American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1916-10-12
ONE OF THE MISTAKES OF MOSES.
Case of Faulty Memory Regarding State Levy, or
What Would You Call 1t?

During his address here last week Governor Alex
ander made this statement:
When the lower house meta majority of the
lower ~house-passed a bill in a hurry making a levy
for state purposes of $2,000,000, which was 100000
more than was levied under Haines. They passed
that so quick it would make your head swim. l cal
led the chairman of the committee on state affairs
of the House, Mr.. Peter Johnston, a Republican and
the majority leader of the House and | asked Mr..
Johnson, who is a Republican and an honest man
l don't think every man who ~disagrees with me is
dishonest, and l said to him., You are robbing the
people out of $500, 900 just because l am a Democrat
He said 4 know it, but l don't know whether I can
stop it or not, but l will see what l can do"
That's a pretty nice sounding talk, even if it was
never had. Let us note the record of the =
bill No. 1856, by the committee on state affairs COM
posed of both Republicans and Democrats. Intro
duced and read first time, February 25. Reported
printed February II. Read second time, March 2.
Read third time, and passed, March 3. For the bill
SO; against, none; absent 7, four Republicans and
three Democrats. Sent to the senate March A.
Now if Nose was being walked on, and the state
was being robbed, just because he was a Democrat,
WHERE WERE L THOSE DEMOCRATIC
MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE? Why did not some
of them vote to save the state and help the governor
make his heroic fight?
Because THERE WAS NO CONTROVERSY.
The bill was identical with the one passed two years
before, and read as follows: 'That there is hereby
levied an annual advalorem tax NOT TIC EXCEED
ONE MILLION DOLLARS for each of the fiscal
years of 1915 and 1916, upon all the property of Ida
no not exempt from taxation" for general state pur-
poses. NOT TO EXCEED mind you, and leaving it
up to the state board of equalization to fix the lew
at any lesser amount that would meet the needs of
the government. The Haines administration did
not levy the maximum. Neither would the Alexdn-
der administration have had to levy the maximum.
Our school trustees are permitted to levy ten mills.
That is their maximum. Most of them levy one, two
or three, instead.
And Further: MR.. PETER JOHNSTON, whom
the governor says, lis a Republican and AN HON
EST MAN says that HI GOVERNOR NEVER
When this bill reached the senate it was amended
by the senate finance committee to reduce the lew to
S75O,OOO per annum and passed under suspension of
the rules by a vote of 27 to 0; absent, six.
Hon. Nathan Kicks, chairman of the senate f.
nance ommittee, SAYS GOVERNOR ALEXAN-
DER A NO SUCH TALK WITH HIM AS HE
CLAIMS TO HAVE HAD.
A unanimous vote in both House and Senate would
not indicate that there was ever any strife over the
bill. The senate is responsible for reducing the max
imum that COULD be levied. The state board of
equalization, composed of the governor, attorney
general, secretary of state, state auditor and state
treasurer, / MEMBERS, NOT ONE, are respon-
slble for fixing the amount that is levied. Each OF
the members have equal power, the vote of each of
the other four counted for as much as that of the
governor, and all are entitled to the same credit.
The vote was unanimous in fixing the amount of the
levy, and also indicates that there was no difference
of opinion.