Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1920-09-03

the Democratic party has forfeited
all claims to public confidence and Ia
absolutely unfit to administer the af
fairs Of this state.
Under twenty-one years OF Repub-
llcan rule Utah developed from state
hood to substantial maturity; its pub
lie school system was extended and
elevated to standard unsurpassed
by any other state In the union; its
several state institutions were en-
couraged and developed to a high
state of efficiency and usefulness; It's
magnificent state house was erected
and furnished; It's state highway sys-
TEN was definitely established, the
public roads materially improved In
all parts OF the state, and q perna-
nent BODYBUILDING program inaugu-
rated on an extensive scale. Liberal
appropriations were made to encour-
age local Industries and to safeguard
the social and moral welfare OF the
people, and all this was accomplished
at moderate cost to the taxpayers
and without impalrlng the financial
credit of the state.
Accounting Asked For.
The Democratic party, therefore,
came into full power at a time when
the affairs OF the state were in
most favorable condition But II had
specifically pledged Itself to accom-
pllsh still greater economies, effect
n sweeping readiuStment and sub
| stantlal reduction OF the tax burdens
and to give the people a more eff
Client administration Of the affairs OF
the state. We were promised bust
ness admnistration--in short, better
government ut II lower cost. 1nat was
In January, 1917. -Four years have
since passed, during which time
patient and expectant people have
waited in vain for the redemption OF
| these pledges. The time has now come
to call the state administration to ii
strict and final accounting.
To date. Democratic misrule has
resulted In an increase of the states
Indebtedness by S7.350,00O. This. not.
wlthStanding the fact that the author
lied tax levles for general state pur-
b'N'N tANtfutu lnONt HulHOIlZtu Nv
the previous Republican adminlstra.
ton by S1,225,000. The temporary
lonns of the state now aggregate 81;
100000, as against 100000 on Janlr
airy l, 1917. The authorized bonded
debt of the state now stands mt So
10000, showing an increase of ST.
100000 during the past four years.
The bonded Indebtedness of the state
now approXimates 1.3 per cent of its
total assessed valuation, as against an
average of .6S of l per cent for all
states In the union. Under constltu-
tional provision, Utahs bonded debt
cannot exceed 1.5 per cent of its as
sessed valuation. The borrowing ca
pacity of the state, therefore, has
been almost exhausted and its treas
ury is closely approaching a bankrupt
condition.
Expenses Multiplied.
The annual revenues realized from
the tax levies for general state pur-
poses have increased from S7G6,OSO I'm
1916 to $1,202,6SS In 1919, and con-
sentative estimate for the year 1920
places these revenues at approximate.
ly $1,2O9,G00. In other words. the
state is now collecting approximately
4 half million dollars more tax moneys
per annum to cover its operating ex-
penses than was required four years
ago. Even So and Notwithstanding
the fact that the revenues for this
purpose have practically doubled since
lol6, the expenses of administration
Turing the current biennium have been
so multiplied as to exceed all avail
able revenues by approximately $780,
300, all Of which must necessarily
come directly out of the taxpayers
pockets. Thus has the pledge of
economy been fulfilled.
How have these enormous revenues
thus derived been expended? Inside
Of sixty days after taking charge of
The State'S affairs the party in power
had created sufficient new commits
Sions and offices to provide subStan-
tial salaries for over score of de-
serving Democrats; the membership
Of the supreme court has been in
creased from three To five justices
and It's political complexion arbitrari-
~ reversed and provision made for
increasing the payroll all along the
inc. All told, no less than l65 add-
tional officials and employees have
been added to the general state pay.
roll during the past four years. ana
the 1920 payroll, consequently, In
creased over that of 1916 by upwards
OF $IoO,0O0, Contingent and other in
cidentul expenses have, of course,
shown substantial increase, but the
major portion of the increased tax
revenues have gone straight from the
pockets of the taxpayers into the
pockets of the officeholdcrs
Funds Wasted, Charge.
We desire, also, To particularly call
attention 10 the shameful waste Of
public funds by the state road cont