The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1919-08-29
|DAHO'S CABINET
IS MAKING GOOD
SECOND INSTALLMENT OF RE-
PORT OF FIRST FOUR MONTHS
OF ADMINISTRATION

Larger receipts and decreased of
flee expenses have been the outstand-
ing features of reports recently made
by Jay Gibson, commissioner of the
department of commerce and industry,
who is exercising the duties of the
former banking commissioner and also
supervising the activities of the
state insurance manager and the
director of insurance Commissioner
Gibson has reduced his office ex-
penses more than $1,000 in the past
six months and in the same period his
receipts show an increase of several
hundred dollars over 1918.
eve are endeavoring to take per-
sonal interest in each individual
bank" reads a part of a statement
of policy issued by Mr. Gibson. "In
several instances improved forms
have been suggested to bank directors
and occasionally we have found our
selves able to proffer new methods
evolved both in Idaho and in other
states"
Credit for advertising the recent
resale of state lands at Rexburg, a
transaction which netted the general
fund $187,000 must go to the de-
partment of immigration, labor and
statistics, of which O. H. Barber, a
former newspaperman, is commission
er.
Commissioner Barber has been seri-
ously handicapped by lack of office
room, but, nevertheless, he has man
aged to amass statistics with regard
to irrigation, farm lands, livestock
and other important strands in the
Idaho commercial fabric which will
prove immensely valuable to the seek
er for information.
Vigor, efficiency and substantial
achievement have characterized the
administration of C. A. Elmer, COM
missioner OF the department of public
investments.
the duties of the former state register
and in addition experimenting the col
lection of interest on all certificates
of sale of both land and timber, a
labor thrust first upon the land board
and later upon the state treasurer.
Commissioner Elmer reported at a
recent meeting of the governors
cabinet that the collections of his de-
partment for the seven months ending
July 81 were approximately $500 900
greater than the ingatherings of the
same period in 1918.
Legal action is being relied upon to
many of the state loans.
Sales already have been made in
several instances and there are now
At cases in the courts which will be
carried to a prompt conclusion.
In other years suits have been COM
upon overdue loans but only
one case ever came to trial and final
sale largely because of deterrent
action on the part of cautious land
ooard Concentration of authority in
the hands of the present investments
has prevented interfer-
snce Of this particular character,
save in unusual instances.
Many mortgages so heavily encum-
1ered that their character has become
more than dubious have been cleared
and other unfortunate loans either
nave been foreclosed or rewritten on
he basis of a sane valuation of the
property involved.
Strikingly comprehensive are the
iuties which were assumed by Miles
Cannon, commissioner of agriculture,
when the Davis bill became effective
April l. Every product poured from
daho's generous horn of plenty re-
'eives his attention and 65 per cent
# the entire population of the state
viii be reached by one or another of
he activities he supervises. Under
us direct jurisdiction comes property
n agricultural lands and livestock
-alued at 1886, 100000.
By cooperating with the university
extension department with a recently
board of agricultural ad-
Users, Commissioner Cannon has di-
ect access to all of the states varied
gencies of food productions and
trough, them, of course, reaches
very Idaho community. j. R. Fields
f Emmett, John A. Brown of Twin
falls, Dean E. J. Iddings of Moscow,
Hugh Sproat of Boise, Clay Vance of
1ackay, George Butler of American
falls, Charles L. Trigg of Coeur
'Alene, Ray w. FELTON, of Boise and
.eo Marsters of Meridian are the nine
nembers of the state advisory board.
Consideration of departmental
chievements on behalf of the farmer
reduces a succint itimized narrative
0 the effect that grades have been
and advertised all over the
United States on Idaho potatoes, hay,
rain, apples, prunes and cherries,
lat the Idaho farmer has been pro
scted with market reports in the form
regular bulletin service; that
lpable individuals have been licensed
J weigh grain at the various bonded
in the state; that grades,
spections and tests have been made
)r all species of grain; that sufficient
lspectors have been put in the field
guard the farmer against injustice;
lat examinations have at once been
ade wherever charges of fraudulent
Ealing have been preferred and that
gorous campaigns have been launch
against both animal and plant dis
ses of every description.
"It is our DESIRE" declared Commits
oner Cannon recently, "to protect the
rmer adequately from the time he
its his seed in the ground to the
oment he receives his check. If we
e able to pursue this policy success
lily, we will feel amply repaid for
IN every effort.