Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1910-03-24

we find that the ''reformers" have
forced so much litigation upon our peo-
pie that the court to maintain its ex-
penses requires the vast sum of
$24, $40 In other words the taxpayers
pay SIC, $50 in the name of reform. Z"
Is it worth it to you?
In the engineers Office for the state
under Governor Elrod during the year
1905 the state got along with the mod
est sum Of $4 800, and no one heard any
complaints during Crawford's campaign
thatvthe engineers office was not prop
erly managed. Yet in 1909 we find
that the appropriation has been in
creased to $16, 900. Just little more
reform" to the amount of 81 800. Of
course, some "reformers' were taken
care oflwith appointments. Do you
think you. have got your moneys worth
here, Mr.. Taxpayer?
Welhad the same state house during
Elrod's administration which we have
now, bullet us see the difference in the
cost of maintenance since the state be-
ganl"reform. Under Elrod we paid
the!maintenance of the state house in
1905, $50, $50 In 1909 that amount was
tilted toT$l7, 000-a modest increase of
Sc, $50. We are all called upon to pay
our share.of this reform" luxury.
The board of railway commissioners got
along very nicely and conducted their
office.so that no platform oratory was
expended upon them by Mr.. Crawford
in 1905.with $4,000. But in this year
of 1910 when we have nothing to show
in the way of reduced freight or pass
enger rates, but in this part of the
state have a material increase in the
express rates, .and we find this same
board has cost SAG, OOO Is our state in
creasing inIimportance to such an ex-
tent as to justify this increase-or is it
merely reform" graft? Did we get
value.received for our money, or have
weInot been" gold bricked"?
InI1905, when the state was in the
hands of Governor Elrod and his CO.
workers, the state got along with the
sumo. $43, 9O7 for printing, publishing
and. binding. In the year 1909, when
we hadithe reform" printing estab-
lishments.to take care of and had to
pay forIthe luxury of getting away from
graft" we find that under Mr.. Vessey
the people are compelled to go down in
their jeans and dig up $71,7O5. That
does not sound much like retrenchment
does it?
Thenzthat great body of solons which
met in Pierre last winter and who
passed bunch of laws nearly all of
which that have been tried in the Sup
RENE or United States courts during
the past year have been declared I'M
constitutional, came in for an increased
appropriation. In 1905 we find that the
taxpayers were required to liquidate
theysum of $65, 225, but the body which
met last--winter was compelled to APP
propriate.$7 ,O23. Of course they tilted
the.price of getting out the permanent
journals to 81, $50, and then did not get
them printed until over year after
the legislature adjourned. More "re-
form" How do you like it, Mr.. Tax
Payer?
The--above list does not include the
game warden for the state and dep
uty in each county, the hotel inspector,
the bee inspectors and other little
offices too numerous to mention which
have been created to take care of dis
appointed 'reformers" who have an
itching for hold on the public teat and
who are paid out of special collections
levied upon the taxpayers in other forms
than direct taxation.
j 1t may be that Governor Vessey can