Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1912-10-10

Ae piatIorm convention
the sentiments of the party : used
and proper language lily dem.na, 'e''e
vigornus investigation of the :. :
these people With that plan. :" 4
platform l believe evesy ripht.m : on on
man IN the state Of Idaho agree. 4' !
respective of his political onir;os '' Y
while- our political opponents h.rs .ad
the injustice of these remarks i !. 'sa
as great an extent as have thu ~ .u'g
of our own party, they haven ~ 'sn
to exnnsss themselves thereon II -. y
platform This failure shonld o.. .asr
the votes of all who have, becom. ,s .-sa
lar with the methods Of these sns. a,,
AGENTS. and special prosee.tors '''a'
Taxation and Revenue
THAT radical changes were ,....
sary ms the conduct of resenue ma.
in thissstate was evident TO ali ~ -
given the subject thought. tn. -.
in the main were founded ON g..
principles, but the fragrant yiol,t;ss
OF these laws had resulted in a don.-
alizatien Of our entire revenue 49,.
and the equalization by tie state ho..,
had become q farce.
Believing as did, that tho Ia
should be enforced, not disrepardsd.
disappointed by the Legislature : rsfn'
sal to act on my suggestions for tho :.
pointment of revenue comm;,.;a,
whose duty it would be 10 prepara a.,
report proper system to the leo;.,.
ture, b thought it my duty and to n.
best interests of the state to insist mn,
the law being maintained. This I d;a
Not tangible objection was eva,
raised to the enforcement that appealed
to any man excepting the fact that III.
legislature as part of the very law that
made full cash value the only lawful
method Of assessing property, had uro,
vided for certain fixed levies that in
certain contingencies might work .
temporary hardship by compelling tho
collection of larger amount of take.
than heretofore had been paid into Ger.
tain funds. l insisted, and nv idea.
have since been fully confirmed and
are universally acquiesced in, that the
fixed levies, SO far as the state was con.
cerned, were merely directory and not
mandatory, and were within the dis.
erection of the board. That the only
fixed levy that was not within the dis
cretion of either the state or county
boards was that pertaining to the levy.
ing of the school rate tax. / had VEN
tured the opinion when this subject
was under discussion that even this rate
was within the power of the board to
regulate, but refused to positively af
firm this as doctrine. The supreme
court disagreed with this view by d.
vided court, although a majority of the
lawyers of the state have thought Judge
Ailshie in his dissenting opinion was
correct. But little damage was done
or could be done by reason of maintain
ing the rate provided for in the stat
utes. In a very few of the counties
of the state an excess school fund was
accumulated, but this was only for
year, the money was not wasted and no
particular hardship was worked and
this was the fault of the law and not Of
any individual law officer.
The Republican Platform
"The republican platform condemns
my course in insisting upon full cash
valuation before changes were made
in the fixed levies. The republican par
ty had been in exclusive control OF tine
state government for eight years De-
fore | took the governors seat, and
made no effort to change the laws IN
regard to fixed levies. | tried at inc
extraordinary session to have the law
changed in that regard, bat my sugges
ton was denied. What reason was
there for supposing such chanse
would be made until by enforcement =.
the law change was proved necessary
"But think of the absurdity OF 'ne
statement that an officer was Jus1liiea
in refusing to obey the law, II ne couu
be excused for refusal to enforce 'n'
revenue law, he would equally DC I''
titled in refusing to enforce tne io'''
option law or any other statute
1.-THE plank in the republican pa,
form referred to states the enforcein'''
of the law caused all the taxpayers "
pecially the farming class to pay ias'
increased and unnecessary taxes
man who wrote that portion OF inc p
form knew when he penned IL tha'
was writing a falsehood with ". -.
tention of deceiving the voters oi
state.
Tax Commission.
"The only sure method thar csD -.
devised in my judgment to iof'e -,