Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1914-08-09

expense. ms mas nad most sanitary
effect and besides has enabled the chief
executive to keep a close watch on the
funds.
IMPORTANT POLICIES.
New laws of far reaching import
ance and long demanded by the people
have been enacted under the Haines
administration. Most important of
these is the Public Utilities Act. When
Governor Haines signed the bill it
marked the successful elimination of
an eight years fight for control OF
public utilities in this state. 1t is not
claimed that this law is perfect but it
is the entering wedge for state control
and the Republican platform, endorsed
by Governor Haines, pledges legisla-
ton for its improvement. The FIRST
enactment of a law of such far reach
ing effect is seldom perfect. 1t has re-
quired nearly twenty years of amend
atory legislation by the National Con-
gress to bring the Interstate Commerce
act up to a reasonable degree of eff
ficiency.
Imperfect as the Utilities act may be
it has, however. accomplished much
good. 1t has placed more than $1,000
| 900 of corporate property on the tax
rolls, which item, If itself, would pro-
duce sufficient revenue to pay the en-
tire cose of the Commission. The
Commission has forced a material re-
duction of light and power rates in
many of the cities and towns of South
ern Idaho. Water rates have been re-
duced at Pocatello and the Company
forced to expend 100000 in better
ments. Freight rates have been re-
duced by action Of the Commission on
the Hill City branch railroad line and
passenger rates reduced on both the
Hill City and Wood River branches,
and the Commission is now active in
reducing passenger rates on all branch
lines from four to three cents per mile.
These are only few of the commend
able acts accomplished in the few
months of the Commissions existence.
1t must be conceded that the Idaho
commission has accomplished moro
than any new commission in other
states.
The State Board OF Education, which
is a State Board OF control of our edu-
cational institutions, does away with
a board of regents and FIVE boards of
trustees, thus materially reducing ex-
penses and complying with a popular
demand for the reduction of boards
and commissions and at the same time
places our educational institutions
under one head, resulting in each in
stitution receiving its relative atten-
ton and support from the state and
preventing much OF the disgraceful
lobbying for these institutions in the
legislature
1t is beyond the scope of this article
to enumerate the many achievements
to be creditel to the administration, but
in addition to the above there should
at least be mentioned the Non Porti-
san Juriciary Law, ratification of the
amendment for the Direct Election OF
u. S. Senators. the hour law for
women. a mothers pension bill. Law
doing away with needless registra-
ton for elections and many other usefu
and helpful laws.
SOLVING THE TAX PROBLEM.
To Governor Haines more than tc
any other man in Idaho belongs the
credit of having contributed the mos
important suggestions for the reduction
, of high taxes. The Governor is a
] practical business man and went about
, his Investigations in q practical wax
and very naturally found some practi-
cal remedies to suggest. He first in
formed himself as to what was done
with all the money collected by direci
taxation and aseertained the following
facts as applied to the taxes collected
!, Take the tax situation in Boise, Ada
county, for instance. He ascertaineC
that for every 500 paid to the tax col.