The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-11-25

desire to call the attention Of the tax
payers of Clarke county to the assessment
roll of 1880. 1 myself am assessed $500,
while my adjoining neighbors, Mr.. Spur
geon and Mr.. Burk, are assessed much less.
Mr.. Spurgeon is assessed about 5000 and
Mr. Burk still less. Mr.. Surgeons assess
ment is decreased 5000 from 1879 to 1850,
and Mr. Burk's is about the same, while
mine is increased 81, 700, making differ
ence of 1000 1t is poor rule that won't
work both ways when rightly applied. They
both have about the same facilities for max
ing money that do, but they have not had
the same facilities for spending money that
l have had in the last year. l have paid
about $500 for sickness and paying for town
property the second time. This was paid
prior to the assessment of 1880. Now then,
if it was just to increase mine it was just to
increase theirs, and if it was just to decrease
theirs it was just to decrease mine
Mr. Hightman well known wcll-to-do
farmer on Lewis river, is assessed little
less than $1,000. His neighbors tell me he
has large tract of fine land; others tell me
he has 900 acres of good land. about double
what have; and they say he has about 100
head of cattle and other stock, and extensive
buildings He is assessed something over
third what l am. Mr.. Hightman is known
as one among the wealthiest farmers in
Clarke county. Mr.. Dorman Of Fern Prai-
RE, am told, has got considerable property,
and was in the treasurer's office when he
paid his taxes, and think he paid about IS
and some cents. l have been informed that
the Catholic mission was assessed low, but
do not know as to that; but the rest has
come under my own observation.
Mr.. Dubeck of Mill Plain, isassessed about
49, 300. He has several acres of land; how
many acres do not know, but there is one
thing that do know-whose grain the mill
er's hogs got fat on; and if every man in
Clarke county would pay taxes on what they
have as DO, there would soon be but little
taxes to pay. 1t would be useless for me
to tell some of You anything about what MIR.
Dubeck is worth. ] expect | had ought to
be proud to think that people thought | was
worth nearly as much as Mr.. Dubeci, but !
am not, and it would be very absurd to try
to make them believe it. 1t is enough to
make conscientious man leave the country,
and well disposed man dishonest. There
is screw loose somewhere but where | do
not know. If it were not so | would not
have told you, and l don't want you to take
anyones word for it, but examine the assess
ment roll foy yourselves. 1t reminds ma
somewhat o. a school teacher. The rule il
school was ii a scholar whispered a certain
number of times he was to take clicking
as the common phrase is, and he was allowed
to do his own counting, and the ones that
could beat counting and didn't care much
for mistakes got clear, while the ones that
counted correctly and regarded the truth
paid the debt.
When | came to this country was mi
nor, without friends, foes, relatives. or a
dollar in my pocket. What | have got l
have got honestly and it is better to suffer
from good doing than to suffer from evil do
ing is my conclusion.
Yours Respectfully,
ORSON NJ. SEWARD.