Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1914-06-26

legislature to take the necessary steps
to make it possible
For all the settlement and develop
ment IN Idaho the government still
owns thrce-fourths Of our entire area
while in the eastern st tes every acre
OF land pays its share of taxes. Here
less than one acre in four pays a cent.
feel that it is extremely unfair for the
government to let all the land in the
eastern states come into private own
ership where it contributes to the sup
port OF the government and deny us
the same conditions here. We have
approximately 35,000,0O) acres of gov
ornment land in Idaho. All outside of
forest reserves is sagebrush desert and
OF little value. 1t will never come into
private ownership unless far more lib
eral conditions arc made. II is worth
just about what it would cost to pay
small tax on it annually and it should
be transferred in suitable sized tracts
to those who would take it and pay
taxes on it.
For the protection Of the headwaters
OF our streams it may be necessary for
the government to continue the forest
reserves. These reserves yield an an
nual income from the sale of timber
and grazing leases and all the money
above administrative expenses should
go to the state. AS this would mean
large sums some years and small sums
other years we should never know Just
what to depend on. In Pennsylvania,
where they are creating state forest
reserves, they pay two cents per acre
in taxes on all the land in the reserves.
II the government would do that in
Idaho it would mean over a half million
dol,rs each year. Probably this
scheme Of the government paying taxes
in Idaho seems hopeless to you, but it
is only justice and if all the forest re-
serve states will unite in demanding it,
possibly it can in time be brought
about.
Will we ever seriously undertake
any of. these practical methods Of really
reducing taxes? hope SO, but fear
we still think more Of politics than we
do of business and that the next elec-
ton will see us SO intent upon electing
the candidates of our choice that we
shall persuade ourselves that the men
we want for governor or senator can
by some occult process cause us to
levy smaller school, city or county tax
ei in Canyon county, although we shall
7 Know better.
My con clusion, then, is that it is pos
e sble by careful business methods to
: effect some saving in our city, school
and county governments; that consid-
: cradle saving can be effected in state
2 government by consolidating depart.
/ ments and holding travelling and all
J. other expenses dowu to the actual
e necessities of the public service; that a
J. saving of hundreds of thousands of dol
It lars can be made by disseminating sew
e eral departments and institutions not
e OF prime necessity; that we can easily
e increase revenues more than two mil.
d lion OF dollar; which is the same thing
s as reducing taxes; that we should en-,
l. courage men and capital to come to
II Idaho; that we should restrict levies
1T which may be made by taxing bodies
le and above all that we should cease at
lie tempts to right conditions by impossible
S feats of political legerdemain and appl,
It common sense through the best effort!
III Of broad and intelligent citizenship.
y Sell State Land.
O. F. Lcseth, a pram;nert an
''' OF the Ctr" crt e. cunt in M
{. the Repnt. can t al another effort i
=. being made to induce the state to hol,
a. :. a sale in Orofino this year; that man,
~ applications have been made alread
~ ~. by people who desire to buy state lund
=" OF which there in 100000 acres il
Clearwater county. Most of this land
= while timbered, is very rich and fertile
y, " fine for agriculture when cleared an
',s ' should be sold to settlers who are anN
=, =, ious to see the country settled up.
~ The law requires that the minimum
", ~, price for land be SO per acre, and th
= :" state can compel the purchaser to pa
.s' for any timber in addition to this price
ms M but an effort is being made to induc
10 10 the state to accept the minimum charg
-. so SO as to induce the immediate purchas
~ and development of the state land
=, the county. This land should be place
~ -. on the market at some figure. Tn
NV county should not be held back.
er- Making The Start
as Peter Noble, who lives on a sma
on tract up Orofino creek a mile fror
his town, informs the Republican that h