The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1906-08-09
RHrnaNcmMHNr And REFORM.

To an expert accountant the coun-
ty records are a most interesting sub
ject, especially In face OF the fact
that until recent years the republic
cans were giving long dissertations
In their platforms upon "retrencb.
ment and reform. In recent years.
however, this part of their platform
has been entirely ignored, possibly
for the reason that IL does not take a
very astute mathematician 10 discov.
er the entire inconaruity of such fall
acious claims. For tbs benefit Of the
readers OF The Recorder the writer
has been making some farther inves-
tigation OF the records In the county
clerks mice.
The ''retrencbments and reforms"
are not only on the wrong side OF the
ledger In county government but
true In state government, con pairing
1t with the previous democratic nd.
ninistrations. During Hunts ad-
miutstration the state assessment
was as low as forty-three cents, and
at no time has II exceeded the rate
that has been the rifle since the 70.
publicans have been In power. In a
few days we will be able TO give the
tate for 1906: and IL Is safe to say
that 10 will exceed the rate OF the
past bscal year, which was " cents.
We assume II Will exceed that
amount, for the reason that the ten
dency has been upward every year
since the democrats went out OF
power.
by referring TO the county records
OF 1897, or when the democrats irst
went Into power In this county, we
lind that there was a county warrant
Indebtedness OF $40, 424.t0, and the
rate was s5.26. but In 1905, under re-
publican rule, the rate was ~ high
as %. 1915. That Is the condition In
which the democratic county com.
mlssioners had to face. During the
time the democrats were In power
SIS, COO OF the warrant Indebtedness
was refunded aud bonds were issued
for the same.
hut during their tern OF Office IL
must not To forgotten that the rate
was cut down from 81. % TO as low as
o.. 90. and ut the time the republi.
cans went into power was only $500
on the hundred, and the warrant In
debtedness was but 81 ,23a. ~, and
this was done In face OF the fact that
the rate had been gradually reduced
each year. IL would hardly be- fair
TO ignore the $4,000 OF the refunded
warrant indebtedness, hut even then
the debt was reduced as well as the
rate.
As Il IL stated above the warrant
Indebtedness when the republicans
went into power was but sI.2a3. ~,
with the rate at $500, but under the
present republican rule the rate has
been gradually Increased from $500
TO -. 90, and II Is hard to see how
they can escape still raising the rate
forty cents more az the next meeting
Of the board, which will make II
a.0o on the hundred In the face Of
the increase in rate the warrant In
debtedness has heen gradually piling
up. At the present time the war
rant indebtedness Is s2i $40. 81, and
by the drst OF the year, OF when the
time OF the present board expires,
the Indebtedness will. IN all probab-
nifty, exceed 81. 900,
II "retrenchment and reform"
means an Increase OF nearly twenty.
i've per cent In the rate OF taxation
In four years, aud an Increase In the
floating warrant Indebtedness OF
nearly twenty-five thousand dollars
Ia the same length Of time, how long
would II take at this rate To wipe
out the debtY Possibly there are
mathematicians within the party In
power that can figure this out for Us
hlt We siucerely doubt H.