The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-09-29

| SleQ and lOSt IN the hosts who grate-
fully yield allegiance to our common
| country.
| Welcome Capital.
| We welcome investment of capital
in all of the great resources beuueath-
ed to this commonwealth by a gener-
Gus providence. We also welcome to
our midst that kind of capital not
represented by the current coin of the
realm or stocks and bonds, but by
that kind of character courage
strength of mind and body industry
and frugality, which have already
| contributed so much to the welfare of
this state, ana which must exist and
enlarge if the state continues it's
mighty strides in progress and de-
lvelopment.
Is it not meet and proper, then, in
| this meeting of those whose brain
and muscle have contributed to the
burdens of the state, municipal ana
county governments, to render
partial account, at least, of the stew
ardship entrusted to me by the peo-
pie, and to ask your attention in the
consideration Of a few needed changes
of our laws resulting from the ex-
perience and. observation which
have enjoyed as your chief executive
for the past eight months?
AS the needs and conditions of the
| city of Walla Walla are now greatly
in excess of those required when your
city was a village, so the present needs
and conditions of the state of WASH
| ington are vastly greater than those
| warranted in the earlier days. Our
| intense development has created
necessity for new agencies of gov
ernment new boards, new commits
sions, new officers for the transac-
ton of the public business. The peo-
pies representatives in the last legis-
lature met these demands by the pas
| sage Of laws creating a railway COM
mission, tax commission, highway
| commissioners, public printer, state
oil inspector and fire wardens. That
body at the same time recognized the
necessity of additions and improve
ments to the penal and charitable in
stitutions of the state, and a new hos
pital for old veterans at the soldiers
| home. Maintenance of the new de-
partments and of those already in eX
istence requires further demands up
on the taxpayers in conducting the
agencies of state government. Not
withstanding these additional facil-
tiles, all of which, in my judgment,
were eminently justifiable and neces-
sary, we are enabled to enjoy the
benefits resulting therefrom without
increasing the current tax rate of a
!year ago, the additional amount re-
quired being supplemented by increas-
ed valuations of taxable property and
the additional property placed upon
the tax roll by the officials who have
returned and equalized the taxatVe
property of the state. A large por-
ton of the money so contributed is
used and applied in the maintenance
of our public school system and
higher educational institutions. We
will raise by taxation s145,00O more
for our public schools this year than
last My experience has been that
very few men complain about taxes
they pay for the maintenance of the
public schools. Education is the solid
rock that supports our country and
promotes our civilization. You may
look in any county in the state and
you will find people who have come
from foreign countries, without edu-
1 dtlO1 anu WllnOul ulednS, WHOSe
children are being educated in our
lpublic schools and universities to
the end that they may become useful
and law abiding citizens of the best
and greatest country in the world.
I No Apologies Necessary.
I assume, however, that no apology
or explanation need be offered for
levies that have been made to pro-
mote the education of the school
children of the state. You contribute
willingly and uncomplainingly to
maintain the public schools. You have
a right to complain if the scholar
fails to get the highest benefit from
the moneys raised by public taxa
ton and from the funds derived from
the investment of the permanent
school funds.
The great heritage of the people
of this state derived from land grants
for educational purposes, if properly
invested and safeguarded, when sup
plemented by taxation, will permit
this commonwealth to maintain it's
educational system in a hign degree
of efficiency. And might say in pass
ing that, if the state of Washington,
through it's land commissioner, is
permitted to select from the govern
ment domain lands now unoccupied
and unsettled, in less than 25 years a
sufficient permanent irrejucible fund
will be created that will produce in
terest and earnings sufficient to carry
on the schools of the state without
any direct taxation whatsoever Any
effort on the part of the land commits
sioner or any other representative of
the state to secure any portion of the
public domain for this purpose ought
to receive the united support of the
people. In other words, the generos-
lty of the United States government