Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1914-07-03
FAIL IN THEIR ECONOMY DECLARATIONS.

There will be much to be said concerning the party
platforms this year, because there subject concernng
which the voters going to take deeper interest than
study of the which should be taken to indicate the
attitude that may be expected from officials elected upon
such platforms This is particularly true concerning the
matter of reduction in tax expenditures.
In this respect both the Republicans and the Demo
stand convicted of nsincey both to their dec
laratiOns to the facts.
Both declare in very similar terms The Republicans
say We further pledge the consolidation of number OIL
state departments and the abolition Of others The
Democrats say eff Democratic governor and legisla
ure is elected all useless Offices boards and commissions
in charge of different branches and departments will
be reduced and consolidated under the minimum nber
of heads compatible with efficiency and economy"
Now both these parties have been at the head Of gov
eminent in this state and both knew just what Offices
could be abolished which combined to the benefit of
economy or if they did not they must admit their incom
petence The Democrats had in their convention one
of its members former governor who certainly shoudl
know just what offices useless and which
sary. The Republicans had in their convention many
members Of the legislature former state officials and mem
who have been active in the political life of the state al
since statehood and who have been responsibe
for the creation OF all the offices now IN existence IN the
state Can it be possible that they not yet able to tell
the voters of the state who have not been familiar with
governmental affairs just what offices be gotten
along without?
This is certainly both those parties and as
to both their conventions That they did not make
act enumeration of the saving they would have the people
think they will make, shows that they did not wish to
NIT themselves upon the matter and the only conclusion
is that they do not stand committed to any such
nomc that will be at all beneficial to the purses
OF the taxpayers.
1t is true that the Democratic platform does attempt to
enumerate few offices. They favor abolishng the office
of immigration commissioner and the consolidation of the
offices of school superintendent and school commissioner
and the changing of the duties of the insurance commits
sioner to the bank commissioner They also declare in
favor of aboshng the state tax commission but that
commission is also the public utilities commission abo
sh that part of the commissions duty does not much
The inference rather that the Democrats propose to
render the railroads and other utilities of the state just
as the Republicans did in another plank of their platform
by declaring for taking away from that commission its
most important duties No opposes the consolidation
pshed by shifting the insurance department the bank
department
Now, compare these declarations with those made by
the Progressives
eve demand that the office of immigration commits
soner, superintendent of public instruction commits
soner of education state veterinarian seed commits
soner, bee Inspector state chemist and water commits
soner be aboshed that the duties of water commissioner
be performed by the state engineer; that the
duties of the pure food commissioner state game warden
and state horticultural inspector be made supervisory
the enforcement of their laws and that their salaries
fees and expenses be reduced to the minimum adequate for
this purpose; that the expense of the predatory animal
fund be restored to the animal industry benefited there
FROM that it be aboshed that the appropriation for
state militia be reduced to the cost of maintaining an
cutive organization only
Here is definite program that something in
the saving of dollars and cents put into effect it would