The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1912-01-18

called into extraordinary session
promptly at - o'clock noon Monday in
accordance with the proclamation of
Governor Hawley issued some time
previously, Speaker Storey presiding
in the house and Lieutenant Governor
Sweetzer in the senate.
There was no demonstration or indi-
cation other than that the session was
"A continuance Of the regular sessions.
So soon as the regular routine of pc
liminary organization had been eff
fected the senate, upon invitation filed
into the chamber of the house of rep
resentatives to listen to the reading of
the message of Governor Hawley whic
was delivered by the chief executive in
person.
The governors enterance and intro
'duction were greeted with applause,
Joined in by all members of both hous
and senate as well as by visitors in the
galleries and on the floor
His message was attentively but
quietly listened to throughout The
message outlines the governors efforts
to secure a valuation at full value, de
fends such valuation and the methods
adopted to secure it; condemns the op-
position to those plans and outlines
and defends the measures prepared by
the special tax commission appointed
by him. There was no applause until
he read that portion where he declared
dodgers of the past should be sweet
music to the ear when there was a
little applause, followed at the conclu-
sion of the reading by liberal applause
from the body.
GOVERNOR HAWLEY's MESSAGE
To the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives.
"Most important of all subjects to
the citizens is that of taxation. Money
must be provided to meet state, coun-
ty and 1cunicipal expenses, and the
most difficult governmental problem is
to adjust the amounts assessed and
B collecttd SO that all taxable property
may be prcportionately burdened and
each citizen pay his full share, neither
more nor less of the required revenue.
"The constitution of Idaho expressly
provides in section 2 of article that:
"Thc legislature shall provide such
revenue as may be needful by levying
a tax by valuation, so that every per-
son or corporation shall pay tax in
proportion to the value of his, her or
its property.
"This implies absolute uniformity in
the assessment of all taxable property,
and that each separate piece or parcel
of property. not exempt from taxa
!. ton. shall bear its proportionate share
Of the bufuens Of governmental cost.
It is a wise and salutary provision of
our fundamental law, the law as made
by the people and not by the legisla-
ture, intended to prevent discrimina-
ton for or against any kind or class
Of taxable property, and to prevent
favortism beng shown any person Or
class in any section of the state.
Constitution Gives Uniformity
while the constitution does not pre-
vide a fixed rate for assessment pur-
poses but in this provision seeks sim
ply to secure uniformity in the amounts
to be paid, our statutes are explicit
in regulating the values to be placed
upon all property assessed. Section
1862. revised statutes, reads: All tax
able property must be assessed at Its
full cash value
"Tbis elan, unequivocal, easily un
derstood section. followed as 1t is by
cher sections based upon and intensi-
fvlnx its provisions, makes it the boun
den duty Of the officers intrusted with
the collections of the revenue to place