Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1910-12-08
hastings Says State Cannot
Complete Capitol.
IDAHO'S FINANCIAL PERIL
Financial Management Lacking
in Administration of Affairs.

The people having adopted the
amendment, bonds may be authorized
by the legislature in any amount con-
sidered necessary to complete the
capitol building, according to Tresaur-
er C. A. Hastings, who in an article
presented today for publication, sets
forth the financial peril with which he
believes Idaho is today confronted.
The treasurer deals at length upon the
appropriations which will be asked OF
the legislature, the amount of bonds
that can be issued for state institu-
tions, roads and bridges without ex-
ceeding the constitutional limit and
the duty incumbent upon every men,
Der Of the legislature to protect and
place the the finances of the state upon
a more sound basis. The article in
in full follows:
"The people at the last election,
having voted to give the legislature
the authority to issue bonds to COM
plete the capitol building is law Of
the land, (unless constitutional ques-
tions arise regarding the validity of
.ofthe passage of the bill.) Candidly,
think very few people really knew
what they were voting for and vast
majority thought it simply meant the
completion Of the building now in
process Of construction. 1t means
nothing Of the kind-it means, tear
down the present capitol building and
the old school building, finish the
present main building, add both wings
and bond for any amount the legisla-
ture may see fit, from one to twenty
million dollars (and by the way, when
the capitol is completed it will reach
very nearly to the end of the present
capitol on sixth street and to the end
OF the old Central school house on
Eighth street). Under the consti-
tuition of this state, the legislature
cannot create an Indebtedness exceed
ing one and one-half mills on the
dollar of the total valuation of the
state.
"lhe valuation of the state is (and
will use round numbers on these
statements) S127, ,056,0OO and the
limit of Indebtedness that we could
nave would be 81, ,905,S40. The
bonded Indebtedness of today is ST.
osl ,2oo. We have coming due in
l9ll, s99,500 of bonds and $780,
Voo due in 1913. We have two
mill tax of the levy of this year which
goes to the sinking fund and will
prlng IN S250,000 in January and
February, when the counties remit
70 the state their share of state taxes.
oat OF this fund we can redeem the
si99,oo0 bonds due in 1911 and 1913,
.nereby increasing our borrowing capa-
,,1y that amount, then by the first of
March we can bond for S7OS,OOO
ana be within the constitutional limit
VI Indebtedness, exclusive of the capi-
1ol building amendment. We have
spent on public buildings in four
W years approximately $1,O00,000 and
s'iil You will find when the leeisla-
eufe eonvenes officers and committees
nom y everywhere will be logrolling
m ,oi Their separate institutions or roads,
bridges, etc.
Lafah county will demand all she
can g get tor the university. Nez Perce
ief her normal, and a huge bridge,
qua ! well she will want everything;
l..,mheoih, AM. deaf, dumb and blind school:
tmoion' t..' the normal; Fremont, the
s s.a,illns school; Bingham, the insane
ae9. iuili' hammock, academy, and every
eoufty that does not have a state in
s,liutlon ~ will want financial assistance
VI roads and bridges. Idaho today
d;a, da,ii'alns 10 state institutions, Can
ai,' l do not believe that but very
lew p9 people in the state think that
t;a aa'io can afford to run four educa-
tba ai institutions and do Justice to
tbe4 taeai all. 1t is generally conceded
tb tpa' II Is only question Of time until
ba, state takes over the children's
l. e' mere IN Boise, and while it may
i i ! eliat they will not assume control
for 1oes o mean that they will be asked
~ al annual appropriation for MAIN
will le then, sooner or later, there
H. . home for the feeble minded.
e;a1 ~ aeaf' dumb and blind school Off
tha;. is say It should not be a branch of