The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1892-04-01
Taxes In Rush Township.
e EDITOR OF THE TIMES

Taxes In Rush Township.
To THE EDITOR OF THE TINES:
Will you please allow me space in your
valuable paper to reply to an article which
appeared in the OwossO Press of Wednesday
the 23d inst? The nature and character OF
said article is such that it will undoubtedly
require more space than you usually allow
for a single article. Its Importance to him
''whOm | seek to defend because OF retiring
and sensitive disposition" is such that l
trust you will give 1t room. AS l view it,
it attacks me personally because all COM
parsons made by the Press refer to the year
1889 and was supervisor that year, and
as the Press states, the republicans were In
power that year, which statement l propose
to drop for the present. but will have occa-
sion to refer to it again before l close this
letter. You will notice, Mr.. Editor, that
the article referred to i'm the Press is from
nowhere, dated at no place, and signed by
nobody, and is therefore without father
and must in the main be treated as an edl-
tOrial although the figures that appear in
the article must have been furnished by
(well perhaps it's best not to speak names)
and so far as it refers to the total footings of
rolls for the years referred to is true, yet at
the same time l have never in my life seen
anything so completely deceptive and mis-
leading and so well calculated to lead astray
an unsuspecting public, and let me say right
here, Mr.. Editor, that myself will not hide
behind your editorial chair to get boom
for any Office, but let us quote in full the
article as it appears in the Press:
TAXES IN RUSH TOWNSHIP.
The Henderson correspondent of THE TIMES
is apparently training to become political editor
of some republican paper that is on par with
THE TIMES for reliability of its utterances. In
THE TIMES of March IL, the above mentioned
correspondent, who goes by the unknown X,
made statements that do not correspond WIN
facts. He said:
"For several years the democrats great cry
has been for retrenchment and reform. III they
could only elect their ticket the burden OF TAXA
ton would at once leave us. Well they got
officers to suit them at last, and never were
taxes so high in this town before, not even when
some large bridge or other public improvement
was to be paid for. But no republican Is IN the
the least disappointed. 1t was the same old
ghost story told by the the party for the last
thirty years.
The facts in the matter present an entirely
different view. In 1890, after the republicans
had been in power twelve consecutive years
democratic officials were elected by the people.
At that time there was an Indebtedness OF
$1,000 20 on what is known as the GoSs bridge
That amount was spread on the tax roll for that
year, 1890, and at the annual settlement follow
ing, the township of Rush paid all It's oblga-
tions. Yet the tax of 1890 was less by S3,37S5S
than the tax of 1889. In 1891, the tax roll was
of the records shows that in no year during the
past eight years have the taxes been as low as
in 1891. Taxes under democratic administra
lions are something that discreet republicans
say as little about as possible.
Mr.. Editor, let me state right here, before
! begin to analyZe the statements made in
the Press, that this is the first letter that
have ever written for publication i'm Shia-
wassee county paper, except that while in
the army two or three of my letters were
published i'm the Aforesaid Press, which at
that early date had not yet become so sue
cessful in creating bOmerangS for official
aspirants, nor had it yet become the rival of
the New York Sun in character wrecking
and further that don't know, neither do
care who tx" is and am not responsible for
anything he has or may hereafter say.
Now for the article in question. We are
informed that the Henderson correspondent
of The TINES is apparently training to be-
come political editor of some republican
paper that is OH par with The TIMES for
reliability of its utterances, we will say by
the way, it has never equaled the Press for
deception. But Mr.. Editor, didn't some
prominent democrat in our township not
long ago take quite a large package of TINES
from the postOffice at Henderson that con-
tanned little puff for himself. to be scatter
ed among his friends? If this be so, THE
TINES reliability was unquesti0ned then,
but now utterly unreliable. All! But you
know it makes difference to some people
whose OK is gored.
We are next informed that the facts pre-
sent an entirely different view from those
expressed by Y, /. e., that i'm 1890 after the
republicans had been in power for twelve
consecutive years, democratic officials were
elected by the people, And at that time
there was an Indebtedness of S1099.7 - on
the GOss bridge; that it was spread upon the
tax roll for that year, 1890, and yet the tax
for that year was less by $3,37S.53 than the
tax of 1889.
First, we had an indebtednesf of S1O97.75.
Oh my! Is that all the indebtedness we had
at that time? How 1t makes my heart leap
for joy to learn two years afterwards through
the columns of the reliable Press that it was
only $1099.75 interest and all. You remem-
Der, Mr.. Editor, how il was (if you don't we
republicans do) heralded from every hilltop
and valley, from every four corners, from
hotel lobby, from every store, from the
p0stoffice, reinforced by legal ability from
abroad and powerfully aided ii | am not
sadly mistaken by the reliable Press, i'm dis
seminating the intelligence that Rush was
quietly resting and apparently sleeping upon
burning volcano which in a few days at
most would burst forth in all its fury and
sweep the grand old town into irretrievable
bankruptcy. The people were called upon