The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-01-07

the State of North Dakota:
The Governor is directed by law
to communicate to you at the open
ing of the session, a message giving
you information as to the condition
of the state. and recommending to
your attention such matter as he
may deem expedient.
For information as to the present
condition of the State you will have
before you the message of Cover
nor Nestos, who, as Governor for
the term just expired, has had the
sources of such information direct
ly under his hand. You will also
have the reports and recommends
tions of the officials who are char
ged with the preparation of the
budget. These papers should give
you first-hand information which
can be depended upon, and from a
careful examination and perusal Of
which you should be we'll informed
both as to the revenues which you
can reasonably presume will be
available for appropriation to state
purposes, and the amounts of mon
ey which should be by you appro-
prated for the purpose Of carrying
on the necessary business of the
commonwealth.
Keeping Appropriations Down
My official connection with the
business of the state is so recent,
and the sources of my information
are so much less direct that | shall
not presume to advise you in this
connection. ! suggest to you how
ever, that it is poor business to APP
propriate and spend the entire
available income of the state; and
that if you can and will keep your
appropriations we'll within the an
ticipated revenues you will earn the
approval of your constituents
A comparison of the revenues COL
lected and expended (Which for
practical purposes, can easily be
ascertained from the information
shown upon the face of the tax re-
ceipts issued by the County Treas
urer of our respective counties)
shows condition of affairs that is
shocking both to our sensibilities
and to our pocketbooks. Taxes upon
our lands and properties have, dur
ing the past ten years, increased
one, two and sometimes three hun
dred per cent so that their payment
has become tremendous burden
upon our citizens; almost too griev-
Gus to be borne, and the unmarked
Gne between legitimate taxation and
.unwarranted confiscation Of our
properties has at least been ap-
preached.
These taxes have been initiated
levied and imposed by many and
various bodies, that is to say; the
school districts, the civil townships
the villages and cities, the counties
and, finally, the state has each had
it's share in imposing it's burden
Each agency in levying more than its
just and proper share has, perhaps
excused itself with the thought that
while it possibly may have exceeded
its just proportion, yet its share is
$50 small-as compared with the whole
amount Of taxes levied, as to be al
most negligible and unnoticeable IL
the aggregate; nevertheless, when
the levies made by those several
agencies have been assembled the
result seldom fails to shock even
;sthose who are responsible for the
condition, which all profess to de-
Splore.
7 1t seems that the levying and en-
pending of taxes in large amounts
has become a fad if not a fashion,
and we strive to comfort ourselves
with the reflection that in our neigh
boring cities, counties and states
are just as bad, and
therefore, we are not personally re-
sponsible Or blamable.
Time For Halt
. Our state, in common with all ag-
arieultural communities, has negoti-
ated its way through, and is still
experiencing extraordinary business
conditions. Agriculture and things
connected with agriculture have
-been abused, broken, debated and
crushed by circumstan over which
.we have had little control; and
then, when we could least afford
1T, our pockets have been turned in
side-out and our last penny taken
by our own tax collectors, to pay
taxes for which we have not assum-
ed responsibility, individually or
It is time to call halt The at
.tention of all taxing bodies in the
state will be called to the necessity
of stringent economy. Our citizens,
sas individuals, have in the past few
years been obliged to deny them
selves many of the comforts and
most of the Injuries to which they
have been accustomed. It, there
fore, behooves US, who are living
upon and spending the state reve-
.nues to realize the necessities of,
and to practice the utmost self-de
nial and economy in conducting the
business of the state.
You, gentlemen of the assembly,
by your action taken during the next
sixty days, can do very much to
relieve the oppressive situation, and
recommend that in all
matters pertaining to the expendi-
tire 81 public moneys you shall ex-
ercise the strictest supervision and
economy. Let us, and each of US,
determine not to be ashamed to be
close in our dealing with public
funds, or to exercise the most scru-
pnlous economy and thrift. 1t is
essential that we, as servants of the
state, entrusted with the obligations
and duties Of office, should con-
dhct public affairs with the same
care and attention that we should
rive and do give to our own person
q busfness. We have got to be on
- lob . business men If we ex-