Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1916-10-20
A TAXLEss srArE


For the last year or so Mr.. ID w
Davis, a banker of American Fails
and now the republican nominee for
governor, has been promuleatine
among the people of Idaho a plan
whereby he proposes to make Idaho
taxless state. It was largely by rea-
son of this plan that he was nomin-
ated for governor in the state pri
mary election, and he hopes that ii
Will result in his election to this ONCE
at the coming November election.
He is man of honor and i@egrity
and Is regarded as a safe and con
sentative banker, so his plan de.
serves a thoro investigation and con
sideration by the voters of the state.
The plan, as it is generally known,
Is to sell the lands owned by the
state and apply the income from the
proceeds In payment of the expenses
OF the state government Which are
now mostly raised by direct taxation
And in considering this plan it is
well to understand that the land
owned by the state came to it thru
government grants for specific pur-
poses and that no land grant has
been made by the government to
the state of Idaho for the purpose of
the general running expenses of the
state, including roads, bridges, bond
ed indebtedness and interest there
on, etc, except perhaps the State
capitol bonds. So 1t is mere idle talk
about paying such expenses from the.
sale of the state lands.
1t must be conceded that if all the
state lands are sold within the near
future and the interest on the pro-
ceeds applied in support of the state
institutions for which the land was
granted, including the public schools.
our state taxes would be materially
reduced SO Far as the levies for these
spectre purposes are concerned, but
II is not at all probable that this in
come would be ample to support
these institutions as they should be
supported, without further taxation
Tor that purpose. But be that an II
may, there Is another side to this
plan which is of very grave imnort
ance. side that should be serionsiy
considered by every voter OF the state
before approving this plan by the
election OF Mr.. Davis.
The leaders OF the early settlers
OF this section of the country we've
men OF broad vision, men who saw
into the future as few of us have
Deen able to see. They saw as if were
me posslbility OF greet empire In
THIS lntermountain country, the foun-
cation of which would be the tiIIers
OF the soil, prosperous farmers with
happy homes, and they planned az.
cordtng to this foresight And il has
SCCAA RAONS0 LnAN the vision of
these great leaders was clear and
their prophecy true. But the lands
tor additional farms and homes are
becoming scarcer each year and the
most OF those now available for that
purpose are the state lands which
are now being sold in small uuan-
titles each year for farming mr.
poses. Shall this wise plan he nar-
mitted to continue. thus giving the
young men as they grow to man
mood an opportunity to get farms
from the state on long and reasonabIe
terms, or shall we permit all OF these
lands to be sold in the near future
made an object of speculation and
exploitation in order that the state
may temporarily gain from the
standpoint OF dollars and cents? Ia
the state of Idaho SO bent on money
making that 1t will forget and ne
eject the future welfare of the com
ing gneratfon. the now little bows ana
girls? Shall the politicians of thts
state be permitted to take from
Lnese boys and girls the lands fhaf
should by right be held for them ,
Voters of Bear Lake county This
proposed plan is a serious matter
Tor you to consider. On the one SIDE
you near the Jingle OF the dollars.
on Lhe other side you hear the cafl
OF the children tor homes when lnev
grow into manhood and womanhoo1
which viii you heed at the noiisq