Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1920-01-23

termining the water resources of the
state. An appropriation of $4,000 was
made, conditioned on the federal gov
eminent appropriating q like amount.
This bill met with the unanimous ap-
prevail Of both houses.
! l shall not take up any more Of
your time discussing appropriation
measures. ! have discussed the larger
and most important. There Is one
! thing. particularly / wish you 10 keep
] in mind, and that is, that when our
! political opponents charge US with ex-
/ trayagance, high taxes, and a disre-
gard for the welfare of the taxpayer,
/ both Democrats and NOn-partisans
alike supported almost unanimously
all appropriation bills passed. AS
member of the senate / have no recol-
{ lection of any Democrat or Non-parti-
san raising his voice in opposition to
appropriations passed. / believe they
felt, as did the large majority. that
these appropriations were necessary TO
the proper conduct and development
of our state.
Review of Appropriations
Now, let US endeavor to determine
how much greater IS the actual cost of
state government over past years.
We have already shown that 81 300
600 of appropriations made cannot pro-
perry be considered as an ordinary eX-
pense. Part Of it was for replacement
and repairs that should have been
taken care Of in the past, and some for
the future, and should be considered
as an investment.
Two million dollars for roads is not
an ordinary expense that will have
to be met by each administration.
To take care Of the growth and needs
of our educational institutions in i'm
prOvements necessary cost Us over
$4,000.
Increased Cost.
We are sorry to say we must admit
there has been an increase in the cost
Of state government of not to exceed
% per cent over the past administra-
ton. Let us seek to find the cause.
1t is not in the salary of your cleo
tive officers. They are receiving the
same old salaries. We do find an in
crease in the pay Of the help en-
plOyed, but when you consider the in
creased cost of living the increase is /
not in proportion. At the present time /
the average employee is not receiving /
the same wage as the ordinary labor I
er, and you must admit that it requires (
time and study to qualify for these /
positions. Supplies, such as station |
cry, books, etc, have greatly increased !
in cost. Travel expense Of those whose /
duties require them 10 visit the differ
ent parts of the state has increased /
80 per cent We find the same in
crease true in all our charitable and /
penal Institutions. Where the indivi- /
dual buys one pair of shoes, we have !
to buy a thousand. The same rule 4
holds true as to food and clothing.
Where is the business man, farmer /
or head of a household who will claim 4
that the cost of operation of his bust
ness or farm, as well as the expense of /
his household, has not increased more
than % per cent in the past TWO years.
When you and l are compelled TO
pay double, can We expect the state 10
get its help and supplies at the same
old figure! As matter of fact. the
state, through its purchasing depart
ment buying in large quantities. is en-
abled to buy for less money than We
can.
We find that in some departments
there has been considerable increase
N their appropriations but we find
also that there has been increased
duties imposed upon them As an il
uStrarion. l give the public utilities
Their appropriation was
more than doubled over that of 1917
1918, for the purpose of enabling them
to make Il physical examination of
some of our public utilities to deter
nine the value 50 that they might in
diligently fix rates that the utility
night charge the public. To further
emphasize the thought the legislators
lad in mind. that OF service and eff
.iency. and that politics did not enter
ntO their calculations. / call YOUR at
ention to the fact that the majority
Il the commission is democratic.
Other States.
Perhaps it might be well now if we
ASS on and compare our increase
Nth other states, to see if they had
he same conditions TO meet ana if
hey had to meet them by increased
axes.
Washington.
19I7-191S 1glg-lg2O I
S25, 4O2. COG S36. 49,. PSI I
Increase ----- / L 030. 2I4 ?