The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1912-04-04
BYRNE IMPLIES
EGAN IS AIDING
RAILROAD CAUSE
ThusConstrues Latter's S
Attacks on States
Course
TALKS on TAXES
Tells That Offices Attacked
Produce Revenue for
the State
TALKS ON TAXES

siton of abolishing various appoint
i've offices to cut down taxes, Lieu
tenant Governor Frank NJ. Byrne, re-
publican candidate for governor, in
an address here last night, showed
that the offices which it is proposed
to abolish are source of revenue
to the state and are not tax on the
people. He declared that he well
comes discussion of the tax ques-
tion as he desires a reduction in
taxes as much as anyone, and point
ed out the fact that the abolishing
of various appointive offices would
be worse than useless as these Of
fees are not a tax on the people but
instead are self sustaining and pay
balance into the state treasury.
Much is said about needless and
useless offices in this state" said
MI. Byrne, but | fail to see where
they are useless or any expense TO
the people. If there is any Office in
South Dakota that is not necessary
or useful | want to see it abolished.
! have no reason for wanting an Of
flee continued that is not needful,
but it is said that much money can
be saved to the state and our pub
lie institutions ii we would only do
away with these needless offices.
Now the offices specified in this
connection are the fire marshal, game
warden, hotel inspector, telephone
Inspector and bee inspector, SO let
us see what we would save by abol
ising them and doing away with all
this pie
SO far as the telephone inspector
is concerned, that office was abol-
ished by the legislature and docs
not now exist.
How State Makes Money.
The game warden is paid eNclu
sively from fees and licenses paid by
hunters, residents paving for such
licenses the sum of 81 asd son-resi-
dents paying S25 for such licenses.
1t is no charge in any way upon the
taxpayer. and no charge upon any
one except those who pay the hunt
ers' licenses-and the hunters, those
who pay the expense, are the ones
who are clamoring for the law.
Il have never heard one complaint
OF the license fee or of the law ere
ating the office, and no other citizen
aside from the hunters themselves
pay one cent to the office. Not only
that but in the three years the Of
flee has been in existence it has
brought into the state treasury over
So, 900 over and above the expense
of the office.
Now, in regard to the hotel in
spector. He is paid exclusively by
fees and license charges paid by the
hotels themselves. The hotel man
may have some reason to complain
OF this charge, but why should any
of the rest OF US? 1t doesn't cost
us one cent. This law was passed at
the request of representatives of the
commercial travellers of the state
who are entitled to consideration as
we'll as any other class of people.
I know of no reason why their recon-
mendation should not be listened to
with the same respectful attention as
the recommendations of any other
class of citizens. The travelling men
live in these hotels, while We live in
our homes, and ] consider it emil
nently proper that every effort should
be made to see to it that these pub
lie buildings are kept as free from
danger as possible and that proper
fire escapes are provided for the safe
ty of the public.
"But so far as money is concerned
the abolishing of the office of hote
inspector would not save one ceni
to the state: in fact this office last
year brought in 5000 or $500 above
salary and expenses.
As to lee Inspector.
THE Cry that is being sent vi
that the Office of bee inspector is {
drain on the people is a huge joke
The honey producers association
cut in the Belle Fourche valley came
before the legislature with propo
sition something like this: We wan
an Inspector with the authority o
the state behind him to determine
when hives of bees are diseased ant
should be destroyed, and We'll pa.
the bill ourselves. We ask no appro
priation, no financial aid from th
state And SO the law was passe,
on that basis, and not one penny il
paid to these bee inspectors out o
the taxes of the people, but the in
spectors are paid exclusively fror
fund created by al AK of 10 cent
a hive on all colonies of bees KEEP
in the state.
Not only that, but the law Pre-
vides that the total amount paid t
the two inspectors for both per dieI
and expense shall not exceed in an
one year the sum of $500. This
the pie there is in the bee inspeC
tion Office. Turn to page 140 of tn
state auditors report for 1911 an
you will find there Statement U, Be
Fund. There you will find that tn
total amount of warrants issued fo
Gccal n l>a he