The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-10-02
COMPARING ADMINISTRATORS


cheaper basis than duriI thai OF
Governor Crawford or the preceding
administrations. The democrats
have published a long string OF fig
.penditures. The following statement
is sen out from republican headqua.-
tiers at Sioux Falls, and the folio wing
completely refutes what the demo-
cgats + alleging:.
Democratic newspapers of the
state, as a result of a concerted
movement. are publishing the fol-
lowing Comparison of expendit-
ures:"
Under Governor Lee 1897
to S26,l74
Under Governor Lee, 1899
to 1901 ........... 917,3SO|
Under Governor Crawford
1907 to 1909. 900
The republicans reply to this, is
first, that it is impossible to tell until
another year has passed what the
exact cost of the Crawford admins
tration. The legislature authorized
more expenditures than will be made.
1t is the rule of the legislature to
overestimate, thai the administrative
officials may not be embarrassed.
Consequently it is a cetainty that
not all of the appropriations will be
used.
The single item of $780, 900 for
capitol building purposes is contin-
gent upon failure to realize enough
from the sale of capitol building
lands to finance the construction of
the new state building. Numerous
other appropriations will not be paid
out in full, so that it is claimed no
man can say now what will be the
cost of the Crawford administration
and that the democratic statement
is unfair because it charges the pre-
sent administration with the maxi
mum of appropriations as if they
We're fixed expenditures.
But, granting for the sake of ar
gument that the expenses OF the
Crawford administration will reach
the impossible figure of. $1,721, 900,
| the republicans ask wherein that
casts any credit on the Lee admins
Itrations.
1t has been just ten years since
Lee was first elected governor. In
that time the state has grown rapid
lly. No better measure of the pro-
gress of the state, it is claimed, can
be found than the assessed valuation
of taxable property.
show thai from 1898 to 1903 the
assessed valuation of all taxable
property in South Dakota increased
from s11S, ,5SO,49O to $3.50, PCS,
Tor 140 per cent.
From 1898 to 1908, even accept
ing the democratic ngures as to the
Crawford administration, the expen-
ditures increased from $4,000 to
|~$1,721,000 or only 81 per cent.
From this the republican cam
paign orators will argue that the
cost of governing the state has in
creased only a little more than half
as much as the state has grown.
When it is considered that the last
Legislature appropriated $295,OOO for
permanent improvements as state
institutions and that the above COM
parison accepts the impossible esti-
mate of the Crawford expenditures
made by the democrats, it is claimed
by the republicans that Crawford's
administration has made a far better
showing than did Lees.
Further, it will be pointed out in
the year 1898, the first of Lees adj
ministration, every taxpayer in the
state was asked to pay SO for each
$1,000 worth of property as state
taxes.
In the year 1908. the recent state
board of assessment decided each
taxpayer is asked to pay SO per
$1,000 of property in state taxes, or
exactly the same rate as fixed by
the first Lee administration. Thus,
it is argued that the property owner
of ten years ago paid exactly as
much in proportion to his property
as the property owner of this year.
Fol the four years of Lees admin
istration, 1S9S,1S99, 1900, and 1901.
the average state tax levy was 81
mills. For the two years of Craw-
ford's administration, the average.
levy has been 8 mills. Here is a
difference of exactly 80 cents per
each $1,000 worth of property be-
tween the yearly taxes under Lee and
those under Crawford. And it is
claimed by the republicans that if
the legislature had not made special
appropriations of nearly $500, 900 for
permanent improvements and order
ed a contingent fund of 5000, 900
AL sa-S