The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1915-01-01
REDUCING THE TAXES
Continued from page one

tor the time they gave under those conditions but they
a fair subject for analysis and study at this time
The council meets twice month if there Interruption
and sometimes there is special meeting, but oftener than
about twice under present conditions The average length
of meeting hours and thirty minutes and the total amount
of time consumed in regular and special meetings year
about IS hours For this each member receives $780, about
SLIGO per hour the city about $50 for the expense of
councmen to hold meeting and this does include the ex
pene of clerk mayor and attorney whose salaries we shall speak
of later.
School Board Better Model
The school board handles business than the city
council and they without pay. They are sometimes the
subject of harsh criticism the hands of houghe persons but
this is held check by the knowledge that they donate their SER
vices for public good and when do that higher
aches to their character and their
We Defend The Counciluen
1t will be said, and rightly that the $500 paid to council
year merely pay him for attending meetings
but that he does deal for the city aside from attending
meetings. that he goes about look Streets bitches
and other things and at times when personal sacrifice
him. hat ne subject to interruption any time listen
complaints applications regarding city business and that fix
ing his salary it designed allow something for such things
The same may be said of school trustees and officers of lodge
church committees boards and the Fair association and isl
not more applicable to than to another~
4 Mans Obligation to Government
According to the accepted views of all civilized people,
man owes something his country and his community the way
OF service and is generally summed up giving three FIVE
of the best years his life enlistment in the amy
The experiment in America is give of our time to civil
affairs at all times and keep the public business plane that
makes less demand for military bodies and terms of enlistment
IN them Every in Blackfoo owes the some of his
time every year. and some OF them the of service
in the capacity of councilman without of pay Some other
man owes the town term of service mayor another
toney and others members of its fire department. All of them
the town their times cleaning up premises and
the adjoining and alleys and fighting the weeds but so
long as everything put upon financial basis and mercenary
considerations attach every and for the benefit
self and public such serving the o cleaning the street,
Hrhf,
them of yards and keep surroundings clean and
good long the example from top bottom of the system
demands to receive payment for every natural
quence for people in their shoghedness refuse weeds
on grounds adjoining their homes because they say is the y
property and the cys duty bear the expense The council
has found impossible obedience ordinance de-
signed to compel people to do this and the town has been
run with weeds such that has times been
too great task for the city undertake cutting them would
embarrass the treasury have them public expense The
officials demand payment for their services the abors receive
payment for theirs the people take petty and decline to
work without pay and when the police order them the
weeds adjacent to Them they refuse the ground that the officials
have not cut theirs that their neghbors did do their part
last and the spirit of seshness grows until all generous
impulses and public spirit mothered the demands for
nicpa aid semprivae interests and the
mounting higher to pay for it.
Note of Wanng
The whole system has been working in the wrong direction
for number of years. and prosperous community has uncon
scousy drfted into ways that would ultimately lead serious
ebarrassments One of the greatest of popular evil
is carry any given work When conditions become
bad that popular agitation has to be started awaken activity
in that matter it is continued until becomes popular demand
and to do the things agreed upon being essential becomes
hobby and followed such extremes that note of warning
has be sounded against and the who gives the warning
condemned for doing Long after should have been needed
the receives attention. there reaction against what has
been popular the public mind becomes shocked the
to which matters have been carried and general condemnation
pronounced against the good that has been done Baoot
subject such extremes, and the climax of
its mistakes 1t has been ecedng from Others and will
ecede from these when people understand what they