Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-12-24
DOdging by Rule.

fAlDS an artlcle written u! MI. C""h'
Chairman of the Board of County
Commissioners, in which he finds
fault with the statements made by
this paper relating to the decision OF
the railroad tax case in the District
Court. While we would probably
have taken no notice of anything said
or written by Mr.. Swan, as an indi-
yidual, we cannot permit his state
ments as Chairman of the Board Of
County Commissioners TO GO unchal-
lensed when the record substantiates
every statement we made.
The STANDARD affirmed that appli-
cation had been made for reduction
of the tax on the railroad property,
and that the Commissioners refused
to make any reduction. This state
ment Mr.. Swan says is false, but we
have only to publish the following
official letter to show that his asser-
on isunfounded:
OLYMPIA, Y. r., April 6, 1880
HoN. J. p. JrDsoN,
Atty for T. c. r. II. c. Co.
Dear Sd': At an informal meeting of the
Eoard of Commissioners of Thurston Co.,
he.d on the 5th inst, your proposition to
pay 3lg per cent. on the gross earnings of
your railroad for the past year, in lieu of
the taxes assessed against it, was duly
considered, arid in reply thereto am in
structed to say that the Commissioners do
uniting portion Of the tdres charged against
the road. Your proposition, therefore, is
respectfully declined.
The Board further desire me to express
their thanks for your many acts of kind
neis aad their personal respect and esteem
BY order of Board of Commissioners.
A. A. PHILLIPS, Clerk.
In the Transcript of March 9th of
present year we find the property of
the railroad company advertised to
be sold for the non-payment of the
tax due for 1879, amounting to the
sum of 81 GAO 06. Since that date,
the company has paid the mortgage
on its property for s75, 900, and yet
this year the tax on the same pro-
perty is only $40. There is q diff
ference here between the taxes due
In 1879 and in 1880 of 81 $3.50 06.
Now the question very naturally
arises, If there was nothing unjust
or arbitrary in the action Of the AS
SCISSOR and the Commissioners in
$40, how does it happen that the tax
of the subsequent year, on the same
property, is 81, $50 06 less, when the
ratio of taxation is the same?
We have never doubted Mr.. Swan
disinterested zeal for the county since
the publication of his first circular on
the railroad tax case last Spring, and
his subsequent brilliant attempt to
ride into the County Treasurer's Of
fee on that railroad question. y
His zeal, though directed with the
Judgment which has made him so
successful in the management of his
private affairs, was not appreciated,
and his attempted ride resulted only
in a few bruises and lame back.
We would suggest that if he still de-
sires the approving pIaudits of a pa
tent and long-suffering people, he
should at once, as Chairman of the
Board of Commissioners, insist, in
behalf of the people, that suit be
brought against the Assessor and his
bondsmen for the many thousands
oi dollars lost to the county through
the gross carelessness OF that officer
in failing to sign the assessment roll
of 1879. The vigorous prosecution
of case of that kind would render
it unnecessary in the future for Mr..
Swan and other county officers to
resort to the doubtful expedient of
FASTING new leaves in the tax-roll,
or OF filling it with interlineations.
after the Board of Commissioners
had approved it and ordered it certi-
fed to the Treasurer, to cover up the
blunde,s made in the assessment of
1880.
The great difficulty with Mr.. Swan
seems to be that. when this tax
question arose, he established GER
tain theories to his own satisfaction,
and his stubborn nature will not
permit him to recognize simple facts
though attested by records and the
judgment of the Court, when they
conflict with his pet hobbies.
The body of dead man was dis
covered on the beach of Comana Is
land, some distance below Utsalady,