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Show B- E. IK - Published Every Saturday GOODWIN8 WEEKLY PUBLISHING SCHEFSKI, Editor CO.. INC. A. W. RAYBOULD, Manager 8UB8CRIPTION PRICE: neluding postage in the United 8tates, Canada and Mexico, 2.50 per year, Subscriptions to all foreign countries, within the Postal for fix months. 1,14.50 per year. Payments. should be made by Check, Money Order or Registered Letter, payable to The Citizen. Addrese all communications to The Citizen. Entered ae second-clas- s matter, June 21, 1919, at the postoffice at Salt Lake Act March 3, 1879. under of the City, Utah, Phone Wasatch 5409 Ness Bldg. 8a It Lake City, Utah 311-12-- WHO 13 , IS RESPONSIBLE little shaking up of the employes at the State capitol. Is it ification to the public that P. A. Thatcher, director of finance and The press has had very little to say. about the base is on the job? et except recording the fact that there were some sleepy and employes who could not get to work on time regardless of the working day, and that in the future the delinquent ones would to pay more attention to the clock. Is it possible that there is so little work to do at the state capitol ing that the clerks must visit with each other in order to pass Just a time? It has often been said that the head and chief clerk of many of state, could political offices, whether they be city, county, or he eliminated and the work would continue on just the same the heads would not be missed. There was a time when an official workers are to be favored, will the time not soon arrive when premiums will be paid for political jobs, and in the end, who pays the bill? We would like to see the working day cut in half, but at the same time we are not kidding ourselves that living costs would not be doubled. In just that ratio where our political offices are conducted upon half time, are the tax payers required to pay double amount for service which in present business methods could be secured for at least half the costs. However, let us not blame employes for any unsatisfactory existing conditions prevailing at the office. TAX OCTOPUS. the performed the duties of his e, but that day appears to have gone out of fashion, and many r offices today are used to earn pin money as it were. While The Citizen has not made a careful check of the matter, oknow enough regarding some office holders to call the attention public to demand returns for the tax outlays. If Mr. Thatcher wanted to make a record for himself at the state why did he make goats of the employes and ridicule them of the eyes of the public? Why did he not go to ns departments and make the correction there? Was it because uldnot find the heads of the departments? Are they all out on ions, fishing trips, or attending to private business? We find, for instance, that Frank Stewart, member of the Board lualization, draws down $4,000 a year from the state and devotes of his time working regularly for the Salt Lake Tribune. We tat Harden Bennion, Commissioner of Agriculture, is another a year man and devotes much of his time in the Vermont ln? as secretary of an irrigation company. How many more of departments are doing the same we know not, but is not this lent to interest the general tax paying public of where their y goes? Is it not about time that our highly paid public all their time to their official duties? Is not this one Jasons why our taxes are high? When the people are forced salaries to men who devote their best energies to private !?ss is it not time to call a halt? Why the office and the big sal-te- e is so little work to do? Jit any wonder that John E. Holden, state auditor, demands an ,ln or(kr that he announce to the people how their money may 'ng the-hea- e JuU ds JO 5 ser-devot- ed 0 spent? 8 11 Pr YS the right thing for the state to advocate and inaugurate forking hours for employes than is the general rule in busi- t e present employes work 7 hours per day; with Saturday would be cut to 6 2 hours. Employes used to n and twelve hours, but when it was shown that the best t he had from such a long day, working hours were to wh-re the best results could be obtained. If political af-tim- Bii 1-- r re-n- & 11 . While representatives of twelve western states are meeting in Portland, Oregon, this month, to discuss ways and means of reducing taxation, we, however, are boosting the price of assessment still higher, and this fall the people will be asked to pay .6 mills on the dollar more than last year. Each state representative to meet at Portland will bring a report covering activities in his state. Legislative accomplishments are to be reviewed as part of the program of uniform state legislation governing taxation. Among the principal subjects to be discussed are: The Indiana plan to appeal from local tax levies and bond issues; the overlap of state and federal inheritance and estate taxes; public debt as it is affected by the aerial bond law; proposed uniform state legislation for 1927; methods of presenting tax facts to the public and means of making the state taxjayers associations more effective. This is a long step in the right direction. It is only by concerted effort that state and local taxes will finally be reduced. There are many men in politics who are unable to make a living Pull is all that is necessary: Ability is of secout of politics. ondary consideration and many of those in office today could not get out and hustle a $150 a month job. Is it any wonder then when such men are elected to office that the public pays dearly for the experience. Men who have never handled money in private life are elected to office where they handle hundreds of thousands and they simply go buggy over the large amounts and get rid of it the easiest way possible. There is no business system just a political machine which bleeds the public, rain or shine. It is a great wonder that the people have not raised their hands in protest. If the people would ignore at the polls all who have a record in lax raising, it would not take long to secure results. As it is we hold the distinction as being one of the highest taxed communities of the country. That is one reason why Utah has been so long in growing and coming to the front. With our present resources, if we had an ideal government and a low tax rate, we would have millions of people here today where we have thousands. Do you know why there is a boom on in Florida? It is because |