The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1913-11-21
PERTINENT news Of
|, STATE With our
| own Comment
Governor Haines is Consider
ing Special Session of the
Legislature.
SYSTEM Is NOW ARCHAIC
kuxuries of Government are Costlv-
Congressman French Announces
Himself Candidate for the United
States Senatorship-Bannock Sher-
if Must Clean house or Get Out.

NJ Governor Haines has under advise
Sment a special session of the legisla-
Hture.. The particular reason for the
special session as given is the fact
that the drainage law was not prop
erly passed by the legislature and is
in consequence null and void. The
srecords of the house of representatives
i do not show that the bill was passed.
The drainage law was strongly sup
ported by members from north Idaho
although sections Of the southern part
OF the state fastened to avail them
selves OF the provisions of the law
Here in Canyon county there are over
10000 acres which might be reclaim
ed by drainage. There are millions
of acres of swamped lands through
out the state. There is no question
OF the Importance of the legislation
nor of the necessity for action at the
Earliest possible date. The taxpayers
will not look favorably upon a special
Esession unless there are ample reasons
for it. The cost of a special session
would be at least $4,000 In case
the special session is called two or
three other matters should occupy the
attention of the legislature. In the
first place the provision of the revenue
law adding 40 penalty on the sec
ond installment of taxes should be
done away with. Under the present
revenue law taxpayer may pay half
Eof his taxes on or before the first
Monday in January and the balance
ION or before the first Monday in
July but to this second half is added
4% OF the remaining one half. This
us plain and clear injustice to the
For money due the coun-
Sty, but not needed by the county, the
Taxpayer has to pay interest at the
rate of 40 for months or $50 per
annum. This money if collected re-
mains in the banks to the credit of
the county and draws interest at the
rate of or 486 per year. District
Clerk Stovel called attention to a
number of inconsistencies in an article
which appeared in the last issue of
The Tribune. Appropriate and neces-
sary changes in the revenue laws of
the state should be made at the spe-
cial session.
Far more important to the taxpay-
ers of Idaho than both our revenue
and drainage laws sthe necessity for
preparing to amend THE constitution
of the state in order that the land
of the state may be disposed of at a
much faster rate. Here in Idaho the
people are burdened with taxes almost
to the breaking point and yet the state
owns millions of acres of unproduct-
i've land. The sale of the land to
farmers will furnish us with an inter-
est bearing fund which will help pay
the cost of government and at the
same time increase our taxpaying
property. 1t will work in two ways
toward the reduction in taxes A res
olution authorizing a change in the
state constitution and submitting the
proposed amendment to the people at
the next general election should be
adopted at the special session.
If the proposed special session will
do these things and can be restrained
from doing anything else it will be
we'll worth while. The people have
come to look upon the legislature with
suspicion. They are afraid that it will
not do the things needed but will do
a number of things not needed and
possibly dangerous and detrimental to
the state. We have had one extra
ordinary session of the legislature and
truth compels the admission that it
was not great success.