The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1916-08-18
BARKER EXPLAINS Posi-.
TONS ON PROBLEMS
OF OFFICE !
CONTINUED from first page.)

no time to make personal canvass OF
the state. / am paid to be on the job.
During my incumbency the work of
the secretary of states office has
greatly increased. Figures from time
to time have been placed before the
public showing the large increased
volume of work in this office. This
additional burden has been carried
without added expense to the tax
payers and with the same number of
employees as when l entered upon my
official duties and with a smaller ap-
preparation from the legislature than
for the two years previous to my in
cumbency.
The following is brief synopsis of
my views upon state issues:
State Highways.
A generous appropriation by the
next legislature for state highway
purposes. The federal appropriation
which becomes available to Idaho is
upon fifty-fifty basis and to make
this federal money available the state
will have to put up dollar for dollar.
The state highway commission, of
which am member, has commenced
work upon the much-talked-of north
and south highway by the employment
of convict labor at Whitebird On ac-
count of the lack of population and of
valuation in the country through which
the north and south highway is to be
built. believe that the heavy burden
of the expenditure should be borne by
the state at large.
Irrigation Projects.
Suits in ejectment by the state
against companies which are not in
good faith attempting to furnish the
amount of water agreed to be furn-
ished in their contracts with the
settlers.
The Land Board.
The method of handling the land
business Of the state has outgrown the
limitations placed upon this depart
ment by the constitution. l advocate
constitutional amendment whereby
a state board of land commissioners
shall have charge of this work, and
direct responsibility for it. The state
land board, as provided by the con-
stitution, is too far removed from the
inception and progress of the work of
the department Direct attention to
: and direct responsibility for this de-
partment can only be brought about
by board directly responsible. The
land board has to depend upon the
state engineer whom it does not ap-
point, has to depend upon legal talent
which it does not hire, and is power
less to hold responsible agencies which
it cannot create but for whose acts it
is held responsible. This suggestion
is not a new one with me but has been
advocated by me ever since I became
a member of the land board, realizing
its limitations and its suspension from
the active work of this department
Farm Loans.
Six percent interest on the amorti-
cation plan, one per cent of the in
terest paid applying upon the prin-
cipal. 1t was upon my motion that
the land board reduced interest on
farm loans from per cent to per
cent. Care must be exercised lest too
low interest shall reduce the returns
to the school fund and thus add to
the burden of general taxation. 1t
would be obviously unfair to favor
the small percentage of citizens who
secure farm loans over the large per-
centage of taxpayers who do not Sc
cure farm loans.
Convict Labor.
The operation of plant at the peni-
Tertiary, the output of which would
not interfere with the rights of labor
in Idaho. AS member of the state
board of prison commissioners, | have
been active in an effort to secure the
operation of such plant, the cost
of installation to be paid from the
profits. At one time such plan was
suggested and negotiations were pend
ing when the war in Europe inter
fered with the market for raw mater
ials used by the company which made
the overture for the construction OF
such plant.
Convict labor has been used by the
state highway commission and state
prison commissioners upon the Sho-
shone grade last year and at White
bird this year. The distance from the
penitentiary in both cases has been
such that only the most reliable
TRUSTEES could be sent out on this work
In the cause of humanity the state
should have an operating plant of
some sort inside the prison walls as
the convict road labor does not en-
ploy a sufficient number of convicts,
not because of a lack of work for
them, but because of the risk involved
in their employment outside the walls
Taxation.
Public utilities commission should
have added powers of tax commission
by constitutional amendment. Present
system of equalizing state taxes in
adequate. Elective officials comprising
Switchboard of equalization have little
time to study taxation problems Re-
pudiation of debts not saving. Each
administration should take care of its
own obligations and not leave them
for succeeding administrations One