The Idaho Republican., 1913-12-19
REDUCING THE TAXES.
Continued from last week. J


covered several departments of state government and the
readers attention directed the fact that large part of
the legislation of years has been designed improve
the condition and opportunity of the the common
walks of life; to lift for him burdens he could
not lift for himself, give him advantages which will
enable him easily take of himself in the race
with his weather. brother In creating laws,
exemptions provided for the Of small means; the
small farmer given exemption his holdings; the
mechanic given exemption his TOOLS the barber
his xtures the humble cottager his furniture the widow
her home the soldier his property the homeseader
his improvements the prospector his nonproducng mne
and in every way possible the burden upon the poor the
weak and the ghened and laid small
quota upon the shoulders Of the rch the weto-do and those
who are out Of poverty but not independent,
In 1912 these exemptions brought to light small
feeholders in few counties than supposed to exist
the whole state, and widows and soldiers than
anybody supposed possessed and the total relief afforded
to them large from the derived The
empons operated effectively than intended be-
happened that the levy made upon forty per-
centn basis and the deductions made from forty per-
rather than the full value of the property These
classes who unexpectedly favored up the
collector and got off easily they away in silence
ocng in construction of Perrys expression, 1--WE
have the gentleman and he ours But all the others
felt the burden severely than they anticipated, and in
1913 another change the application of the law
placed the burden heavily upon them ALL The levy
made high enough fully the great number of
exemptions that had light but changing from the
forty percent the full value basis the exemptions did
apply with much effect, and all of them felt the weight
of higher taxes.
Constructive Legislation
In campaign years great deal is said about Constructive
legislation and is usually the Republicans who claim
be monopozng this virtue In fairness to the present and
the preceding administration Idaho let it be said that
both have been following the same policy and it has
money It has made taxes higher and will continue to
take much money until the policy is moderated reversed
discussion of the1sub of would not be complete
without study of this principle and in consideration of how
far the people wish press it. And get clear idea of
what by this phrase let the following defn
tons of two contrasted principles policies: 4
= Constructive Rerenchment
aggressive Passive
Developing It Declining
Being Forehanded in Taking Consequences as
Sofving Problems r. Best ae Can, Later
Operating Our Oson Farm Operating a%Rented r
and keping up. Farm and Letting it run dooOn.
good illustration of the two policies existed within the
the past years in regard the White Pine timber in
Idaho; administration good coming of the great
pine forests and sold off timber tracts for whatever they
could get saying they afraid of fire wpng all out
Another administration followed and refused to sell timber
except greatly advanced prices spent lots of money crus
ing and surveying timber lands what values there
kept deriving great from timber saes took precau
ons prevent forest res spent much money patrong
against fires and fighting them, and lost by
Since that time fire prevention has been studied and taught
telephone lines have been constructed the depths of the
forest watch and patrols and fire fgheres provided
and great losses prevented by prompt work of prevention
The administration still and took easy money; the
others worked hard heavy losses recognized and
worked again.
What has been said of forestry in the might
be said of the land department. but unfortunately it
can't. The record is too full of things corresponding
to the easy timber segregaons, sales of water rights
and bond saes-but it would not be fair say the depart
ment was inactive They deving into the unknown
such that the light of experience denied
them Idaho boased of its pioneering in irrigation and
amaon big SCALE and have repeated the expert
of fathers who taken in by "wldcat banks"
in the prairie states by bad land scrip other states
and in Spanish Grants" the southwest and nothing but
aggressive constructive administration will make anything
noteworthy of the land department. and it will take money
and bonds to do it.
The principles Of constructive administration have been
applied many departments of state government and many