The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1912-12-27
BUT LEGISLATORS WILL NOT.

The people of Idaho do not want
much new legislation this year, they
want relief from legislation and they
want remedial measures. But the
legislators will go to Boise intending
to fellow some such program and
will become embreiled in SO many
things they will not find any place
to draw the line. They will work on
until the last hour and then turn
the clock back,
What Pity they cannot meet and
get busy on the actual needs OF the
state, elect the United States senator's
in short sharp struggle when they
get to it, arrange to abolish lot of
deputies from departments that do
little but voorhees, labor, pigeon hole
a lot of wildcat bills, amend some
statutes that plainly need amending,
and 60 home.
People want relief from high tax
es. and they will never get it by
creating new departments and more
pie eaters One trouble with us is
| that we have come to think we must
have everything we want, and there
are no limits to our wants though we
are abundantly limited in what we
produce and in the amount of ready
cash we can command.
We have gone too far into the the
DRY that we can launch out in ex-
pensive matters and that "the in
creased business of the state will pay
it off," 1t never works out that way
except in theory.
1t is easy to bond and build but
it is hard to actually pay off the
bonds. In many school districts of
the state we build fine school houses
and equip them, selling bonds to get
the money In from three to five
years the new building is insufficient
/ and the trustees find 1t necessary to
bond again to get money to ray off
the old bonds and build IN addition
to the school house. Before this set
of bonds is due it is necessary to div
ide the district and build about two
| more school houses, and the burden
Of debt rolls up greater each year.
The same holds good in municipal
| and state affairs. About the year
1890 the city of Boise bonded for
twenty years and built city hall at
cost of 100000, and they we're
satisfied that the increased populat-
ion and increased revenues of the
| city would pay it off easily by 1910.
But when the time came they had
paid something like 500, 900 In inter-
est, and they had to bond again for
the 100000 and some $4,000 more
which they especially needed. They
were also in some need of larger
and finer city hall, and there was an
agitation to bond the city for large
sum and again build for the future"
and trust to the Increased populat-
ion etc." to take care Of the debt
but calmer council prevailed and
they are getting along very well with
the new building that is only about
twenty two years old.
We have many things in the state
that are only "about twenty two
years old" and We can use them
quite well until another legislature
comes together. The solons-elect are
not swelling up with the idea that
those who succeed them in office will
be unequal to the task set for them.
Those of them who have an ear to
the ground can hear the heavy swell
and surge that signifies, "Cut it
short. cut 1t out, cut expenses, cut
for home
That Inaugural Ball.
The committee in charge Of arrange
ments for the inaugural ball are quo
ted as having declared that this one
is to eclipse everything of the kind
given in the state before, and that
no expense will be spared. etc.
II they have been correctly quoted
they are out of tune with the feel
ings of the people Of the state. A
simple and inexpensive affair, rath-
er Democratic function that shall not
mock peoples memory of the tax bills