Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1894-02-22
THE TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION
THE, MEETING AT MONTESANO.
Resolutions. Constitution and Bylaws
Adopted

lne meeting pl liN-!'iN ciN LAST 'S-'i'
day and Thursday resulted in the forma~
ton Of a permanent organization, to be
known a. The Consolidated Taxpayers
association. Of Chehalis county. The
meeting was called 10 order by j. J..
Medcali. Dr. Y. +. Colman was elected
/ chairman. and II. c. Cooper, secretary.
Mr.. Cooper read the estimate OF county
expenditures, upon which the tax levy
was based, and also Il comparative stale
ment showing the assessed value OF lana
in various counties OF the state lie he
lieycd that both the assessment and the
expenditures Of the county were too high,
and favored the appointment OF Il com
mittee to investigate and make recon-
mendatons.
Geo. II. Emerson believed there was
something vitality wrong with county
/ finances; thought the boom times had
much to do with the heavy debt. He
criticised the appropriations for various
expenses favored the indictment OF the
present and former county attorneys, who
/ hold money belonging to the county, and
also asked the commissioners to reduce
expenses by discharging clerks in county
! offices, and in other ways.
John Fry, OF Cosmopolis, hit the nail
on the head when he said that he thought
the text Let him that is without sin cast
the first stone" would apply to every one
present; thought "AIossback" methods
must be applied to get on the right track
again. He made a strong point when
! he said that the people should make a
united effort 70 have the ownership OF the
indemnity land, settled, that the county
might get the benefit OF taxes on them.
County attorney Scodeld, X. 7. Dab
ney. Edmund Croft, +. l.. Wade, 1T.
Medcalf and others spoke in favor of re-
trenchment. Judge Scofeld held that
the state constitution and laws were re-
sponsible; they were wrong and should
be abolished and new ones made. The
laws were expensive and extravagant.
On motion OF Mr.. Emerson the chair
appointed a committee OF % to perfect an
organization. A motion TO submit the
question of funding the present indebted
ness to- the committee was lost by vote
OF 60 to 50.
The committee met on Thursday, and
elected A. L. Griffith permanent chair
/ toa 1lti Il
the following report, which was adopted /:
WHEREAS, The taxpayers Of Chehalis
county find themselves confronted by a
tax now due that is oppressive to a de-
gree that is unbearable; and,
WHEREAS, They have found it mposs-
BILE to correct through their officers the
evils that lead mp to this tax; and,
WHEREAS, 1t is found that much OF the
evil lies in the excessive valuation OF the
property OF this county. resulting in rails
ing the limit OF onr lawful Indebtedness,
and the amount Of taxes that can be le-
gallv levied, thus frustrating the restrain
ing clauses Of our constitution, and caus-
ing Us t. pay nearly twice our given pro-
portion OF state taxes, and in many other
ways working upon ua Il hardship; and,
WHEREAS, All circumstances with our
assessor have proved unavalling; and,
WHEREAS, We find the estimates for
amounts required for county expenses for
the year 1894 are in accordance with, or
in excess Of, those for the years 1899 and
1893 and,
WHEREAS, We find in the hands Of our
prosecuting attorney AID his predecessor
in office a large sum OF money withheld
by them from the county, against the
order OF the court and,
WHEREAS. We find our county organi-
cation as provided for by our statutes and
constitution unnecessarily expensive and
WHEREAS, We find our state organiza-
ton as provided for by our statutes and
constitution unnecessarily expensive
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, First, that we the taxpayers
OF Chehalis county in convention assem-
bled, hereby ask the resignation OF our
present county assessor; second, that we
ask our county commissioners to re-esti.
mate the requirements for the year 1894
for county purposes, so as to reduce the
total amount One-half from the amount
now contemplated, and we further ask
them to govern their actions in accord
ance with these reduced estimates, and to
curtail their expenses in every way posi-
Dle tLlTu, tIldl We COIlutIll TIE action oil
our prosecuting attorneys for the course
they have pursued in the collection OF
delinquent taxes, whereby great unneces-
sary expense has been brought upon the
taxpayers Of the county, and upon the
county, and that we condem in strongest
terms the actions OF our prosecuting attor-
neys in the withholdngs OF the funds OF
the county, and that we call upon our
county commissioners to enforce the i'm.
mediate payment IF the judgment in force
now due against these attorneys, and for
that purpose to employ all necessary legal
advice, and to prosecute these attorneys
to the limit of the law; Fourth, that we
call upon our legislature to enact such
changes in our laws as shall 50 far as pos
sible reduce the expenses Of our county
and state organizations, that they abstain
: from unnecessary appropriations, avoid
increasing our Indebtedness and in all
ways possible lessen the burden OF the
taxpayer. q. ii. EMERSON,
: RI. nABNEY,
+. e. DEcKEBACH,
N ~