The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1915-01-05
ALEXANDER URGES STATEWIDE PROHIBITION
BY LEGISLATIVE ENACTMENT
RAMSTEDT REPORT RELEASED
Message Discusses Taxation Public Finance, Appro-
priations, Departments of State, County and
City Government and Compensation Law
By d. w. GREENBURG
(Staff Writer for The Star -MirrOr)

l. HO hJt0A --AhA LUZ
their chosen servant, the governor O
the state.
All power of government is vested il
the people. They are the sovereigns
Their officers, elective or appointive
are simply the means to accomplish
an end. If l understand the voice O
the people correctly, l must state tha
they desire from your hands and mine
a complete reconstruction of the af
fairs of the state government upor
lines of efficiency and economy, and es
pecially upon the question of taxation
They desire the lowest taxes to be lev
led upon them that are consistent with
hesdignity and necessities of the state
You are the law making power. Tc
you look the people of the state to re-
spond to their wishes. Their message
above all others is the demand for
lower taxes. To that demand l have
consecrated the best efforts of my life
| am here now to plead with you to
listen to the words of the people. our
masters, and to cooperate with me to
carry their mandates into execution. [
hope that your devotion to their cause
may result, and l believe that it will re-
suit, in such hearty cooperation be-
tween the legislative and executive de-
n9rfn1nntc nf tho cfo 10 f0 hrfy, J., -
wishes of the people into practical re-
alization.
The law abiding spirit prevailing
among the people of this state necessi-
tates very few new laws to be passed
by your body We have too many laws.
The repeal of some of the laws that
we have on the statute books would be
a blessing to the people. The old idea
that to best serve the people is to
make more laws is obsolete. 1t is as
obsolete as the doctrine that to create
more taxes is of more benefit to the
people who pay them
The paramount question today in all
state governments of this American
union, as we'll as all the governments
Of the world, is the question of taxa
ton. The people of the state of Idaho
are as wideawake on this question as
are any people in the world. If l am
charged with anything, above all 9TH
ers, | am charged by the people of this
state to bring to you their demand for
over taxes. Taxes must be lowered.
The burden of taxation must be light
med. 1t must begin right under the
ONE of this capitol; it must start right
rom the office of the governor; from
he halls of the legislature it must be
arried to every court house in every
ounty in the state, to every municip- II
lity and to every school district. 1t (;
5 not alone necessary that we think
bout this, but the duty of the hour
emands that we act promptly in the +;
olution of this question above all else. ;
| have an abiding faith in your honor
nd in your integrity. l ask that you {
with me in this demand of |
le people-that this demand of the t
eOple shall be our first and most i'm I
Ortant undertaking. So urgent has S
lis demand for lower taxes become G
lat all of the great political parties e
: the state in their platform conven-
ons declared in favor thereof. Lower g
.xes is the absolute charge given you n
' the people of the state of Idaho. s
New machinery of government may Fl
!, proposed, theories may be ad
lnced, but all will fall to the ground Il
,cause the people do not want them. r.
ne people are little concerned about Il
ly new laws that we pass that will IL
cate more taxes Their minds are d
ntered upon one thing-how little D
n we pay and ought we to pay for
e maintenance of the government. m
A people whose very nature is obedi- v,
ce to the law, both moral and d. st
le; whose occupation is largely that tt
tilling the soil; who have homes, OF
nools and churches carrying their B.
ms and ideas of civilization to re
higher perfection such people OF
ed but very few laws. Government &C
Continued on Page - di
-