The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1912-07-25

cial ballot as win remove an party
emblems and viii place the names Of
candidates for each office in one al
ternating alphabetically arranged col
umn upon the ballot.
10. We congratulate the people Of
Idaho upon the administration of Gov.
James H. Hawley, whose strong indi-
viduality has impressed itself upon the
state government. Every department
has felt the inspiration Of his leader
ship and high efficiency has marked
the work in every branch of the pub
lie service. Order has been brought
out Of chaos in the transactions Of the
state land board and every possible as
sistance within the law has been.
granted to the Carey Act settlers. Gov
ernor Hawley performed distinct
public service in securing from the
national government the exchange OF
isolated tracts Of Hand on the various
forest reserves for q compact body Of
ninety thousand acres, and in his
strong and vigorous protests against
the harassing methods Of special
agents Of the federal governments In
the treating Of settlers and other citi.
zens Of Idaho he has given expression
10 the voice Of the people. Governor
Hawley has restored the gubernator-
ial office to the position Of dignity
due It and has given the state 4 bust
ness-like administration. enforcing the
laws upon the statute books without
fear or favor.
We believe full cash value to be the
only fair and just method Of taxing
property and we commend the cour-
ageous stand taken by Governor Haw-
ley in favor Of this reform. We con-
denim the obstructive tactics employed
by the Republican majority Of the leg
islature during the recent special ses-
sion which resulted in the emascula-
ton OF the revenue bills submitted by
Governor Hawley to such special ses-
sion, and we call attention to the alb
surd provision insisted upon by such
Republican majority for an assessment
on 40 per cent Of the cash value as
being deceptive and puerile. but we
take pride in the fact that the insur-
ance law proposed by Governor Ha
Icy and enacted by such special session
has produced more than sufficient
revenue to pay the entire expenses of
such special session. We pledge thc
democratic party to such revision of
our revenue laws as will place all the
property Of the state, except that ex-
empted by law, upon the tax rolls and
require each dollar of valuation to
bear it's just share Of public expenses.
We further pledge the democratic par
J ty to provide such safeguards, both
by constitutional amendments and leg
islative enactment, as wilt prevent any
tax levying board, either state, county,
or municipal, from again levying upon
the people Of the state excessive
amount of taxes.
+, II. We endorse the action of the
Democratic members Of the Idaho leg
islature of the eleventh session al &
commend to the consideration of the
people their efforts in originating and
advocating various measures in the in
terests Of strict economy and good
government.
IL. We condemn the action of past
republican legislatures and govern
ors in creating various boards, offices
and commissions at great expense to
the taxpayers and of little use to the
state. This large number of office
holders in excess of public needs ere
ated entirely for party purposes is a
shameless extravaganza and calls
a complete revision in the interests of
business-like economical administra-
ton of state affairs. In the interests
both Of public service and economy we
pledge the people Of Idaho, if Dem
ocratic governor and legislature is
elected, that all useless officers, boards
and commissions now in charge of diff
ferent branches and departments of
the state government win be reduced
and consolidated under the minimum
number of heads compatible with eff
ficiency and economy and that no un
necessary appropriations and expcndi-
lures will be made.
10. We favor such amendments to
the existing laws as will provide for
a seperate primary BALLOT without par
designation for the nomination of the
candidates for judicial positions
that the names Of the two candidates
receiving the higest votes at the pri-
mary election be printed in seperate
column on the election ballot without
any party designation, and, to meet