Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1893-11-17

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Na,u % - .r'~,!t.t'' .r.yu.I. VITA
=" >'Aaa..- Sd: thu a. .,t.. all a
a4.' IN ill., I-oer'~-.t. :.ct.., = o.; a
ci'r No" r.:'.tuj. t.',aV-r, wAicn
lead t'.l' a:. ....t,. uA,.v t. AFFORD an
80 .,->0u tu smaller MN. .!pal;-
tie. L d"..a-,- that l reform i ne
c'>,ary - t.,' correction o.; Valuations
d.! t.Alh.r ret.ty and IN the ,Xpcndi-
tan Whi,A require 80 high an aggrc-
gate tAA.rat, 1t demands rctrcuri.-
m,nt in trcrv department Of CITY and
county administration. Ills demand
is supported bv a taxpavers' commit.
tee. who aitc- iu!l Investigation have
determined tia, Their, has been = treat
depreciation in the value Of rropertv
that it, ya,i.,tiyn. during boom time,
wa- mach to high. and was never
supported ty real value: that the c,t!-
mate npw =. iced upon realty is still
IN exec, q: t. value. AID every con-
sidrratiun that may serve to establish
sound tina lcial policy appeals for a
sacrifice oi that false pride which
stands between just return and the
dclu-ivc hope OF gam from a spccula-
tive basis that has hitherto been
doomed to fer disappointment.
Reduction Of taxation in Portland,
the Oregonidl declares, is essential to
the recovery of business prosperity.
Seattle and Tacoma have already
Ia ken the initiative by close applica-
ton of the pruning-knife, while scores
OF the smaller cities OF this State have
closely reeiet their sails to stand the
force OF the financial hurricane.
How Is 1t with us? Let the records
answer. We are confronted with a
ratio OF taxation which reaches nearly
four per cent. upon a valuation that
not one lot III hundred, nor one acre
in a thousand, would sell for now,
when the taxes are due and payable.
The city levy was placed at the max
mum figure, 10 mills, and the Supe-
rior and Supreme Courts were impor-
tuned by the city to allow the in
creased figures OF the State Board OF
Equalization to be used, and thus
make the burden still heavier. For
tunately neither of these tribunals
sanctioned the plan Cor rather, they
placed just construction on the law
and it failed, or few additional drops
OF blood might have been wrung from
Che slow, patient, plodding people,
who stand the rankest injustice until
literally forbearance ceases to be a
virtue. The excuse is made that a
high aggregate of cash values is neces-
sary to validate outstanding indebted
ness. If that is true, why should it be
SO, after so many years of warning?
Why were not municipal expenses cut
down sufficiently to keep the debt
within the limit? How is it that the
authorities have had money to throw
away on such stupendous piece of
folly as that which appears on Sylves.
ter Square, if it was needed 10 keep
the issue OF warrants unimpaired?
In county matters the situation is
not much better. A show of retrench.
ment has been made, but it is only
looping off few suckers" and leav.
ing the rank growth to spread. Com
missioners still vote themselves a
daily compensation three or four times
as large as the working man receives
for ten hours Of hard labor. There is
the usual number of well-paid en-
ployes in all branches of the govern
ment, from Governor to Wreckmaster,
and each receives the salary which
was acceptable in flush times. In
fact, one of these lucky gentlemen,
the other day, chided his neighbOr for
grumbling over hard times. at don't
see any difference" said he, and no
wonder; he was receiving a liberal
monthly salary from the county.
There are, in the public service,
some sinecure positions, where moth.
ing is done for months at time other
other than to sign vouchers for salary ;
but their owners roost go high that
they are for the present out of range
Tic for tho nr.so,. .,o.
tures have s,oc;o, xofo,o,oo W.
ohort 20 o,aot .oro-o, 49,. O.
For Heoven,. .olo Vote, $500
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yor o,oor o,,n,,, - ~ ,
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