Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1896-12-09
Gov. Leonard HAS a Say--Eieed
HIS Words Of Wisdom.
Boise. Dec. Z. 1896


ing under the heavy weight of taxa
ton, have been crying for reforms
in our State government. As long
as / am Governor of the Third
House l shall continue to point out
the evils that have afflicted us, and
the remedy-although / expect to
bring down the wrath of corpora
tons and office-holders upon my
head, and be treatened with annihi-
lation and the wrath to come"
But | shall do my duty if the heav-
ems fall.
], Article 5, Section 81 of the Con-
stitution of Idaho reads as follows:
THE legislature may, by law, di-
minish or increase the compensa-
ton of any or all of the fyllowing
officers: Governor, Lieutenant Gov
ernor, Secretary of State, State Au-
ditor, State Treasurer, Attorney
General, Superintendent of Public
instruction, Commissioner of Immi-
grafton and Labor, Justices of the
Supreme Court, and Judges of the
District Courts and District Attor-
neys-but no diminution or increase
shall effect the compensation of the
officer then in Office during his
term" etc.
Wyoming pays her Governor, an
nually, $4,000; Oregon, $500;
Utah, $4,000; Idaho, $1,000 per
annum and perquisites amounting
to over $4,000 more.
Utah has assessable property to
the amount of $2O8. 600, 900, Idaho,
500, 100000, yet we pay more for
salaries than any of the above states
and with less property to pay it
with.
The city of Portland has as much
population and assessable property
as all Idaho, yet Oregon pays her
Governor but $500 a year. The
present Legislature will inquire into
this thing, and ask "what for2"
"Sabby2"
The Supreme Judges and District
Judges get SO, 900 a year each. They
can be reduced to $4,000 and make
saving of $4,000 year from that
quarter, and go on down the line
from Governor down to sheriff and
constable of each county in the
State.
The railroads are discriminating
in favor of the rich and against the
poor. They will sell rich man
5000 mile ticket for $75, ard
poor man 100 miles for IS. The
rich man rides for "a cents per mile
and the poor man has to pay 5 cents
mile because he can't raise SIS.
They should be made to carry the
travelling public at 3 cents mile.
Wyoming assesses the sleeping car
company and derives a good in
come from that source. Idaho can
do the same thing.
The water question also requires
attention. Rates can and should
be fixed by law, SO that the farmer
may not be driven from his home
by excessive water rates after
spending years of toll to provide
himself and family with a comfort
able home. The water company can
now refuse to sell him water, and
his farm and labor come to naught,
thus forcing him to sell out for
what he can get, when eventually
the ditch company will own all the
land, then sell it at a high price and
then refuse water, and buy it in
again. So there is no end. This
matter must have due attention.
The soldiers home will come in
for large appropriation. | stand
ready to prove that one of its in
mates is building houses to rent in
Boise city, and has property to the
amount of several thousand dollars
yet he lives at the soldiers home
at the expense of the state. How
long will the taxpayers stand this
kind of work.
The State of Iowa confiscates the
pension money when an applicant
goes to live at her soldiers shome.
We can do the same thing. But it
would be better to knock the home
out altogether and turn it into a
state reform school.
The State normal schools will
come in for at least $4,000. Shall
we allow it, or not2 Shall we dis
continue them until we catch our
breath or pass law to make them
organize a football club, so they
can kill each other and thus end
the matter.
Stand up your Representatives on
these lines and ! will try and look
up some more bombshells to throw
into the camp of those leechers OF
the public funds. ]. G. LEONARD,
Dentist, Boise, Idaho.