Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-01-10
MESSAGE TO THE LEGISLATURE.

GOVERNOR ALEXANDERs message to the legs
II ature makes reference to the states court bill Re
wv Gently when some criticism offered Of Germany
plan OF enforced military service and the cost Of it,
tive Of the Faherland in defending the practice among
other things said that America little better off with
judge or juror strapped to taxpayers back That
number Of judges but with the amount of tga
ton The governor stated correctly when he said 1.-THE
court costs in the state have increased to such extent
as to alarm even some OF the judges themselves and he
warmly ndorses of the recommendations put up to
him by the Judiciary to reduce the bill.
So long as litigation may be continued at public ex
pense part there will be growing disposition to
engage in it, with corresponding increase in burden
that the less light because the public does not
regae 1t IN Its mind from the general tax load The leg
sature should grant the relief the suggests As
the costs sadded onto itigants law suits will be
mlzed or tried less extensively
f. + +
The judicial feature is only of many in thought
full and buslnesske message. 1t practically the
whole range of public affairs and while there portions
of that enrench upon debaabe ground there other
phases that should, and doubt will, meet with almost
universal Endorsement There be question: for
ample to the necessity of rigid economy in the admins
raton of state affairs and this is particularly applicable
to the various Institutions which under the wisest policies
will continue to draw heavily upon the treasury. The
public desires it's educational and other institutions to be
properly maintained, but it does not want unnecessary
trimmings and it will not countenance waste. Moreover
it resents any disposition the part of its to
disregard its wishes; and here is place for the polite
ians of all parties to stick pin.
i. j. T.
The tax burden is largely local Whatever reductions
may be made in the state bill without positive injury to
institutions and without nparng the state prestige
necessarily small compared to the possibilities offered
through reductions IN local governments towns
cities, school and road districts etc Those composing
the units OF government resent state interference, just
states resent national interference in their domestic af
fairs. Nevertheless it is argued by of the best
thorities the tax question that substantial relief will
never be forthcoming until there is less direct
control of local expenditures from the outside
The rebellion to the exercise of state authority
over local taxation would manifest itself if any effort
made to extend it to the tenure of local officials but
if any compromise could be effected would be far more
beneficial to the public to have reasonable of
state control the finances of the units of gov
eminent than to have any Of state control
the mere matter of who fills the Offices with the constant
suspicion that politics rather than justice is the control
ling factor.
The message deals at length with Carey act projects
most important subject The governors observations
denote close study of the situation There is question
though, if adoption of all his recommendations would not
retard possibly STOP investment Carey enterprises
It may be argued that better than the situation
that has developed in sections Yet the fact remains
that If fair balance struck it will be shown that
the attained through Carey operations far out
weighs the failure.
In the process of upbuldng mistakes are inevitable
in the Of pioneering, hardshps be expected
If the great west had awaited erroress and ploWy
would hardly have attained its present greatness
anything like the time. Whatever be done to
protect both the settler and the builder of works
should be done, of course.
Tt is only reasonable to that the legislature will
follow the message recommendation to the enactment
of workmens compensation law that will be Just to all
interests and that it will enact any legislation necessary
to put Idaho in line with the federal plan of rural credits
designed to furnish relief to large and worthy class
of creditors the farmers.
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