Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-02-21
COST OF Government
DECLARED TOO HIGH
Speakers at Republican Meeting Admit
There Are Too Many Commissions
and Offices Nowadays.
CLAIM 1T is TIME TO CALL
HALT AND TRIM EXPENSES
Candidate Crawford Claims lie Can
Save s1,oo0Ooo in Ysaf If He is
Elected Governor.

True to his word, State Treasurer
Tom Kay appeared before the mem
bers of the Young Mems Republican
club last night loaded down with sta
tistics concerning the conduct Of the
state government, aud gave some facts
and figures which are not flattering to
any one. In short, Mr.. Kay pointed out
that the taxpayers are carrying a load
in the way Of useless offices and com
missions which will become so weighty
in the near future, unless conditions
are changed, as to boost taxes sky
ward to such an extent that the or
dinary property holder will be unable
to "come through" when assessments
are due.
Figures do not lie, especially if taken
from the state records, said Mr.. Kay.
The speaker selected the channels
through which the tax money goes,
one by one, and commented upon each
source in no uncertain terms.
Rsps Railroad Commission.
In mentioning the appropriations
made for the conduct Of the state rail.
road commission, Mr.. Kay stated that,
while the commission performed some
difficult work in the way Of settling
transportation problems, considerable
money has been expended for trips
made by certain members Of the com
mission who believed it necessary that
they should 70 TO Europe or some 9th
or far.away land in order to CLEAN in
formation in regard to the work Of reg
nlating railway companies.
Experimental farm stations, which
arc supported by 100000 appropria-
tions, non.supporting penitentiary,
useless highway commissions and a hun
dred and one other unproduetive com
missions are largely responsible for the
present state Of affairs in Oregon, said
Mr.. Kay, oregon's judicial system is
costing the taxpayers nearly a million
dollars annually, he asserted, and this
great expense is being made even larg.
er by reason Of unnecessary litigation
and useless prosecutions.
Crawford Talks.
Attorney.General A. M. Crawford was
called upon to give the members Of
the club little talk last night, and
ho responded by declaring that, in the
event he is given the authority to steer
the ship Of state next November, that
he win proceed to lay plans whereby
the taxpayers win be saved at least n
million dollars year. Mr.. Crawford
stated that saving $4,000 here and
$4,000 there soon results in bringing
down the annual expenditure to a min.
imum, and that there is not the slight
est doubt but that much Of the drain
on the treasury can be slackened by
giving moro attention to the smaller
sources through which the taxes 60.
Roasts Republicans,
"You Republican should wake up
and elect governor who will knocl,
HI out Of any plan proposed to create
these useless commissions aud salary
berths," said Col Hofer, who was
called upon to speak Col. Hofcr de-
clared that the Republican party in
this state is asloepi slumbering while
tho taxpayers arc getting the wrong
ond Of tho deal from start to finish
Ho declared that It is high time that
all Republicans should wake up and
get in the game with the same life as
they did in former years when taxes
were not 80 high that they made mil
lionaires figure closely in order to keeT
possession Of their property,
Tho meeting was well attended last
night and tho members Of the clut
were well satisfied with the progress,
made toward getting in line for the
campaign.