The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1917-07-20

and otherwise copies OF le * sIat!on and
other information that might be vaIu-
convene Much valuable material has
been Sathered, many good suggestions
made. all Of which will be submitted
Tor the consideration of this body Re-
aiming that the members of this body
would be called from their business
ANXIOUS to return, sulicitous of eSpe-
dltlnS the session, the material has
been gathered and it is hoped viii be
OF aid t. YOU. 1t will be placed at
your service,
IN the past work of the various com
mlttees all services have been volun-
tary except certain clerical, steno-
Sraphlc and like expenses, but as
tune goes on many citizens who will
be useful in this work cannot afford
Tor months to give their time. Fur
ther. other expenses Will be incurred
ana some provision should be made for
the executive to meet such expenses
Under the advice of the War Advisory
council a commission has Just been
sent to Washington, the mission of
which viii be to aid our Colorado dele
CATION in Congress in calling attention
TO many grave matters in this state.
such as the location of cantonments,
the letting of contracts and other rec
ognitlon by the national government.
While this committee will ask nothing
whatever for their time it is but rea-
sonable the expense incurred should be
borne by the state. Some provision
should be made for like steps as oc-
casion arises.
Warrants Issued on Account of MnbiI-
ization of the National Guard of the
State In 1915.
Due to an oversight this was not
taken care OF at your last sitting.
:. Appropriation for the support of
the State soldiers and sailors Home.
LEGISLATION.
The legislation asked divides itself
into two classes: financial and miscel-
ianeous. The revenue produced should
p a n lyrn1 fa1p txky, h
lion. Various modes of raising this
revenue have been and will be sug-
sested; income tax. increased inheri-
tance tax. increased poll tax for men,
poll tax for women, tax on corpora
tions, millage levy. a bond issue. All
should be considered The provision
and, therefore. should not involve long
drawn-out contests upon the floor Of
the Assembly, legal attacks or delay
In payment. Further, it should be
eQuitably distributed and the burden
should not all fall at once 1t should
be such provision as can be collect
ed by the present machinery of the
state and without additional expense.
A further consideration is. it is now
but an estimate of how large a fund
will be required and such a provision
should be made that the amount of the
revenue laid would be dependent upon
the necessities of the state. The as
sessed valuation of the state is some
thing over sl,2ll,000,o00. A small per
centage mill levy would not be bur
deusome, not subject to constitutional
or other legal objections, would be
collectible with the present machinery
and be Immediately available. An au-
thOrlzed bond issue of $1,000, 900 with
power to sell according to the neces7
stiles of our state life, would be wise.
No burden would arise unless the
bonds We're issued and sold. No bonds
should be sold not required by the ex
igencieS of the future. A means for
the payment of the interest of such
bonds are sold and for creating a
sinking fund for their redemption may
be provided through reimbursement OF
the state by the national government.
In this connection it must be remem-
bered, but not confidently relied upon.
that it has been the custom of the ma
tional government to ultimately refund
to the state the cost of mobilization
1t is to be presumed that this will be
done in the future.
Should any of the legislation suR-
gested for the purpose of raising reve-
nue involve protracted delay in con-
sideration, 1T could be deferred until
the meeting of the next General AS
sembly and then enacted to provide a
sinking fund to meet any of the bonds
outstanding.
financial legislation, it is urged that
small millage levy be provided and
a bond issue authorized and that the
attention of the Assembly be addressed
to the early passage of these meas
ures.
Immediate action is also urged upon
legislation pfONldlnP IN some form Tor
a state guard to take the place of the
National Guard when mustered into
federal service.
The request for expedition in the en-
actment of the laSt-mentioned legis-
lation must not be construed min
| imizing the Importance of other legis-
lation embraced within the executive
call. Great consideration has been Civ
en- by members Of your body and by
other citizens to the grave questions
which will come before your body for
u ,,ytJ ,INy,,t
members covering all questions EN-,
braced by this message, which will
greatly aid your action.
1t is to be earnestly hoped that the
session will be brief and that your la
bors may be in every way satisfactory
to you and to our state. Valuable will
throughout the nation if the fact can
be that our lawmaking body has met
and has promptly and without dissent
enacted all needful legislation.
Colorado has Loyalty responded to
every duty thus far imposed. A call
for S1,OOO,O00 for the Red Cross; ST.
100000 given. sl0,000,O00 asked for
Liberty Bonds; $4,000, 900 subscribed.
ing stupendous labor, intricate diff
culties, done practically without ex-
pense to the nation Let US not be
vision for our soldiery, for the main
tenance of domestic peace and order
Do we realize that every enlisted man
Solelnnly coVehails 70 uie ~ neeoesat
for his country? And can we doubt
that many of these manly young sol
diers who pass with their flying
colors and their martial tread, will fall
in death in a foreign land before the
flowers of June bloom again?
In conclusion. this great Republic Of
ours has decided Alright every question.
foreign and domestic. which has come
to its judgment, and has prevailed in
the contest involved. Divinely guided
it has decided upon its course in this
world war, and divinely blessed will
prevail in the struggle consequent and
when the clouds of war HIT and 1t has
righteously as the great world power
adjusted the difficulties between the
nations, all the peoples of the earth
Will call it blessed.
An accomplished orator has rightly
said:
In every turn of fortune, God has
stood by the Republic. Phil
osophers may argue 8 they Will,
and ratinnaliSm may draw It's con-