Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1897-01-15

superintendent Of public instruction,
which j herewith transmit to yau, some
amendments are needed to our school
| laws The moneys arising from the IN
| terest on school funds loaned on improV-
| ed farm property, we have not, In
great many instances. been able 10 COL
| lect, and It is to be feared that losses
will occur. A great many men who Dor
| row money on their farm lands are but
poor managers, and in many cases are
compelled to borrow for the reason that
they cannot keep up their running ex-
| penses and II they cannot do that In the
first place, they find 1t no easier to pay
| in addition thereto the interest on the
| loan. No appropriation has hitherto
| been made for the purpose of enforcing
| these collections. This matter should not
be overlooked.
State Wagon Road.
The second session Of the Idaho legis-
lature authorized the construction of
| series Of so-called state wagon roads. The
| several divisions have all been built ex-
| cept the one in Kootenai and Shoshone
counties. This division. together with
some of the others, should never have
been authorized, as 1t Is doubtful whether,
II completed by the state. the counties
| would maintain them. The contractors.
however. failed to complete this division
and a portion of the money which was
appropriated therefor lies idle In the
treasury, and in my Judgment should be
diverted to build the lower Salmon river
division, SO that those who desire to
travel from the northern to the southern
part Of the state or vice versa, with
teams, could do so without going over
the mountains via Warrens and Florence.
Militia.
Relating to this very important organic
alton, / reiterate to you my language to
the third session:
when l assumed the duties Of gov
ernor and commander in chief Of the Ida
no National Guard, found the organiza-
ton badly demoralzed. More men had
been enlisted and companies mustered in
to service than the state was prepared to
properly equip. The entire force as shown
by the adjutant's report, consisted of IL
| companies, numbering $50 men, including
officers. Several of the companies had
been called into active service the sum-
mer previous to assist in suppressing a
riot in Shoshone county. This necessity
demonstrated the ineff1ciency of the equip
ments Of the troops and should have i'm
their needs In case they again be called
into the field. That no appropriation was
made for this purpose was due to a false
idea of political loyalty. Although the
last legislature made no appropriation to
| support military organization, l have
managed by strenuous efforts-largely
through the patriotism Of the members
and officers Of the guard-to hold seven
companies together and add to our sup
ply of military equipage the regular ap-
preparations of the general government.
| submit to you the report of Colonel Cap
well: also letter from Mr.. w. G. Bar
ney of Boise county, whose opinion on the
subject 1 heartily indorse. If we intend
to secure immigration and the invest
ment of capital, we must demonstrate to
the world that we need not only enact
laws for the protection Of capital and la
bor but we must enforce them also. II
needs be, at the point of the bayonet. Do
not let it be said again that we are I'M
able to prevent or punish red-handed
murder, but must plead the baby act
and call on the president for troops to
save the lives and property of our citi-
zens. The people who inhabit our state
live among its grand old mountains or in
its beautiful valleys. are a hardy race
imbued with the spirit of liberty and JUS
tice, love for their country and its flag,
and woe be to any set of men who come
among us to trample on our laws 1t Is
your duty to supply the means Of organic
alton; your constituents will do the rest"
No provision, however. was made for
the continuance Of the guard. l was con-
fronted, as before, with the necessity of
losing the appropriation Of the general
government, which has amounted in the
| Ia ar uO 70 In,
tary stores. or issue deficiency warrants
to meet the office expenses. 1 chose the
latter course under which the state Is
gamer the difference between that ex-
pense and the appropriation, or approx
mately $2375.66. The adjutant general 8
report will be submitted to you.
Our national guard Is now fairly well
equipped, and with the appropriation
which the state will receive during the
next two years, II an organization is
maintained, we will have an ample supply
of camp equipage. arms, clothing and am
munition to be able to suppress any dis
| turbances which may arise within our
| borders.
The second session of the Idaho legisla-
ture was called upon to meet by appro-
priation the expenditure OF the riots of
| 1892 In the Occur d'Alenes, amounting to
SAA'vV' Inns oiu hol iHciuoe tne ueStruc-
| ton OF property, nor did 1t restore the
lives we lost on that occasion, but 1t far
exceeded IN amount the money which has
been expended to maintain the state mill
tia during the last four years, and In that
| time we have been able to prevent similar
occurrences. although they have been
| threatened.
The state should be in a position to
| protect both labor and capital, and es-
pecially should be In a position to make
| example of demagogues who labor only
with their tongues In creating disturb
ances.
|