The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1914-03-05
BYRNE DECLARES
PER CAPITA TAX IS
SAME AS IN 1905
At Artesian Gives
Cost of State Ex-
penses.
OFFICE
Is Denounced-Brinke Case
Cited-Anderson Is En-
tirely Exonerated.
AUDITORS OFFICE

Byrne last night said:
81 am here TO discuss public issu.
es. | am not here to indulge in abuse
OF party or faction or man. Especially
am not here to misreprcscnt facts.
1t is sometimes said that anything is
fair in politics.3I do not so believe,
n should be held to the sane ac-
c~ountability for statements in public
as in private life. In fact, / hold that
1T Is much morc f~cprciiensiblo loc a
man III public life, or ~ candidate for
puDllc Office, TO make Il false state
ment bout public affairs than to do
inc same in regard TO affairs in pri-
IVate lie; because q man holding pub-
lie office, or Who becomes Il candidate
for public office, is under special OBJ
legations to speak truthfully, and
treat mel and issues justly, fairly
and openly. l. hold myself Just KS ac-
countablc for truth and verac:ty i'm
any statement l make in regard to
public Or political matters as in pri-
waite or business life.
Issues of'the Campaign.
I'm tho great forward movement
which has revo%luticnizcd political
conditions of the past few years,
South Dakota has had Il leading part.
Up TO 1906. every state officer and
member OF tho Legislature rode on rail
road passes and the favored ones
used telegraph and eSpresli franks to
send their messages u ship their
goods without charge. while the aver
age man paid railroad fare, telegraph
ana express charges. Public officials
thus placed themselves under obliga-
ton to these corporations whose in-
forests SO often conflicied With She
interests Of tbc public. Through these
influences was maintained a LOBBY or
ganization that controlled caucasas
and conventions, selected candidarcs
oreanizedH legislature and dictated
leSisiatiolL These practices have been
entirely abolished. We enacted the
first really effective anti-pass law.
Since then other states have enacted
defective anti-rass luws, but South Da-
kota led. l take some pride in the
fact that l prepared. introduced and
pushed through the legislature this
law. at each session of the lcgisla-
turc since attempts have, been made
to modify it. to nullify it's effect and
to cvtend the number who NAV Sc
cure passes.
Secret lobbying has been abolish
ed. Corporations are forbidden to
contribute to campaign funds. Cor
rupt practices acts require sworn, it.
elnized statements of campaign ex-
pcndi,ures. Railway property is taxed
cquitably in proportion to other pro-
pcrty, as il was not before. We made
a valuation OF railroad property as q
basis for rate making and taxation,
and are proceeding on that basis to
regulate rates.
AT the request of employees and in
the interest Of safety WI now require
the railway companies to provide
good and sufficient headlights and
other safety devices.
Opposition.
"All of these measures were per-
~sistently resisted by the leaders oil
the opposition. At the close of the
Legislative session of 1907, the Ar.
gus-Lcader and others of its kind
we're wont to characterize the acti-
vities of that session, and the var
ious progressive measures enacted,
as an attempt to lynch the railroads
and enbafass business, and predict
ed that disaster to the state would
follow.
High Taxes and Extravaganza.
ITO get away from its record in
Ithis regard the opposition now talks
only OF high state taxes and state ex-
travagance. This is a proper subject
for discussion. u only ask the discus
sion be truthful and honest. Ii state
taxes are Unfortunately high, let us
know the facts. III there is extravag-
ance in state expenditures let us
know that, but the place where mon
ey is improperly spent should be
pointed out. If too much money is
paid for any purpose, where is it?
Comparative Increase in Expenditures
They are fond OF referring to the
year 1905, pointing out the increase
in state taxes since then. ignoring the
growth OF the state and state institu-
tions. Let us take the year 1905. In
that year the population Of the state
was 455,1S5 and the state tax was
$S1S,S29. 1888 per capita.J In 1919
the population OF the state wasa 615,-
11S and the state tax, s1,19 ,361,
again s1.93 per capita. So that the
tax expenditures in this time have
exactly kept pace with the growth
of population. In the year 1905,
again. the average state tax on each
quarter section OF land in the state
was $3.S4. and in 1913, $40, an
increase of 26c a quarter section in
that time.
How Was Money Used.
But hero is another phase of the
situation. What was done with the
money in each of these years? How
much of it was used for current ex-
penscs and how much for permanent
improvements? In the year 1905
there was appropriated for perman-
ient buildings and grounds s1S7,109,
or Ale per capita. In the year 1913
there war appropriated for these puf-
poses $465,725, or 75c per capita.