Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1922-11-04
DEMOCRATS IN
GREAT DILEMMA
PRESENT time
Shrinking from Defense of Own
Extravaganza and Evade
Responsibility

RENO, Nov. Shrinking from a
defense of their own extravagant ad-
ministraton the democratic press is
trying to eyade responsibility there
for by misrepresentation about the
condition Of state finances when r.
L. Oddie retired as governor.
Oddie was governor from 1911 to
1914 He was preceded in office by
Denver l. Dickerson. In 1914 the
state tax commission published an
official report which stated that dur
ing 1909 and 1910 the Dickerson ad
ministration operated the state gov.
ernment at a loss and that its de
ficit in 1910 amounted to $39,SS944,
the enormous figure of $226,55696O
and that in 1909 its deficit reached
deficit of S266.44904 for the two
years. (See 1913-14 report of the
state tax commission. page 81
The fact is that Governor Oddie
took over the state government in
1911 with a bankrupt treasury and
that for four years he struggled to
carry on the states business with
funds that had been depleted by his
predecessors. He left office in 1914
and the democratic press is now cry
ing about his alleged deficit of $65,
600 in the general fund Let's see
what happened:
Total state expenses, with common
school costs omitted, amounted to
$74l,6 ,632S4 in 1914, the last year Of
the Oddie administration. In 1921,
during the present administration to-
tai state expenses, with common
school costs omitted. amounted to the
appalling figure of 1850, ,639.47. Oddie
left the state with a bonded in
debtedness of S6SO,0O0. On Dec. 81,
last, it was $1.669OOO, although the
present administration is levying
almost twice as much taxes on the
people.
The Oddie administration levied
direct property taxes on the people
amounting to SS1963O. In 1921 the
Boye- Cole. Culhvan,M ,Malley administra-
ton levied direct property taxes on
the state amounting to $1,220,O0O So
(See annual reports of the state con.
troller for 1914-21)
In 1914 the state government levied
taxes on Nye county, including real,
personal and proceeds Of mines, to
the extent of S49,O35.5S. In 1921 it
levied direct taxes on Nye county, in
cluding real, personal and proceeds
Of mines to the extent OF S6O9l7S2
(See annual reports Of the state con
! troll.er, or obtain valuations at the
courthouse and multiply them by the
state tax rate. which was 60 cents In
both 1914 and 1921
The spendthrifts at Carson claim
the enormous increase has been for
schools and highways. Very we'll
omit these, and scan the result:
With all educational and all high
way expenditures omitted the state
expended $571,49S.97 in 1914 and
the appalling sum of $l,OS75s6sS
in 1921.
1t Is a record of expenditures, an
orgy of extravaganza not reached by
any other state in the union.
And about deficits. We have heard
lot about the alleged $4,000 de-
ficit in the general fund left by
/ the Oddie administration.
Suppose we turn to the Official rec
ords. In 1917 and 1918 the present
administration, with its enormously
increased income, reported defichs
amounting to $52,4O4OO and the leg
islature had to provide for its pay
ment in 1919, (See statutes 1872
In 1919 and 1920 the present gang
reported deficits amounting to $4O'-
S42 90 and they had to be made good
BY the 1921 Legislature. (See stat
utes 1921
No wonder Senator Henderson in
a burst of indignation exclaimed at
EIko last June, when he discussed
the frightful increases in state eX'
penses:
Progress does not mean the laV'
ish expenditure of money. What
=. han darivad from