Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-02-27
s enate Bill Authorizing
Thorough Inquiry Into
Department From Time
State Was Admitted
Passed by House.
LAND BOARD GIVEN
THE SUPERVISION
Appropriation of $4,000
Made to Pay the Cost
Attempt by Republicans
to Amend the Bill Fails.

There will be sweeping investisa-
ton of the state land department COW
ering a period from the state was ad-
mitted into the union up to Jan. J..
1917, for the house of representatives
today, after short filibuster, passed
senate bill No. los, by Hill, SO provid-
lng. The governor will, it Is under
stood in legislative circles, approve
the bill, as 1t is in the form of an ad-
ministration measure. The state audi
tor Is empowered to conduct the invcs-
tigation and will be given the assist
ance of the necessary experts. The
state land board is given general
supervision over it. An appropriation
Of $4,000 is made to bear the eX-
pense of the investigation.
| PLEDGED TO INVESTIGATION.
BY the passage of this bill the way
h paved for a probe into the affairs
Of the state land department such as
has never before been authorized
Statewide interest win be centered on
the findings made by the state audi
tor and his Sorce of special assistants
empowered to proceed with the inves-
present state administration, particu-
1arly State Auditor Van Deusen, made
their respective campaigns on the pre-
vious record OF the land board and
land department.. They are pledged to
a thorough investigation. The Demo-
cratic state platform so pledges and
goes so far as to declare for n grand
jury investigation to follow the inspec-
tion of the department il the evidence
therein discovered warrants it.
MUST FINISH BY JULY, 1918.
BY the terms of the bill the land
board is required, not later than April
1917, to proceed to Immediately carry
into effect the provisions of the act
Said state auditor" it is set forth in
the bill. lis hereby empowered by and
with the consent of the state board of
land commissioners, and not otherwise
to employ such reliable accountants at
such salary or wage as may be agreed
upon by said state board of land com
missioners, for the purpose of carrying
out the provisions of this act. The
immediate detailed work and procedure
of such person or persons as may be
employed in making the said audit and
installing said books, shall be under
the supervision of the state auditor
subject to such general orders said
state board of land commissioners may
make governing the same. Said ex-
animation and audit shall be com
pleted before July /. 1918, and a full
and complete detailed report of the
findings of the state auditor in relation
to said examination and audit, shall be
made in triplicate, and copy thereof
filed with the governor the attorney
general, the secretary of state and a
comprehensive synopsis thereof shall
be forthwith published for the infor-
nation and benefit of the people of
the state Of Idaho. and printed or
typewriter copy of said report in full
shall be furnished to the speaker of
the house of representatives and TO
the president of the senate of the
Fifteenth session of the legislature
OF the state of Idaho"
It is understood that this measure Is
q compromise in the matter Of the state
land department and meets the APP
proval of those members of the admin
istration who were at one time divided
as to the plan to be adopted for the
Investigation.
CLAIM STRINGS ATTACHED.
Representatives Hubbard and Dris-
coll of Ada thought the bill should be
amended so AS to give the state auditor
fall and complete control of the eX-
animation without strings" being at :
tached to him by the land board. They
held the state auditor had gone before
the people on the investigation issue
and no stumbling blocks should be
thrown in his way. While they favored
the spirit of the measure, they said,
they thought 1t should be amended so
providing. Driscoll moved to send the
bill to the committee of the whole for
amendment The motion was lost by
o vote of SO to 26, party lines being
drawn. Driscoll the mover, voted
against the motion. The bill was
PASSED by vote of 81 to A. Representa-
tive Anderson of Bonneville, Barner,
May and Streitz voting against it.
REVISE SCHOOL TAXATION.
The house also passed series Of
educational bills of Importance to the
schools of the state. The most import
ant measure, Representative s;hearer,
chairman OF the committee on educa :
tom. explained was house bill No. 257,
which allows the commissioners of the
respective counties to levy n tax for
school purposes Of not to exceed SIS
per capita. This bill takes from the
school district trustees the power Of
ieving taxes for their respective dis
tricts and allows the county commits
sioners to levy all of the taxes. In be-
half Of the bill il was claimed that IL
will do justice to the various school
districts in the matter Of bringing
about a more equal distribution Of
taxes. Where districts have a heavy
assessed valuation and small school