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Show I -People And Things Bv Rex Hill H'.i the Utile tbitr.5 in a man's i.i.trucf'rr which ch-it-niiinc wlie th'-r or not he's a great man. I: j..,, pie say lie has tile stuff it takes tie y mean he is made up of the little- things ive and take court'-sy for tilt other fellow con. suleration and nunieious tilings rhat don't mean as much separate, ly but put together they'll make a man of sterling character. Some men like to 'dish it out' ' and 'pour it on' the other fellow but when i lie tables are turned they arc too thin skinned to take it. Then there are those who can take it with a smile and you admire ad-mire them. After Idaho's recen'. primary eleciiuii everyone had a chance to see this test put to action. ac-tion. Out of some liiiy candidates for stale onice there u ere only about twenty who were successful, rioine of tne losers staked in their tents; others heartily congratulated congratulat-ed their opponents. The two party par-ty conventions held last week-end were a good test to see whether or not campaign bruises were over in harnionius fashion at both of them. There w as some early opposition to present Republican state chairman chair-man Thomas Heath but they ail got together and worked to reelect re-elect him to guide their party through one of the toughest campaigns cam-paigns it lias ever faced. Prior to the convention Democratic Demo-cratic politicos talked of several persons as their party chieftain but at Idaho Falls they acceded to the wishes of a majority and are all behind their state leader Robert Rob-ert Coulter who once before headed head-ed tneir party. (li)34-36) TAXATION AND DEFICIT The Republican party goes into the campaign with a niuicn better machine or organization as the party leaders prefer if called than the Democrats. The Republican party has been in control of the state for two years and will have their organization bolstered by over 3UUU state employes who have friends in every community. Democratic Dem-ocratic strategy will be to atincK the Republican regime and depend less on organization. The Republicans Republi-cans will attempt to divert attention atten-tion from state atfairs oy assailing assail-ing the Democrats on national issues. is-sues. Some of the main issues at this writing appear to be shaping up. The Republicans are going to be put on the spot to explain the tax situation in Idaho. In 1D3S, the last year under Democratic administration, admin-istration, state property taxes amounted to only $3.00 per hundred hun-dred and in 1939 and 1940 tney have been more than double this amount. The levy 'on property just recently for 1940 is $6.20 per hundred. hun-dred. In connection with increased increas-ed taxes it is going to be necessary neces-sary for the Republicans to explain ex-plain the poor financial 'condition of the state treasury. When C. A. Bottollsen took over as Governor on January 1, 1939 there was a CASH BALANCE of over $900,-000.00 $900,-000.00 in the state treasury. To date the treasury is several hundred hun-dred thousand in the red. Some time ago it was estimated that by the end of this bienuium on December De-cember 31, 1940, the treasury would be around $800,000,00 in the red. The tax levy of $6.20 per hundred hun-dred for this year would have been much higher had it includoa over $250,000.00 in bonds which are due and payable this year. When these bonds become due it will be necessary to borrow money to pay them and this will further increase treasury deficit. From all indications the deficit by the close of the biennium can be estimated to amount to at least one million dollars. From one million cash surplus to one million in the red in spite of twice as much property proper-ty tax in two years time will be hard to explain away say Derao cratic leaders. FIVE DOLLAR LICENSE There have been rumblings that the highway and farm-to-market road program will also be under fire. It is pointed out that the 1939 Republican legislature gave the people the $5.00 automobile 11. censes but by so doiug robbed the state highway fund of one millii n dollars. The Federal government gives outright to this state 60 pet-cent pet-cent (or every 40 per cent put up by the state for roads. On this basis with $1,000,000 loss to spend on roads the state also loses $1,-500,000 $1,-500,000 of Federal money. This means that there was approximately approxi-mately $2,500,000 less money for roads than there would have been otherwise. Highway building and the construction of farm-to-market roads has suffered materially. Many doubt whether the benefit of a $5.00 license plate was worth it. Everyone should carefully weigh the facts as they see them and whether Republicans or Democrats Demo-crats will be in control of state government after 1940 will be decided de-cided in that great democratic way by election and secret ballot. bal-lot. We've got a great state and the privilege of the people choos ing their public officials is a sac-red sac-red right; let's dig into the facts and do our best to make democracy democ-racy work for the interests of all the people. |