Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1914-09-11
Letters From the People
The Way to Reduce Taxes.

| Inc way TO ncuuCo axes
| Evening Capital News: The question
of taxation overshadows all others in
the campaign this fall. When the mar
velous productivity of our sage brush
lands, under irrigation was discovered
land values rapidly went up, but as
sessed valuations kept pace with the
rise and instead of lowering the tax
rate as it should have done, it was
kept no and money flowed into the
public treasury.
New offices were created by the
party in power: salaries were increased
and an era of extravaganza was in
augurated. The era of prosperity
made the people less vigilant and af-
/ forded splendid opportunity for the
cunning politician to get in and bleed
the people. Very rapidly the idea of
self-styled brainy men and big salaries
began to harmonlze, and as salaries
scared skyward, brainy men rapidly
multiplied, reaching for them. until the
idea has almost possessed the people
that it take big money to get a capa-
BILE man, when the fact is that capa-
BILE men are as thick as blackberries
in berry time.
As a general rule, II you suggest a
reduction of salaries to an officeholder
he is smitten with horror at the idea
of a man of his caliber devoting all of
his time and energy for six hours
every "a to the duties of his office with
out big pay, although deputies may
do the work.
Many of the salaries of state offices
could be reduced 80 per cent without
detriment to the service and the same
is true of some of the county offices.
We frequently pick up men from the
ordinary walks of life who barely make
q decent living and give them an Of
/ flee and they at once want a big sal
airy and short hours, and whine If
they don't get it,
This era of extravaganza, to the best
of my recollection, began about 1896.
/ was member of the legislature at
that time and o bill was introduced
and passed raising the salary of all
state officers. l opposed the raise the
best l could, but unfortunately the
raise still goes on until now the gov
ernor gets twice what he did then.
Steunenberg has the reputation of
having made very fair governor on
| $4,000 a year for two terms and John
T. Morrison succeeded him on the same
salary, making a good record for
economy and efficiency. In fact, pre-
sumo he was too economical to suit
the boodler. hence they retired him to
private life.
| If one will notice the appropriations
made by the last legislature for the
attorney generals office and his depu-
/ ties, the sum Is appalling. for a young
state. Also the numbers of new Off
ces created and provided for since 1896
This wild extravaganza has also pre-
vailed in most of the counties, piling up
public debts and increasing taxation
to such an extent that many farmers
have mortgaged their homes to pay
taxes and made such improvements
as were necessary to conduct their
business and are so involved that
their homes will be confscated
Land values have deprecated in this
part of the country In the last three
years fully so per cent, but the as
sessed valuation is about the same
and the taxes must be raised. There
/ is a remedy for this condition of af-
fairs, but it is not to be found in the
platforms of the political parties. Plat
4 forms are good in their place and are
i necessary to show the trend of politi-
! cal parties, but we need a more direct
remedy.
Let every county in the state require
a specific statement from every can