Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1914-06-12

departments are cut off altogether.
Can that be done without impairing
the public service? In my judgment
we can dispense with several depart
ments and institutions without miss
ing them.
Will the legislature ever attempt to
cut any OF them off and if so which
ones? think see storm cloud
gathering the moment there is a sug-
gestion Of that sort for there is not one
OF them that does not have its strong
champions. 1t is very easy to create
tax-eating departments and most diff
cult to get rid Of them.
In this state of less than 100000 pop
ulation We have four state institutions
OF learning with total of less than
1000 students. In the state | came
from we had more than two million
more people than we have in Idaho and
three state institutions of learning and
they seemed to fill all needs. know
not by what scheme of log rolling we
have four here, but l do know that
two would be ample and would mean
increased efficiency as we'll as saving
OF probably 100000 each biennial
period. l call your attention to the
Albion State Normal located in little
inland town remote from any railroad
and chiefly local in its benefits. For
the biennial period Of 1911 and 1912 it
had an appropriation of $7O,5OO and ito
share OF the income from the normal
endowment fund for that period was
s23, 254.39 or total Of 500, ,754.39. The
total enrolment for the year 1912
was 259 and that certainly means an
average attendance of not to exceed
200. A little figuring, then, will show
that it costs the taxpayers of Idaho for
the biennial period s46O.77 for every
student or $937.b4 for each student for
the four years course. A rather ex-
pensive luxury is it not? We haye an
other state institution in that section Of
the state at Pocatello, which with lit
tie change in the courses Of study could
take care Of all the Albion students
with advantage to all concerned EXCEPT
Albion and vicinity But who, rum
ming for office, would dare advocate
this obvious reform and il he did how
many votes would he get in Cassia
county? These same considerations Of
self-interest would come up from all
sections Of the state if there were any
proposal to curtail the allowance for
any state institution or withhold any
bridge or road desired in any given
locality.
theoretically the people are strong
for tax reform, bat any man who rum
niag for state office, would courage
ously advocate reform all along the line
would in all probability suffer over
whelming defeat.
Constantly we are leading the peo-
pc to believe more and more that they
have right to demand material bene-
fits at the hands of the taxpayers.
Only last winter we passed mothers
pension law by which we pay month
ly stip end to Won III whose husbands
are dead or in the penltentiary. II was
we'll intentloned beyond question Of
doubt, but where is the end of such
legislation? Why not with equal jus
tice an old age pension? Why not 4
pension for the tubercular, epileptic,
and rheumatic? In short why not a
pension for all who are without means
and in any degree incapacitated for
manual labor? 1t would seem a noble
and phllanthropic thing to do. Yet
those who have watched the trend
of such legislation know that it is alb
solutely vicious. 1t would put such a
burden upon the thrifty and energetic
Continued next Weekl