, 1866-02-09
ANNfxArIoN ouEsrIoM

High taxes are always the hobby Of dema-
gogues Nevertheless admit that taxation BY
imprudent legislation may be made onerous.-A
But the question here is will the annexation Of
Walla WalIa county to Oregon increase our tax
es? Think it is capable of demonstration that
annexation will decrease our taxes two-thirds in
value. Gov. Gibbs, in his late message to the
Oregon Legislature, gives Synopsis OF the debt
of Oregon Il will be seen that the. debt all
told, Is only SIO4 600, and not $400, 900, as Du-
gan would have US believe, Here is question
of veracfty between Gibbs and Dugaa, and be-
lieve the former, for obvious reasons. But to
continue nv argument There has been laid on
the taxable property of Oregon, State tax of
5 mills per dollar. Most If not all that tax has
been collected No one acquainted with her
statistics will deny that her assessable property
is worth $40, 900, 900, By the tax of mills,
there has already been raised, in the several
counties of The State, Sl50,0e0 ready to be paid
into the State Treasury; thus wiping out the
State debt and leaving in the Treasury S46,O00
to meet current expenses for the next two years.
The present State debt having been disposed Of
as far as we are concerned, the next question
that arises is, how will it affect taxes in the fu
ture?
Letus see. There are FIVE Circuit Judges in
the State. These each receive a salary of $4,000.
making total of $40, 900. There are FIVE
Prosecuting Attorneys, at a salary each Of $500.
Total, S2500. The Governor and Secretary of
State each receive a salary of $500. Total,
So, 900. The assistant Secretary Of State and
Treasurer each receive $500. Total, $1,000. l
will allow GO members for both Houses of the
Legislature, though there are a less number
These 60 members at 50 per day. for forty days,
will cost per diem S72O5. If l allow each mem
Der mileage for three hundred miles, at twenty
cents per mile, their total mileage is $500;
which exceeds the amount now paid for mile
age. Total for the above officers, S27, But
in order to be fair, l will allow a margin of
Sl4,lOO for incidental expenses; making to-
tai of S45, OOO
On the assessable property of Oregon 40 ,OOO-
0OO) it requires only !! mills per dollar to raise
$4,000. We now pay in Washington Territory
as Territorial tax, mills per dollar. If re-
duce the mills greenbacks to coin at 20 cents
per dollar, it gives Al mills coin per dollar. II
| take the difference between Al mills and J
mills the answer is 7-lO mills. The latter sum
we lose in coin by our connection with Wash.
ington Tertiary; all of which would lie saved
were we annexed.
Thus by the force of truth vanishes the false
statements of D. in reference to taxes by annex
alton.
Dugan says we only pay / mills in this conl-
ty. This is not true. We pay l9 mills on
ST., SOS, 900. This is greenbatks. Umatilla
county, with as many officers pays IS mills per
dollar in coin on S97l 900. Five mills of this is
for State purposes. The total amount of tax
raised in Umatil!a county is Sl7,47s,36. The
total amount of tax raised in Walla Walla is
S29, 90. 1t ought not to cost any more to
administer the affairs of Walla Walla county
than Umatilla county. But here we find the to-
tai difference against us in legal tenders is Sl2,.
332,64. But five had no more assessable prop
erty than Umatilla county we would be com.
PEELED to lay over 80 mills per dollar tax to raise
the S29. .8ll,0 90 as above stated. The true diff
ference will then be found in coin by reducing
S29,sll,OO to coin at 10 cents per dollar-the
present value of legal tenders-and this gives
S2O,SG77O coin. Coin difference against US,
S3.3s9 "a.
Honest farmer and mechanic, Judge of what
is to your interest in this matter Investigate
the above statements and if false, show the fall
sity thereof If you find them true, believe
the IN and act accordingly. Ok.