Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1912-09-26
The Governors Visit

Orofino last Friday, and spoke on
state issues, in defence OF his admin
istration al the Odd Fellows hall in the
evening. The crowd at the hail was
one OF the largest ever gathered in
Orofino to listen TO any public address,
and was thoroughly representative.
The governor was accorded the clos
est attention by his auditors, who
seemed to be there to listen and pom
der well his statements. p. II. Blake,
democratic county chairman, presided
at the meeting, and the platform was
crowded with the lesser lights OF de-
mocracy from candidates for coroner
to congressman. Perry w. Mitchell,
candidate ror congress, opened the
evenings exercises by few remarks
and concluded by introducing the gov
ernor. As Governor Hawlcy is the
first democratic executive in eight
years, and the only democrat in the
present state administration, being
elected largely by the "wet" republl-
cans who were opposed to Governor
Brady's policy on local option, many
people present, were anxious to
hear his defence of his administration
and especially his tax theory of 'full
cash valuation" In his opening re-
marks Governor Hawley paid high
tribute to the womanlfood of Idaho,
and complimented them on their right
OF suffrage, mentioning incidentally
that he had been their chief counsel,
when republican counting board
wanted to deny Them their rightfully
won laurels, at the election declaring
for women's suffrage. Now the gov
ernor didn't do it Intentionally, but he
nevertheless left the impression that
the republican party through
its counting board was OPP
posd to the female suffrage,
when such was not the case. The facts
are these: A minority Of those voting
at the election voted on the amend
ment and there was a diversity OF
opinion among prominent lawyers as
to whether the amendment had car
ried and friendly suit was started to
settle the vexed question, which re-
suited in the Supreme court, at that
time republican, in declaring it consti-
tutional. The governors position on
full cash valuation" for taxable pur-
poses is well taken and we think cor
rect; but when it comes to dollars and
cents to the taxpayers it is the merest
nonsense. II the valuation is high the
rate is low and if the valuation is low the
rate is high and the same property in
both instances raises the revenue
necessary to run the state and county
governments. The only thing is that
high valuation and low rate looks
better to an outside investor As tc
the raising of valuation to full cash
value a man can be as dishonest in his
assessment at 70 per cent as he can
at 40 SO there can be nothing in that
The governor in the course of his re.
marks stated that he had found prop.
erty in some counties valued as low as
ten per cent, but he failed to state to
auditors that some OF this property
was on the roll under his own name
II the governor personally or through
his assessors found millions, not here.
tofore assessed, he deserves credit and
should be accorded it by fair minded
people. II single handed and alone,
as minority member of n board com
posed OF five, he raised the telephone
telegraph and railroad companies UNI
told millions he deserves credit, but
the recorded minutes of the State Board
OF Equalization do not bear him out in
this particular. Ii the governor is sc
anxious about full cash valuation, :
why does he not start fight on the
unjust taxation of mining property ii
Idaho, as it is well known fact thai
these corporations do not pay on one
tenth of the valuation of their stock in
the open market? The governor
touched up the timber situation and
seemed to want to hold the republican
party of Idaho responsible for lieu land
selections made years ago and for de-
partmental delinquencies OF many years
standing for which the present state
and county officials had about as much
to do with as the Sultan of Sulu The
governor concluded his remarks by an
eloquent appeal to the people of Idaho
to re-cect him to his present office.