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

annually and may be redeemed at any
time after December /. 1900. Provision
should be made for their retirement upon
maturity, or. in any event. a special levy
should be made to meet the interest
thereon, as the act was defective In that
particular.
In addition to the refunding bonds, the
state owes the bonds issued by authority
of the act of 1889. for the purpose of con-
structing a wagon road between Mt Ida
no and Little Salmon meadows, $50, 1000,
bearing Interest at the rate of per cent.
payable semi-annually.
We also owe $1350OO In bonds issued I'M
der the act of 1893 for the purpose of con-
structing a state wagon road. These
bonds bear per cent interest, payable
semi-annually. and may be paid at the
expiration Of 10 years.
The third session Of the Idaho legisla-
ture provided for the issuance of SIS. 900
for the Improvement of the Idaho asylum
for the insane without providing for
special levy to meet the interest, merely
stipulating that the interest would be paid
out Of any money In the treasury not
otherwise appropriated.
We also owe SIT. 900 of bonds Issued for
the benefit of the normal schools situated
In Lewiston and Albion.
This makes a total bonded indebtedness
Of $4,000. not a large sum, but yet. ow-
ing to the limited amount Of taxable prop
erty in the state ($2S, 1852, 1913 08), the tax
levy necessary to meet the interest there
on and provide a sinking fund, together
with the levy needed to run the state
government with its various departments
and institutions, swells the aggregate levy
to such an amount as should make you
increase in that direction.
Levy Over the Limit.
BY inquiry In the state auditors office
l have ascertained that the estimated levy
| to meet the general expense next year
will be 70 cents on each 800. Add to this
2 cents for the road bonds of 1889, cents
| for the road bonds of 1898, cents for the
normal school bonds ~ cents for the
refunding bonds, IN cents for the support
| of normal schools, ~ cents for support
| of university Sh cents for Improvement
| Of university, 51a cents for the improve
| ment Of asylum, cent for asylum bonds,
| AZ cents for redemption Of university
| warrants, and you will observe that this
runs the levy to $1.19, or 10 cents above
the constitutional limit of taxation.
| This should impress upon your minds
that 1t is easy to provide for the Issuance
of bonds and the establishment Of state
institutions, but when the time comes to
meet the payments 1t is quite different
matter.
No item Of expense incident to improve
ment of the capitol building and grounds
or Of the penitentiary has been consid-
cred In this estimate. The support Of the
soldiers home, the asylum and the peni-
Tertiary has been counted In the first
item of 70 cents.
| I believe that by persistent effort on
the part Of the state board sufficient tim
Der may be selected for the state during
the coming year to enable the state board
of land commissioners to effect sale
which will practically wipe out our bond
ed Indebtedness, and make the needed
improvements to the penitentiary and In
| sane asylum. But these improvements
must be made without regard to that sale,
| as the conditions In BON institutions re-
quire immediate enlargement.
| When we take into consideration the
| fact that we have been admitted ONLY
six years last July and that upon our be-
| coming a member of the slsterhood of
states We had practically all our state
| institutions to create, the people Of Idaho
have reason to congratulate themselves
| upon the success attained.
Ihere remains unpaid on state tnstitu-
| lions SIPS, 900. $4,000 being the bonds issued
for the construction Of normal schools,
| $4,000 being the bonds issued for the i'm
provement of the insane asylum. and
900 university warrants. The gain the
state has made. therefore. since its ad-
mission, Is as follows:
Capitol building and grounds w .s15O, 900
Penitentiary and grounds .......... 100 900
Soldiers home and grounds ........ 10000
Asylum buildings and other i'm
provements added since our ad-
mission ........ $3.50. .............. $4,000
State university and agricultural
farm lands ........ ...... ......... $50, 900
Normal schools ......... ........... 100, 600
Total ........ ......... .............. $500, 900
Less owed on the same .......... 125, 900