The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1919-09-11
WHAT ALEXANDER LEFT
FOR THE REPUBLICANS
SOME OF THE DIFFICULTIES
OVERCOME BY GOV. DAVIS
AND LEGISLATURE.
Especial Correspondence

4 DdrGIll HUH Tic oliiStoi AA5e'SS S-~~
considerable transformation has been
distributed over the state either LOT
political effect adverse to the present
state administration OF innocently IN
the guise of hastily written, news
stories. Those who are concerned In
the matter from the standpoint OF OPP
position to the Republican administra-
ton are pretending to make 1t appear
that a world Of money is being expend-
ed in excess of the normal or neces-
sary expenditures.
This is far from the truth as the
official records show.
What Alexander Left
To begin with, the present state ad-
ministration was left legacy or Sl,-
621,31311 by the Alexander admins
tration, that 1t had to provide In order
to reestablish the states credit and
place Idaho on a cash basis.
From 1915 to 1918 both inclusive,
the Alexander administration failed
to levy $6O6,313.l1, which was neces-
sary to meet the expenses that the
Alexander administration itself incur
red This deficiency had to be met by
the last legislature and the present
administration.
Moreover, when the late Governor
Haines turned the reins OF administra-
ton over 10 Governor Alexander, there
was an actual cash balance of $747,-
900 in the treasury. This was all used
by the Alexander administration. The
Alexander administration also spent
for expenses 1921 900 insurance for the
. soldiers home and the Lewiston nor
NAL school fires $4,000 that was pro-
yided for the Snake river bridge and
$4,000 similarly provided for the Gem
irrigation district.
All these items total nearly $1,625,-
600. In addition the Alexander admin
istration created deficiency in 1918 OF
$217,1S530 in current expenses,
= This total of $1,S5OO0O represents
the cost in money to this date of the
Alexander administration. In other
words 1t was in debted that much and
the present administration had to
make 1t up.
Limit on Bonds.
The present administration was also
confronted with the fact that the con-
stltutional limit on bonded indebted
ness of 81, 000, 900 had been reached
within less than $4,000, so 1t was nee
essary, in order to defray the grow
ing expenses of state government,
which had increased in harmony with
expenses of every business and every
family in the state, to make appro-
priation and levy a direct tax. But
for this constitutional limitation, much
of this money would have been raised
by bond issues, thereby avoiding di-
rect taxation.
1t will be recalled that $9S0,000 was
appropriated for highways to which
there can be no objection by those
who are interested In the growth and
development of the state. One hun
bred and seventeen thousand dollars
was appropriated for tuberculosis hos
pitfalls, which are certainly need in view
of the spread of the white plague in
Idaho.
In addition there was appropriated
$91l, 1857 for the following items:
Gen Irrigation District, $119,456;
Idaho Technical Institute, land, $780,
000 Soldiers Settlement Board, $780,
O00 Soldiers Memorials, $4,000; Lava
Hot Springs improvement, $4,000;
Snake River Improvements, $4,000;
Kootenai River bridge, $4,000; Star
Mccall state highway s75,OOOO. Spo-
kane River Improvements, $4,000; Ar
row Rock road $4,000; Shoshone Falls
Park, $4,000; Soldiers Home rebuild
ing $4,000; State Penitentiary i'm
provements, $4,000; Northern Idaho
insane asylum, $4,000 Idaho insane
asylum and hospital, $4,000; Idaho
state sanitarium building, 100000;
University of Idaho buildings, $74,S61;
Idaho Technical Institute building, &c.
900; Industrial Training school build
ing, 1900; school for. the deaf and
blind, $63,25O Total $911,267.
All these improvements were COM
paratively necessary for for the state
certainly has to- take care of its in
situations and of those unfortunates
dependent upon it and to do every
thing possible to promote develop
ment.
Strict Economy.
If there shall be eliminated items
for highways tuberculosis hospitals,
etc, which amount to 100000 and
which, but for the constitutional limit
on bonded Indebtedness, would have
been secured by bond issue, 1t is
plain to be seen that the last legis-
lature and the present administration
has been extremely circumspect in
providing and expanding funds.
I'm view of the new form of govern
ment, which has introduced many &C.
onomies and much efficiency in the
administration of the states affairs,
when the records shall be finally
written and compared with those of
previous administrations, the public
will know that their business has been
capably handled