Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1914-08-15

a most salutary effect and besides
has enabled the chief executive to
keep close watch ON the funds.
New laws of far reaching import
ance and long demanded by the peo-
pie have been enacted under the
Haines administration. Most import
ant of these Is the public utilities
act. When Governor Haines signed
the bin it marked the successful cul-
mination 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 Re-
publican platform, Endorsed by Gov
ernor Haines, pledges legislation for
its improvement. The first enact
ment of law of such far-reaching
effect is seldom perfect. 1t has re-
quired nearly 20 years of amenda-
tory legislation by the national con-
gress to bring the interstate COM
merce act up to a reasonable degree
of efficiency.
Imperfect as the utilities act may
be it has, however, accomplished
much good. 1t has placed more than
100000 of corporate proprtey on the
tax rolls, which item, of itself, would
provide sufficient revenue to pay the
entire cost of the commission. The
commission has forced a material re-
duction of light and power rates in
ern Idaho. Water rates have been
reduced at Pocatello and the company
forced to expend 100000 in better
ments. Freight rates have been re-
duced by action Of The ommlssion
on the Hill City branch railroad line
and passenger rates reduced ON both
the Hill City and Wood River
branches and the commission la now
active in reducing passenger rates on
all branch lines from four to three
cents per mile. These are only a
few of the commendable acts accom-
plished in the few months of the
commissions existence. 1t must be
conceded that the Idaho commission
has accomplished more than any new
commission in any other state.
The state board of education, which
is state board of control of our
educational institutions, does away
with board of regents and five
boards Of trustees, thus materially
reducing expenses and complying with
popular demand for the reduction
OF boards and commissions and at theI
samae time places our educational in
situations under one head resulting
in each institution receiving its rela-
tive attention and support from the
state and preventing much of the dis
graceful lobbying for these institu-
tons in the legislature.
1t is beyond the scope of this arti-
Gle to enumerate the many achieve
ments to be credited to the admin
stration, but n addition to the above
there should at least be mentioned
the nonpartisan judiciary law, ratificat
ton OF the amendment for the direct
election of United States senators, 8
hour law for women, a mothers PEN
sion bill, a law doing away with need
less registration for elections and
elections and many other useful and
helpful laws.
To Governor Haines more than to
any other man in Idaho belongs the
credit of having contributed the most
important suggestions for the reduc-
ton OF high taxes. The governor Ia al
practical business man and went
about his investigations In practi-
cal way and very naturally found some
practical remedies to suggest. He
first informed himself as to what was
done with all the money collected by
direct taxation and ascertained the
following facts as applied to the taxes
collected. Take the tax situation In
Boise, Ada county. for instance. He