The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1921-01-17

not give relief to property owners
in the school districts. The commit
tee on education in the house has
endorsed the bill, but the governor
called this committee into conference
Wednesday and urged change. He
said the school districts could get
/ relief If the county assessors would
put fair valuation Of property.
Afterwards it was said by house
members than an effort would be
made to have the bill referred back
to the committee on education. Some
of the members of this committee
want to levy a state tax Of five mills
for school purposes, or $2,50O,OOO
annually, and abolish the present
system of letting the school districts
raise their own taxes.
The author of this bill claims some
school districts have not enough
money with which to keep school
open for seven or nine months while
other districts are rolling in wealth.
The committee on education in the
house appears to be convinced of the
soundness of his argument and it
proposes to tax all properties equally
for schools and to apportion the tax
through the state superintendent of
public instruction to the county
school superintendents, who, in turn,
would apportion it out to the school
districts. ,.~ .
J. H. Egbert of Fremont county,
a member of the house, is making
ready to introduce bill which will
permit the rural school districts to
conduct five-month terms instead of
seven, because, he says, many of the
rural districts are too poor to keep
their schools open seven months.
The anti-Japanese legislation
started off mildly when Senator
Thompson of Minidoka county intro
duced bill in the senate prohibiting
the citizens of any nation which bars
Americans from owning land to own
or lease land in Idaho.
This piece of anti-Japanese legis-
lation stood until early this week
when George H. Van de Steeg of
Canyon county introduced resolu-
ton in the lower house protesting
against the Japanese being permitted
to emigrate to the United States and
proposing that they be forever
barred from owning or leasing lands
in Idaho. In his own language he
said the west should be "a white
mans country"
Van de Steeg has announced his
intention of following his resolution
up with a bill which will exclude
the Japanese. He has termed the
Thompson bill weak piece of leg
islati0n and says Japan would evade
it's provisions by Immediately throw
ing down the bars and allowing
Americans to become land owners
in that country.
Sentiment on the anto-Japanese
legislation has not crystalized in the
legislature, altho the governor
pointed the way in his message when
he recommended legislation which |
would bar aliens, who fail to become
American citizens.
The bill re-establishing the direct ,
primary system has not come to
light yet. Friends of Senator Will
liam E. Borah are framing it. Senti-
ment favorable to the primaries is
growing, but there is certain to be
strong opposition from some of the
strongest leaders in both houses. The
bill does not incorporate the old law
which gave to the convention system,
but Is so modified that the political
parties can maintain their organiza-
lions intact. One feature is said to
include the election of delegates to
state conventions by direct vote of
the people. This would do away
with county conventions.
1t is not known just how far the
governor proceeded with his special
message relating to the cabinet form
If government. There is move on
loot to abolish the public utilities
commission and the industrial acct
lent board and to substitute COM
who would occupy places
n the governors cabinet.
This matter has been discussed
'ather freely in political circles, but
will be done by the admin
stration until after it has been de-
:ermined If the pubic will accept
The proposed changes. The talk
which has gone about is looked upon
Is "feeler" and the administra-
lion is waiting to hear from the
short grass country" before any
action is taken.
At the governor office this week
It was said that the governor did not
care to discuss the proposed change.
Changes proposed by the commit
Zee on roads, bridges and ferries in
he house in the state highway de-
Dartment would take the letting of
contracts on state roads where
county aid is made available out of
he hands Of the department and
place them in the hands of the
county commissioners and the high
way districts. The state would con-
inue to extend aid to the counties,
,r to build roads in conjunction with
he counties, but the highway de-
,artment would be maintained only
or the purpose of supervising the
'oaGs constructed.
This proposed change comes as
he result of an agreement entered
INTO by the majority of the county
of the state when
hey met in convention here early in
December. 1t was agreed then to
discourage county aid for roads built
under the direction of the state high {
uou Hopo ~ =