Gunnison news-champion., 1922-08-25
TAXATION. RANGERS AND
OTHER PUBLIC MATTERS DIS
CUSSED BY WILLIAM wEIsER

Altho Mr.. Wsiser is out os the run-
ming as q candidate for governor, hi
views are Of interest, Specially con
osruIng the ranger controversy, which
will be a vital factor IN the coming
campaign.
To the Mesa County convention
that uHanimously endorsed him for
governor, William Weiser made the
following statesm4niike talk In il
be refers 70 some Gunnisou couut,,
matters, Indirectly handing bouque,
TO or county sheriff, Pat Hanlon.
Taxation Is and must be a primary
consideration, Mr. Weiser explained.
bat he made i clear that ne did moi
believe u possible 20 bring about
speedy and Immediate relief" fror,
the high taxes that obtain al this
time he said that So per cent of the
taxes went for education, and that II
a reduction we're made here. il would
oe because each taxpayer in Mesa
CulLty vas willing that his children
should receive the TudimeutAry eduea-
tuu that he, himself, received 1t the
states expense, leaving all other edu-
cation received 10 be paid Tor by the
private family purse. That Is not
up 10 me nor any other candidate for
governor" MT. Nciser declared. 1T
l. Up 70 you, and you alone"
That p per cent Of the taxes went
for road work vas his statement, and
he also laid il upon the individual n
20 whether there would be any reduc-
ton Iu this Important feature OF the
work Of the state E0Igs and road
programs have always been Mr. Weis-
eT hobby, and he made il clear that
The extension uf roads and the sub<e-
gueUt increase IN taxable property
was the best means for reduction OF
individual expense.
StEce only 10 per cent Of the state
income is left fur the government of
state county and city, Mr. Weiser ex-
planned that he did not think any
great reduction Is possible here. "You
car talk about doing away with the
bureaus that do 80 much Of the work.
but YOU cant get rid of them for ali
that Uacle Joe Cannon was right
when he said the easiest thing in
politics Is % create a job; the hardest
thing Of all is 10 yet T!d OF il after Il
has been made. Some Of the bureaus
can be done away with; some Of them
must he strengthened
Mr.. We!seF as a member OF the state
Legislature. which in 1909 passed the
direct primary law. stated that he
was uHalisrably opposed TO its repeal.
Granted that il Is expensive, and
granted too. that you and do not
use IL as We should, yet am in a posi-
ton 70 talk with the average people,
and ! know il Is what they want, and
that il should by all means be re
tanned as their best agency for polite
q use"
Definite statements with regard 70
armouss and the rangers were made
by Mr.. Weiser.
Il have been asked my policy with
rgE gard 10 the armories," he said II
spoke to one man about the tremend-
Gus waste Of $4,000 10 armories
thFuout this state and he said tha;
the law FOR their erection was passed
in memory Of the soldiers in the re-
cent World War / did not know that
but ! looked up the act. do not
know whether IL was an oversight or
not, but there WAS a provision that
these armories were 70 be built as
memorials 70 the soldiers. What do
you think Of that colossal mistake
that these arscnals, meeting places
Tor soldiers, storage rooms for guns
and ammunition, should be built IN
honor % the soldiers who fought 70
end warf"
His statement with regard to the
ranger force was equally definite II
was district attorney for this district
when the Trinidad strike was on" hei
said There were 600 Foreigners oni
strike IN Gunnison county in my dis-s
tnct- There Was not the loss of a.
single life or a dollars worth of props
erty. ] do not claim credit for this.
Time and again company owners APP
pealed for more deputy sheriffs orr
for festeral troops, but these nevers
seemed necessary. | spent much of
my summer in that county and am
here 10 say that il the sheriffs Of the
Eastern Slope counties had been as
efficient as those of Gunnison county,
there would have been no need OF
troops then, and there would be no
need of rangers today"
In his summing up, Mr.. Weiser said
that he did not want his county to
draft him for service unless il agreed
upon his confession Of faith of today.
lnless you car so to the state as
serlbly and say that your candidate
Is constructive man and not 4 de-
structiye one. Unless YOU can saw
that he knows what the people want
and that he can be trusted TO work TO
obtain i for them, would prefer that
You consent To let me remain here, ar
home, watching the community growi
and helping in its building
Applause that amounted 10 an
ovation was given at the close of Mr..
Weiser's talk. and he was warmly
congratulated by candidates from all
sections of the county.