Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1896-01-09
Official Paper of the City of Aberdeen
THE INCREASE IN TAXES.

Several weeks ago We published a
comparative statement Of the taxes levied
for 1895 and those OF the preceding year,
claiming there was an increase in amount
OF twenty per cent. Notwithstanding the
reduced valuation. The entire press OF
the county called US down as 20 the
amount and the Vidette gave u. about a
column tending to show that We always
approved everything Democratic and con-
demned everything Republican, no mat
ter how good the latter might be or how
bad the former. We now propose to
show the Vidette guilty Of the reverse
OF this, and also that the increase OF state
and county taxes is not only twenty per
cent over last year but are in fact thirty.
five per cent, and that whereas the Vi
dette claims the increase is due to in
creased road and municipal levies that
these levies are actually lower than the
previous year.
In the article referred to it was stated
that the state and county taxes for 1895
amounted to 800, 237.7s, as against 1884,
O51.35 for the previous year. 1t was
pointed out to US that the auditors report
placed the total state and county taxes
for 1894 at $92 ,596.0l, and We hedged a
little on the amount Of the increase, not
noticing at the time that this total con.
tanned the segregated road fund tax Of the
road districts, which the figures for 1895
did not, as it had been taken out OF the
hands OF the commissioners. This is no,
properly county tax, being levied only
in the road districts. outside of incorpor.
ated cities and towns, and last year
amounted to sls,52516 which deducted
from the total in the auditors report lef,
$74,07O.S5 as the true state and county
tax for 1894, and for which purposes oul
incompetent and extravagant commits
sicners have levied for 1895 800, 237.7s
an increase Of s26, 1868, or thirty-fve
per cent. Mr.. Anstie asks US to point ou
some Of his acts that are wrong and to DE-
SO in plain, truthful language. This il
one OF them, it is as plain as We know
how to put it, and its truthfulness nont
can deny. The statement referred to il
the beginning Of this article was wrong
in that figure eight was set down for :
seven, making the total for 1894 appea
ten thousand dollars greater than it really
was, and the increase the same amour
less than it was in fact
The Vidette last week in giving thu
totals OF all taxes at s159, 5SS. a showing
an increase OF s23,275 over last year, en-
deavors to shield the incompetent Re
publican majority Of the commissioner!
by laying the increase, outside OF that il
the road and bridge fund, to the road dis
tricts and cities. The increase Of 1926,
1868 which we have shown, and which
cannot be evaded, is greater than the
total increase, which proves conolusivel,
that the total amount OF taxes levied fo1
road and municipal purposes is less thar
last year, and not greater as the Nidettt
would make it appear in order to take the
blame from the men where it belongs anc
bolster up every act Of these incompetent
and extravagant officials which it helped
put in office. What do the taxpayers o.
the county think OF the showing? They
asked for bread and the Republicans
have given them q stone.