The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1913-05-16
test so vigorously seem to understand


that the government is a much more
complex and comprehensive organism
today than 1t was ten years ago.
Each session of the legislature Is
called upon to add some new function
or greatly extend and broaden some
old function of government, and each
and all of such changes adds to the
expense of doing business. THESE |
costly extensions, or reforms as they
are usually labeled, are the result OF a
general and insistent demand.
For years the people of this state
or a large part of the population,
clamored for railroad commission
and a tax commission. Both COM
missions were created in 1905 and adj
ded considerably to the machinery of
government, consequently to the cost.
The powers of the railroad commits
sion were extended by each succeed
ing legislative body and in 1911 it was
enlarged and merged into the public
service commission, at additional cost.
Both the railroad and tax commits
sions have been of real benefit to the
state and have accomplished great
good. But the benefits flowing from
them have affected directly only
comparatively few, while the added
cost of maintaining the commissions
has affected directly every taxpayer
in the state. At that they are worth
far more than they have cost and are
established organs of the state gov
eminent.
The dairy and food inspection, the
mine inspection, the hotel inspection,
oil inspection, bureau of inspection
and supervision of public offices, the
bank examiner and the industrial in
surance commission have all been
created as the result of more or less
insistent popular demand, and each
has added to the cost of state govern
ment. Reorganization of some of
these departments ON more central
lied basis of supervision as provided
by an act of the recent legislature
will give opportunity for a slight re-
duction in the cost of administering
their functions, but so very slight as
to prove inappreciable. There is sc
much work to be done by each de.
partment and whether under one OF
several heads will require practically
the same force of appointees.
Besides the many new departments
of government provided for in recen
years, the state is now mourning {
very heavy large expense in expert
menting with new systems of govern
rect primaries. These methods O
making and rejecting laws and max
ing and breaking administers of tn,
law have resulted from agitation fo,
reform, or progress, or change among
tne people, and all serve to pile ur
tne cost of state government. And
the end is not yet. We seemingly
nave barely entered upon this era Of
progress and higher taxation. De-
lhands for more extended and fam
tastic functions of government are
heard on every hand, and all exact
more heavy contributions from tho
taxpayers.
But the state government is by no
means the most costly. The county
municipal and school district taxes
are by far the heaviest. It is tho
local units of government that cost
the most. For every dollar in taxes
paid towards the support of the state
government, we are called upon to
contribute from twelve to fourteen
dollars for the maintenance Of tho
local governmental organizations Al
least that has been the case hereto.
iore' but for the next two wears tho
diHerence will be less complimentary
TO the state as the cost of state gov.
eminent will be several million do,lors
greater than it was the last biennium
mere is little prospect that tbe |
cost OF government in this state wi,,
De reduced On the contrary ovorv
INDICATION points to a continued in
crease as there is no apparent LET nm
IN the tendency to impose more dutios
on tne state and through it. moro
burdens on the taxpayers, such &c
-eachers pensions, old age pensions
''o' AS long as this tendency keens
Up the cost of government u;,,
!he demand for more government is
ne cause OF the high cost, and it be- !
''ns to look as though the sunnlv !
he demand. up ~ t
ouch is progress. If we must have il
II Oh these luxuries of government q