Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-01-09
IDAHO GOVERNOR ASKS MORE
POWER; DEMANDS ECONOMY;
URGES A FORTY DAY SESSION


funds. levy for 1916 of $685., 900
has been made, which Is now due and
is being collected. with which to de-
fray the expenditures of the current
year.
i, therefore, recommend that the tax
levy for the next two years shall not
be greater than the levy for the pro-
ceding two years, which was $1,265,-
600 which, together with fees and other
sources of income estimated at $685.
600. should meet the requirements
of the state government for that pc
riod. A repetition of this economy
with wise management and with the
increased valuation which good times
have brought about, will enable the
state to fin a still lower tax ratio than
ever before.
In passing a bill for the tax levy Of
the state. ! suggest that ii be made
flexible. so that the state board of
equalization may be allowed to levy a
tax annually not to exceed $750,009.
and as the tax roll is presented during
the years 1917 and 1918, the proper add
justment of the levy can be made.
The same amount appropriated two
years ago. $21S4. 1850. ought to cover
for the biennium of 1917 and 1918.
There no doubt will be demand made
upon your honorable body to increase
the appropriation for almost every do
partment of state government. That
same plea was made two years ago, rs
it has been made to every legislature.
and /, therefore, emphasize the sug-
gestion that strict economy be adhered
to-
Some departments of the state, such
as the horticultural department pure
food department. livestock sanitary
board, lSlackfoot insane asylum, the
farm for the feeble minded al Naupa,
and few minor institutions We're able
to turn back into the treasury some Of
their app OPERATIONS for which they
had no need.
Large appropriations do not produce
efficiency; waste is not an element If
good government. Economy produces
thrift, and that is what the people
want, and every department of state
government that asks for an increased
appropriation ought TO be wei looked
into and not one dollar approprat "A
more than, is actually required under
the strictest economy coupled with
necessity and the growth of the state.
Although the state has grown "a
population so that ii can now be looked
upon us containing a half million peo-
pie, there are few additional appro-
priations required. on the other hand,
there are some that can be curtailed,
thereby establishing an equilibrium, so
that the appropriation of two years
ago taking into consideration the
growth Of the state, can well be main
tanned and not exceeded.
In state government there is a con-
tinual demand for more efficiency and
economy and in order to bring theta
about necessity arises for the aboli-
ton Of some OF the departments as
they are constituted. A change from
established and existing conditions %
new and progressive ones always meets
With opposition. What has been is
hard to do away with. Every depart
tnent that has fair amount of AL
thority and supports a number Of aa-
ministrators looks upon any snell re-
form with dsfavor, so that when We
bssi nto talk about abolishns o. re
constructing an established depart
ment, there are many TO advise that i
cannot be done and to declare that Il
will interfere Eith business. That al
WIZ y HIS DttIl ana Will at6dAS co l.
tine to be. Great reforms have to 30
made by a boll strike by wedding out
that which is bad and substituting that
which is good. and in making my rec
ommendatian to Your honorable body,
l have taken the broad stand that what
has been found not essential IS II 9t
worth retention. What the people de-
mand is the reconstruction of the de-
partmcnts of state government along
lines or modernism.
in order 20 make any government
efficient concentration md cantralfza-
rion arc required with responsible y
definitely plaeed. In our state there
has grown up desire for IA multi
plicity of boards and commissioners
untH today these overshadew tie rel
state government, and the responsible
ity is taken ON the chief executive,
whore it rightfHlly belongs and whore
the people have a right to look for Z
and il is instead placed in numerous
commissions with very little response
bility.
IN4E