Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1897-03-18
BOISE CORRESPONDENTS.

Retrenchment in the conduct of the
states business closed last Monday a,
ii p. m. Economy and reform have
served the purpose for which they were
invoked last fall. They enabled demo
populists to get into Office and that IL
the only use there was for them
The cry now 1, "Let the dead pa 81
bury its dead; act, act in the living
present. ana metaphorically speaking,
the present officers, state, court and
precinct, mist make hay while the
sun shines.
During the last day of the fourth
session everything was in delightful
state Of confusion many beneficial
measures that were confidently expect.
ed to pass were side -tracked to give
room for pet schemes. Illustrative OF
this cite the till providing for the
clearing OF rivers for logging purposes;
the bill regulating the management OF
funds In the state treasury; the general
irrigation bill; the bill for n change in
the attachment laws Of the state; a bill
fully and clearly defining the property
rights of married women; a bill re-
gulating the sale OF timber on state
lands; bills regu lating the management
of the various state offices 80 as to
make officers account for all moneys
received and disbursed. and the bill
providing for the taxation of mines.
All OF these wore matters of prime i'm
portance and directly affected the
material prosperity of the entire state.
The people, when the result is fully
known, will I've disappointed. Not
only have the reforms that were con-
fidently anticipated failed Of realiza-
ton but appropriations for ordinary
expenses have increased and the rate
OF taxation for general current expenses
Is higher than ever before. A very
plausible argument il made by demo-
populists to show that Il reduction of
apprOpria tons has been accomplished
aud that retrenchment and reform
have triumphed, but the argument Is
misleading and Is not founded in fact
or truth.
COMPARE THE RE l. EXPENDITURES.
Let rs examine the figures and zee
how the last republican legislature
compares with the reform body, whose
labors are just ended, IN the matter of
expend'"g the peoples money.
The appropriations Of general funds
made by the third legislature were AZ
70 lows:
G-ner appr"pri",io" bil'....$ss6, Ala 81
Deficiency. :" %. 57,254 go
Legislative I" '',..... 10000 90
incidental app'n for legisl're $50 90
Insane asylum spec'l defi'cv 3,ISS 80
W. Is. Matthews relief ~ 1906 IS
J NJ. Wells i" $500 90
Deaf and Dumb and Blind 5000 90
Horticultural Inspector .. 400 %
Total $5Ol ,4S3 rs
10 this should be added the running
exnenses the sum of SIS ,OM derived
fr0.n the sale of Normal School bonds
-s'N SCI opuIt iOV maintenance, thereby
making the total appropriation of the
third legislature, $3.50, 4s3 -
Reiormers include IN the expendi.
lures authorized hv the third session
the full amount Of bonds issued for
Normal Schools and for the improve.
inent Of the Insane Asylum, amount
lug with the premium on the bonds to
= total Of $lOS. 894 81, but such CON-
putation is wrong and unjust since all
the proceeds Of those bonds except the
SIS 900 above mentioned went into the
of permanent buildings
and had nothing to do with common
running expenses of the state govern
ment
The Reform legislat ure made appro-
priatiOns ia folio =:
General appropriation bill $4lO,2t4 IA
taeneral deficiency ........... 27,7OO %
Legislative ...... $1,000 90
[.pUislntivp incidental 057 IN