the Senate, it was re-
ferred to the Committee on APP
preparations. composed of two
Democrats, two Republicans and
one one Populist. A majority
of the committee recommended
the indefinite postponement of
the bill, upon the ground that it
was not the part of wisdom to
increase the burdens of the tax
payer by borrowing money upon
which they would be compelled
to pay interest equal in amount
to the principal sum named in
the bill, and decided that it
would be wiser and more in ac-
cordance with good management
to reduce the expenses of the
State government to the lowest
possible limit, without crippling
it, let the tax remain the same,
and keep from going in debt. II
can be easily shown by the figur-
es that a tax of IS cents on each
one hundred dollars on the
assessed valuation of the State
for the year 1898, which was a
trifie over 1913, OOO,O 900 land it is
considerable less in 1894 would
be insufficient to run State gov
eminent, Notwithstanding the
Democrats and Populists on the
committee on the appropriation
in the Senate, reduced the APP
preparations provided for in the
General Appropriation Bill from
f $426, 900. 10 to 1856, 1870, a saw
ing to the tax payers of $61, 1853.
40 in two years.
From the foregoing facts
which appear of record, it i
plainly to be seen that the inten
q ton of the Republicans was no
to lift the burdens of the tax pay
3 ers, but to pull the wool owe
their eyes by seeming to lesser
/. their burdens, while in fact in
4 creasing them and piling up
q debt of $240, 900, to be paid b
q extraordinary taxation for twent
;, years succeeding. Should an
one doubt these statements, lie
him refer to House Bills Nos. 81
q 1852 and Substitute for Hous
" Bills 80, 113, 1876, and the histor
|, of each of these bills as set fort
:. in the journals of the House an
Senate of the last Legislature
y In the light of these revelation
= what must become of the Repul
:, lican pretensions of economy an
|. good will to the tax payer. A
4 ter the Senate Committee ON Al
O preparations had decided to r.
y port unfavorable on the bondin
" bill, the Republican House eau
q ed the bill reducing taxation
9 be reported, passed in the Hous
;. and sent to the Senate, we
q knowing that it was impracti
able to reduce taxes at that tim,
}. except by increasing the bonde
n debt of the State to a lare
q amount, as was proposed b
them.