Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1915-03-18
REPRESENTATIVE MILES, PRO
GREssIvE SAYS STATE WAS
SAVED HALF A MILLION.
CRY FOR LOWER TAXES
Republican Floor Leader Not for
Economy-How Stock Show
Measure Lost Out.


Perez county was in the city yesterday
from his home at Webb and reviewed
in general way much of the happen
ings at the session of the Idaho legisla
ture just closed. He said there were
many of the most interesting happen
ings that have never been reported and
that it is very difficult for the people
to judge what their representatives ac-
complished from the necessarily cur
tailed reports sent out. Mr.. Miles said
that sometimes it was more important
to the state to kill measure than to
pass one and that there were a num-
Der of such measures before the past
session that should be investigated by
all north Idaho citizens before the next
election time.
81 notice by the correspondence
from Boise that myself and Senator
Bundy have been accused of killing
the appropriation for the Lewiston
Livestock show by entering into an
organization that. 4precluded the posi-
bility of passing any measure over the
veto of Governor Alexander said Mr..
Miles. "I believe this matter should
be explained and that the people are
entitled to know all about this organ
ization.
"In the first place the Lewiston
Livestock bill was very small item
when compared to the aggregate ap-
preparations proposed to be carried
over the governor IS veto and if the or
ganization was perfected to carry one
of these bills over the veto, it meant
the organization would go down the
line and carry all of them. The fact
is the amounts proposed by such bills
then in evidence announced to 1862, 900
and there is no telling what would
have been brought forth after such an
organization had been perfected
81 am not a democrat, have never
been and do not expect to be. / am in
the legislature as progressive, pledged
to encourage the most rigid economy in
all departments of the state. The
democrats and republicans were also
pledged to the same economies but the
republican floor leader took the posi-
ton from the beginning that they were
not there for economy but for efri-
cheney and the rest of the republican
members fell into line with that policy.
That left me to work alone or unite
with the democrats on such measures
as we agreed upon, and that is why my
name was connected with the organiza-
ton that blocked the pork barrel ap-
preparation.
"The organization held the appro-
priation down to an amount $4,000
less than two years ago; it prevented
an extra session of the Legislature, as
Governor Alexander had definitely
stated he would call an extra session
unless the appropriation bills were
itemized SO that the people could know
just how their money was to be ex-
pended.
cone of the dangerous measures
proposed and which will again appear
: and continue to be an ever-present
menace, was the bill proposing to raise
a state per capita tax for schools to
provide funds for the maintenance of
schools and distribute the money pro
rata over the state. This measure was
introduced to provide funds for the
education of children in the barren
south Idaho counties where they have
created new counties out of every
block of territory of su1ficient valua-
ton to squeeze through. Many of
these counties can scarcely raise enough
money to maintain their county gov
ernments and they desire the other
sections of the state to provide the
money for their schools.
81 looked into this matter very
closely. ! found that my own school
district on Sweetwater creek, where
much of the land is owned by Indians,
would profit from such a law as we
have about 80 pupils in the school at
the present time. The Lewiston, Guide
sac and Clifford schools would have
The toll out of north idaho to support
these south Idaho schools would have
amounted to over $66,500.
"The conditions in south Idaho are
pretty well disclosed by the report of
loans of state money. 1t was brought
out that there are 10 loans, mostly in
south Idaho, involving $347, 900 upon
which no interest has been paid in
more than year and in many in
stances the interest has not been paid
for the past two years. Our particular