The Western news., 1910-11-04

From The Daily Yellowstone Journal
1t is fact worthy OF notice and
consideration. that the people who are
most solicitous for the success OF the
constitutional amendment boosting the
state tax levy, are the people to be
Immediately benefited. That Of course
is not strange. 1t is human nature to
assist and further any scheme that
will benefit you at the expense OF your
neighbor, especially if it is kind that
can be labeled. pro bono publico."
But it is also human nature for the
neighbor to object, more or less. when
he gets to understand that the pub
lico" part of it is somewhat limited
and centered. The state officers who
think they should be allowed SIS day
for travelling expenses, and the facul
ties of the state educational institu-
tions who have perhaps pardonable
zeal for expansion, are conspicuously
insistent on the necessity of this in
creased state tax. These are the direct
beneficiaries and their interest in the
success of the measure is easily under
stood. AS for the educational institu-
tions, the cause of education is
worthy one and few will care to dis
pute the assertions that our state
schools and colleges have a constantly
increasing need for money for the le-
gitimate prosecution of their endeav-
ors, but while this will be tacitly ad-
mitted there are many who feel dis
posed to check the tendency to extra
gance in the conduct of these institu-
tions, and every person who has ar
rived at the voting age has learned
that a surplus begets extravaganza
while on the other hand, Strengthened
circumstances conduce to economy,
and the knowledge that there are
many things that we can really do
without for awhile. If we have the
money we will be induced to spend it,
If for no other reason than that "we
can afford it :" but if we are limited in
purse, having only enough to live on,
we seldom spend money for things that
we can do without. And what is true
in this line of thought of the schools
and colleges, is doubly true of the state
government. Given a surplus in the
state treasury and people will sit up
rid Of. And this is what is to be
feared. Reckless extravaganza, be-
cause of steadily increasing revenue
and a constantly full treasury, that
permits handsome appropriations and
allowances, and makes all who are
associated in the deals good friends
and good fellows" And extravaganza
is growing evil. The man who five
years ago felt that he could not afford
modest outfit of horse and buck
board, now has his automobile. So it
will be with our state administration
and our state Institutes if we sign up"
on this new subscription list; for it is
nothing less; the signers (voters)
thereby agreeing to pay yearly an as
their worldly effects to keep the ball
rolling in Helena and in the college
towns.
If there were no other way of getting
the money necessary to care for the
natural growth and the requisit effici-
ency of our colleges and universities,
the proposition to add this tax, say for
another year, would not be so objec-
tionable 1t is cutting the supply off
pretty short to dock it 100000 in one
year but better that than to unneces-
sarily increase it for an indefinate
term of years. The proposition is hog
gish on the face of it. The 2k mill