The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1915-01-05

1914 to make levy for interest OF
any kind and the money was taken
out of the sinking fund to pay the in
terest, amounting to $100867.50. This
is absolutely, in my opinion, contrary
to law. 1t is only a subterfuge used
to make the taxpayer think that taxes
are lower, when, in reality the levy
will have to be made to reimburse this
fund at some future time, This con-
dition confronts you now. The abso-
lutte disregard of the written mandate
of the law, as has been done in this
case, is, wrong and should be investi-
gated and the blame placed where it
belongs.
The way to accomplish the reform of
lower taxes is to forget the past; to
forget the precedent that has estab-
lished these very conditions, and for
this session of the legislature to start
out on lines that will form new pro-
cedure. What has BEEN has been
largely repudiated by the people. What
they want is a new order of condi-
lions. In order to accomplish these
reforms your cooperation is respect
fully solicited.
Continuing Appropriations
The first step toward the proper So
luton of this problem is to repeal all
continuing appropriations made by all
preceding legislatures which are made
to run continuously and relate to the
following institutions and depart
ments:
Section "a, chapter 104, Session
laws, 1909, relating to the Game de-
partment. Section 4, chapter 1879, Ses-
sion laws, 1913, Pure Seed law, Sec
ton 142, chapter s, page 235, Revised
Code, Travelling Expenses of the At
torney General. Article 101, chapter
~, Session laws, 1911, State Militia.
Chapter $50, page 57S, Session laws,
1918, Bee Inspector.
OOHLluulllS dpplOpl IdIlOlio al z dDoO-
lutely wrong and have no place in
free country. The dead have no right
to legislate for the living. The pre-
ceding legislatures that passed these
laws and made these appropriations
available, have died by limitation of
law. You are the living agency to
which the people look for relief and to
which agency they now speak. Upon
your shoulders rests the responsibility
to the people and not on the legisla-
lures of the past. There should be no
time lost to repeal the last vestige of
this kind of legislation upon the stat
ute books of our state. There are many
of the state which are
spending money without your author
ity by reason of these continuing APP
You are responsible to
the people for the money so expend-
ed. You have no voice, under your
oath of office to authorize these ex-
penditures nor the appointment of men
who spend the money Let the first
effort be made by your honorable body
to wipe out this legislation, begotten
by ages of the past, unfit for a free
and repudiated by the best
minds among legislative authorities.
A fair illustration of what continu-
ing appropriations mean is best given
by house bill 1856, approved March 10,
1911, an act providing for the organ
zation, discipline and requirements of
the organized militia of this state. Sec
ton 101 of said act makes an appro-
oriation of 100000 per annum, and
makes the appropriation of said
continuing, which will make
he appropriation 100000 for the
years 1915-1916. I am in possession
If an itemized statement from
one of the officers in charge of
he said department, recommending
he appropriation for these two years
If $4O,52O00. If this law is allowed
@ stand we will be compelled to take
out of the pockets of the taxpayers
s9,48000 that is not needed, and thus
set a premium upon the reckless ex-
oenditure of public funds. Other ex-
amples might be cited, but this exam
de alone is sufficient to demonstrate
clearly the absolute necessity of re-
)ealing all continuing appropriations.
In order to make the principle OF
efficient, no special apro-
)riation bills should be passed by your
,ody appropriating dollar of money
or any purpose. There should be one
appropriation bill passed and only one.
Special bills appropriating money have
,een passed from time to time by pre-
rious sessions of the legislature. This
S one of the first steps towards ex-
ravagance No one knows the amount
appropriated under such conditions I'M
il after the legislature adjourns and
he proper amounts are then tabulated. |