Bonners Ferry Herald

HAS MADE A GOOD RECORD

REPUBLICAN STATE ADMINISTRATION HAS MADE GOOD UNDER UNUSUAL CONDITIONS

SCHOOLS AND ROADS COSTLY

Half of State Taxes Expended In Permanent Improvements

Under date of August 14, Governor D. W. Davis mailed the following letter to a number of his personal friends in this county and it has been suggested that the information contained in it, coming direct from Gov. Davis would likely interest all the taxpayers of the county:

Seventy-five republicans and thirty democrats comprised the Fifteenth session of the Idaho legislature and these men and women faced courageously the unusual problems with which they were confronted. Splendid vision and sound common sense characterized all of their work. Their record as it stands today upon Idaho's statute books, is clean and constructive in every sense of those two words.

Few persons not actually on the ground realize the condition of the state's governmental machinery at the time when the republicans took office in January, 1919.

The democrats left us $462,065 less in money receivable than the Haines administration had turned over in the year 1915. They left a warrant indebtedness of $476,118.16. They left urgent deficiency claims amounting to $187,185.30 which required immediate payment. They turned into their general fund supposedly sacred insurance moneys for the Soldier's Home and the Lewiston Normal, totaling $113,968 They raised $171,670 to meet specific appropriations made by their legislature and then diverted the total amount into their general fund to meet ordinary current expenses. In addition to that they failed to carry forward the state road program. They reduced every Idaho state institution to a condition bordering on beggary.

Some one has made the statement that the former administration left a $1,000,000 deficit. When needed repairs at state institutions and highways virtually destroyed by lack of proper care are considered, this figure falls far short of expressing the debit balance bequeathed us by the outgoing democrats.

What has been done to relieve this condition? What effort have we made to place the State of Idaho upon its economic feet once more?

First of all, an enlightened form of state government was adopted which into the discard forty-eight disconnected boards, commissions and isolated officials and substituted for them nine co-ordinated and thoroughly efficient departments made directly responsible to the Governor.

Appropriations were made for our crippled educational institutions which exceed by $805,388 the total granted by a democratic legislature for the previous biennium.

Penal and charitable institutions were similarly rejuvenated receiving an increase for the 1919-20 biennium of $519,520

Only two votes were recorded as against a two mill levy for state highway purposes expected to raise approximately $2,000,000 for the adequate road program now under way. This appropriation assured to the state federal moneys totaling $3,360,000 which otherwise would have been lost. Seven and one-half times as much highway work has been launched by the new bureau of highways as has been undertaken in the entire period between 1913 and the time the present bureau was organized in April, 1919.

Here, in tabloid form, are a few significant facts which bear directly on the question of whether this administration can make an effective appeal to the voters of Idaho for future support.

The land department saved the state $391,700 on the sale of state lands in the Emmett Irrigation District,

The administration added seventeen and one-half times as much to the permanent endowment funds of the state in 1919 as was added thereto the year previous.

Idaho agricultural and livestock interests have been cared for by an appropriation $484,013 greater than the previous democratic legislature granted for this purpose.

Of the entire 1919-20 tax total, an amount aggregating $3,201,714 is to be expended for permanent improvements made necessary by democratic false economy. Had the state bonding limit not been reached, practically all of these expenditures for improvements which include, of course, highway appropriations, could have been met by the issuance of bonds,

Permanent improvements at the educational institutions and along the line of roads and bridges account for 2.9 mills of the 4.8 mills increase in state taxes for the year 1919.

This administration has nothing for which to apologize. A difficult situation was met squarely, and, I think, courageously. Officials with a desire to do the right thing could not possibly have followed a course differing substantially from ours. Our opponents may be able to pick minute flaws but they cannot successfully assail a program which has proved itself sane sound, and constructive.