The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1917-09-04
THE NON-PARTISAN LEAGUE

and purposes of the Non-partisan
League as explained by one of its or
ganizers.
The questions raised are all at least
debatable and their adoption should
depend on their conformity to sound
principle and to sound practice. The
issue so far as water power and pow
er sites are concerned is a practical
one. Theoretically, there is no OBJ
lection to the ownership by the gov
eminent of anything which is in it
self a natural monopoly, and power
sites are prominently such. The
wisdom of so doing is often question
ed by those who believe regulation to
be more effective
There is a great deal of talk of
undeveloped power in the intermoun-
tain country and that with good reas-
on There is a proposition pending
in congress to turn power sites now
held by the government over TO the
several states for disposal by them.
WutlntI SuCu SUES hnOulQ NC III Aui II
leased under restrictions to private
corporations, or whether they should
be held by the states and developed
in competition with previously exist
ing private corporations is practical
one, which deserves the most careful
attention at this time, lest such sites
should be turned over to states,
and transmitted by them to power
companies without proper safeguards
Whether the remedy advocated by the
league in this case is the correct one
or not. it certainly deserves credit
for focusing attention on the ques-
ton at this time.
The ownership by the state of mills,
elevators, cold storage plants, etc, is
a sort of extension of governmental
authority which should be attempted
only in case of imperative need and
with extreme caution. In a case OF
this kind the burden of proof lies on
those who would make a change. This
does not mean that if the balance Of
DtutAAlo " lAC community
as a whole should be clearly on the
side of the innovation, that il should
still not be adopted because it is an
innovation. But a man who would
would be foolish to do so on a large
scale without proper experiment and
without being morally certain from an
examination of the character of the
of the habits and previous history Of
the plant. that it would grow here
successfully. Surmises. guesses, spec
ulations in case of this kind are
make the change have the real
goods" they should produce them and
should receive a fair hearing, with
the same degree of critical care that
those asked to endorse the plan would
give to their own private business af-
fairs. The organization of rural cred
it banks would require little extension
of banking laws now existing
The principle involved in taking
taxes from farm improvements is not
new but the plan to take them from
farm improvements alone without a
corresponding reduction in taxes on
urban improvements is wholly unfair.
Taxing Improvements discourages i'm
proving; untaxing improvements en-
courages improving This is a simple
and automatic proposition that is in
controvertible. But if you take taxes
off some improvements and not off
all, you place an extra tax on the
sort of improvements which you do
not untax. For instance, Jones erects
a $4,000 house in the country and
Smith a similar house in town. II
YOU take all the taxes off the Smith
house in the municipality. you raise
the taxes on all other property in the
county. including Jones house, tC
make up the sum necessary for the
conduct of county business. Untaxine
Smiths house you increase the taxes
on the Jones' house and on all other
houses in similar situation.
What is sauce for the goose, Is
sauce for the gander." If it is gooC
TO untax improvements in the tow
it is good to untax them in the coun
try and vice versa. Land is often helC
from its best uses in towns as wei
as in the country in order to escap'