Gunnison news-champion., 1916-04-28

himself with these matters from
taxpayers standpoint. A
number OF petitions will be circu-
lated for initiating bills and the
taxpayers will sign these, lit lie
approaching that this is all very
expensive. Every election costs
money and no one but the tax
payer will pay that cost.
Failure OF Iaw-enforcement is
another source of public liza ability.
Duplicated departments all cost.
| believe in efficiency. and that
form OF economy which is not
consistant with efficiency is the
poorest sort OF ecouomy. But
there are many wastes which are
not necessary for efficiency. A
young man newly venturing up
On the matrimonial sea fully ap-
preciates that when his wife buys
an expensive hat on time that it.
must he paid for later. The busi-
ness man deeply appreciates at
the time that he sign n prOmis-
sorry note that that note must
be paid some day. But in IA pub
lie way We will assume any liabil-
ity, sign our public maine to any
public note or bond and never
worry until the hour of payment
arrives. Then when it is too late,
We listen to the demogogue who
tries to win our favor by telling
us that our neighbor should pay
our taxes and not us. Ii we are
able to reduce that original La
bilitv from 500 to $50 then
each unit OF property will have
to bear IS instead of so tax
burden.
In working our this question
state and counties should work
/ together as n unit. We found
that over 300 insane, for exam
( pie, We're being cared Tor by the
several counties at an average
cost for many OF $40 per month,
while the state could maintain
them at n cost OF about SIS per
month. This relieved the state
OF SIS cost, and from the states
standpoint looked good upon
paper, but was poor economy
for the tax payer who doesn't
know about this but must ulti-
matelv carry the load. 1t was
poor economy that prevented
the Gunnison normal and other
state institutions from doing
their best work.
We should seek to give each
dollar OF invest ment in this state
every protection consistent with
justice and protection to the pub
lie. Ii we want investment en-
couraged we must first protect
the investments that are here.
The utility commission Of Colo
RADIO has adopted as its basic
principal that utility invest
ments should receive every pro-
lection consistent with Justice
ana protection to the public.
The rule heretofore adopted in
putting the dtillty against the
state discouraged investment,
increases the cost of interest and
the cost of utility operation.
There is common ground which
should be sought. The Union
Water company tight with the
municipality OF Denver was a
collosal blunder. The millions
spent by the company and Den
yer was dire waste. If there
had been at that time as there is
now an efficient and honest state
utility commission rates and ser
vice could have been properly
regulated and this great waste
saved both tax payer and utility
investor. This blunder lessened
the confidence of the outside in
stors,increased the tax burden,
decreaed the value of utility Sc
curity, and did no good.
This state has an asset vari-
ously estimated from 1926, ,OOO,-
600 to 600, 1000, 900 in it's school
land. Thereare 3, 200, 600 acres.
There are 500, 900 acres of coal
land, the minimum value of
which is 5000 per acre. This
asset is not for the operator but
lfor the support of the common