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Show THE SEARCHLIGHT His Excellency’s Message We were delighted with the Governor’s message to the Legislature. We have reached the comfortable age and disposition where we ean enjoy a good fairy story without having to believe it. So we listened with rapt attention. ‘The minor items in the message were tinetured with Just enough good sense to make the tall ones seem plausible—a sound basis for all high class fiction. Two weeks ago the Searchlight gave an aecurate forecast of the message when it promised readers the Governor would deliver a new batch of Maw promises, and would give the citizens a special course in Maw arithmetic. He more than lived up to expectations. He even promised another million of Maw ‘‘savings’’. In view of that promise we urge the Legisdature to look around immediately for new sources of taxation. It’s going to take a lot of money to ‘‘save’’ another million. On His kixeellency’s own confession the extra nine or ‘ten millions spent since he took office only effected a ‘‘saving’’ of $500,000. So we estimate it will take new expenditures of not less than 40 millions to ‘‘save’’ the new million Maw promised in his message. Everything in sight will have to be levied on, up to the hilt. We suggest that Doug Moffat’s 30 Million net profit be taken over in toto and pronto, just in case His Excellency wants to “save” even more than a million. And that extra 18° net profits the gas company has been tucking away Should be filched before Brother Jules Roberts dedicates it to some other use. A survey Should be made to spot all the loose change im the State, just in case the urge to “save” causes His Excellency ether millions. to attempt “savings” of The Governor’s explanation of how ‘‘savings’’ are effected 1s most intriguing. It seems taat under his extraordinary methods, the more that is spent at less spending cost per dollar, the greater the ‘‘savings’’. The old-fashioned idea that to save you had to refrain from spending is out. We now ‘‘save’’ by spendIng. To illustrate: Let us assume that during the 1942 holiday season you bought 10 quarts, at $5 a quart, of the brand that Justin is pushing currently. In the 1943 season $5 a quart, in order you buy lo quarts, to practice the new at art of ‘“‘saving’’. But instead of visiting every branch store maintained by the Booze Commission, as you did in 1942, you buy all your stuff in one grog shop. The savings in shoe leather and rubber (your lower cost of buyine’) is enormous. You actually have ‘‘saved’’ money by buying 15 quarts because the buying cost per quart is lower. If you should buy 100 quarts the ‘‘saving’’ would mount to ineredible figures. However if you want more than 100 quarts, you’ll have to do your own calculating. Maw arithmetic in terms of more than 100 quarts makes us a trifle dizzy. In any case you'll agree that to ‘‘save’’ another million bucks, the taxpayers will have to hock their shirts. At very least a total of 60 millions will have to be spent. were The Governor’s Welfare proposals He wants to ‘‘save’’ equally fine sounding. But he failed some money in that department. to explain how ‘‘savings’’ are possible with He asks for a free no cut in expenditures. hand to revamp the layout to suit himself. His He wants to try out objectives are two-fold. some more Maw arithmetic, and He be the ‘‘bull 0’ the woods’’. asked for a deed to the State. he wants to should have Behind his requests is his desire to rid himself of as much Federal supervision as posible. Federal authorities can’t be talked out of anything, and won’t be pushed around. And our Herb likes to be the big unrestrained boss. He is beginning to walk and talk lke Huey Long. Before His Excellency launched his new scheme to get a greater hold on Welfare activities and Welfare money, he wanted to hike the State sales tax rate by 50%, and boost the easoline tax another (Continued cent, all to raise on following page) another |