The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1913-04-24
THAT $4,000 ROAD
GIFT.

publican, offers as an explanation
OF the appropriation OF $4,000 by
the last legislature for the final
payment for the completion of
the Ross Fork road, in the south
east part of the state. while APP
preparations of smaller sums for
roads in other portions of the
state Were turned down, the fact
that this matter came over from
the Hawley administration and
that Gov. Hawley and other Of
ficials recommended such action.
There might be some excuse
for Gov. Haines recognizing a
request of this kind as a matter
of courtesy to the man he sue
ceeded as governor, but the legis-
lature was under no such obliga-
ton, and the governor would not
have been placed in a position
making such action necessary had
the Legislators pursued the same
course in that instance that they
adhered to with such bull-head-
ed pertinacity with similar appro-
priations pertaining to other see
tions of the state. The facts in
the case are about as follows:
Two years ago the legislature
was asked to appropriate suf
ficient sum, estimated at some
thing like $4,000, for the con-
struction of this Ross Fork road
which is between five and seven
miles in length. The Eleventh le-
gislature after considerable dis
cussion, agreed to appropriate
$4,000 and the citizens interest
ed in the project agreed to COM
plete it. They did complete the
road, at what they : claimed was
an expense of $4,000, and they
should in all fairness have let it
rest there. But, it would seem,
they believed that they could
make the state pay the whole
$4,000, although the former le-
gislature had refused to do so,
and they succeeded in doing it.
The legislators of the Twelfth,
Notwithstanding they were pied
ged to an econimical administra-
ton, in this appropriation sim
ply blew the state for $4,000 to
pay for a dead horse "a road
that was already completed, and
completed according to the agree
ment between the citizens of the
section effected and the former
Legislature, and at the same time
let other roads which are badly
needed in other sections of the
state for the development of
newly settled districts. pass up
without assistance.
The writer heard Peter Johns
ton, the able representative, from
Bingham county, when he made
his plea before the house for this
$4,000 appropriation, and while
he admitted regarding the matter
practically what has been stated
above, he boldly stated that way
up state officials had promised
the citizens who put up the mon
ey to complete the road, thai
they would use their influence
with the next legislature to get il
back for them--in other words
that they would be more elusive
than the Elusive Eleventh. ;
and if the citizens of Bingham
could pull the wool over the eyes
of the Eleventh by letting then
believe that they would max
good the $4,000 themselves. the,
would undertake to jockey TIL
next legislative body out of tn
needed sum to make them whole
A great combination. that, an
one that Mr.. Chandler. and al
the others connected therewit
should feel proud of. But ther
were a number of men in the les
islature who did not agree wit
such tactics. Conner. of Bonnie
county, one of the ablest men {
the session, took the floor an
strenuously opposed such actor
denying the right of any state o
fetal to usurp the Legislative fun
tions in any such manner. or
in any way obligate by pledge {
otherwise, the members of the LEI
islature, the personnel of whic
was then unknown. to such
course of action. and repudiate
their promise. Yet the bill pas
ed, and the $4,000 of the state
money was diverted from use fc
urgent present day needs
make good a tacit understandin
between a state officer and int
ested parties, which promise is nj