The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1911-02-23

bOlSe, 1uduO, CeUTudTy 10, 1911.
In a special message made to the leg
islature this afternoon Governor J. H.
Hawley called attention to matters of
legislation upon which he denies it
importa that action be taken during
the present session. The creation of
a revenue law commission, consti
er Inning the bonded Indebtedness
of the state, provision for giving
silver service to the battleshp Idaho,
and a change in the time fol, hold
ing the legislative session are the
subjects treated upon by the govern
OR in his message, which is as fol-
lows:
"To the senate and house of rep
lesentatives:
"There are several matters of par
ticular Importance, in my estimation,
to the people of this state, and to
which deem it my duty to direct
your attention, and to ask you to con-
slider, although it is somewhat late
in the session and your time is great
ly occupied with other matters.
'In my message delivered to- you
on January 3, 1911, called your par
ticular attention to the financial con-
dition of the state and think it my
duty to further communicate with
you upon this important subject.
That our revenue laws need revision
cannot hardly be questioned. l sug-
gested to you i'm the message men,
toned the advisability Of authoriz-
ing the appointment of revenue law
commission and again call your at
tention to the matter if you have not
already come to am unfavorable con-
clusion uponsth subject.
Undoubtedly the assessment roll o
the state will be greatly increased
in the near future. Under a proper
system of assessment the taxable
property within the state would "a
mount to at least $5O0,OOO,OO0 more.
Our constitution, section 1, article g.,
limits the bonding power of the state
to one and one half per cent Of
the assessed valuation. If our asses
ments were made in compliance with
the law, a bonded Indebtedness
Aould be incurred by the state, ex-
Guiding the territorial indebtedness,
and capital building funds, of $780,
900. Future legislatures may be urg-
ed to increase our bonded Indebted
mess to the full amount. This would
make the situation almost unbeara-
BILE. Until our revenues ARE mcreas'
ed from other sources practically all
of the expenses of the state Will
come direct from taxation and the
question of interest upon our bonded
debt will cut an important figure
The bonded Indebtedness at the com
mencement of this year, according &c
the books of the state auditor is now
s1,246, 500. Our total assessment rol
for 1910 was 1927, 156, O75.46. We
could thus increase our bonded 1ndeb
edness in the sum of $660,S41.13. Bill
have already been passed by the leg
islature at this session, and placed
in nv hands for approval, increasing
this bonded Indebtedness to the ex
tent of $4,000.
For necessary betterments of va
rious state institutions, considera
bic amount of money must be hat
that will necessarily bet raised b!
new bond issues. To bond the state
to the constitutional limit would b.
unwise and detrimental n many way:
In the future, as at the present ant
in the past, we must expect at eacl
session of the legislature, demands
for internal improvements and TO
new state institutions limited onl,
by the amount that cam be appropria
ted. Experience has shown that tn
extreme limit will always be closet
approached by each recurring legis
lsture. We will then either have t
- continue violating the law in regar
to assessment of property at its ful
value and work a. hardship on tn
state by showing a small assessmen
roll and heavy tax rate, or soon b.
come saddled with such an enormou
state debt, that its future paymen
cannot be provided for. Our objet
and purpose should be to arrange OF
state Indebtedness as to provide 1o
its future extinction. In view of TIL
keeping in mind the future welfare
the state, would renew the sugge'
tom in my former message that tn
constitution should be so amende
as to absolutely limit the bonded III
debtedness of the state, outside
the capitol building bonds and teri
torial Indebtedness to $2,OOO,OOO, an
providing further in such amendmel
that at some given time; say III