The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1900-05-15
CREDIT WHERE 1T BELONGS
Sheriff Durbin Alone Originated the Plan
for Securing an Accurate Tax Roll.

Sheriff Durbin Alone Originated the Plan
for Securing an Accurate Tax Roll.
desire TO add a few words OF com.
mendation made by the CAPITAL Jour-
NAL, Of this city, commenting on an ar
ticle which appeared in the Woodburn
Independent recently, regarding the
present nominee for sheriff, Frank w.
Durbin. The article in question and in
substance is either an ignorant or else
a wilful Misrepresentation OF the facts,
and attempts to rob Sheriff Durbin Of
a very creditable piece OF work on his
part, and accredits II TO Assessor Hobart
who was not the originator OF the plan
for making an accurate roll OF the delin-
quent tax property. Not content with
this il adds another charge, that OF
''sailing into office under iAise colors,"
which plainly shows that the matter OF
selling property for taxes is not alto
gether the only motive prompting the
article. A general effort TO iniure Mr.
Durbin, is apparently, inasmuch as the
facts OF the subject matter are 30 will
fully sacratlced and colored for the sole
purpose Of benefitting some person
other than Mr.. Durbn.
Now, as TO the fact OF the matter, and
in justice 10 Sheriff Durbin,'I feel free
10 say, (having been placed in a position
TO observe) that Mr.. Durbin, as soon as
he became familiar with the duties Of
his office, at once detected las man
Of his ability would) the fact that il the
tax-rolls were properly prepared with
good descriptions aud correct names OF
owners Of, the land-something never
before done with the rolls-that the
property would sell and bring good re-
turns TO the county. Seeing the extreme
advisibility and expediency OF such a
change being made In the rolls he at
once began TO advocate and set forth
the worth OF such move. Those who
are in any way familiar with the tax
rolls know and can at once see the i'm
portance Of having good, clear descrip-
tinns Teach piece OF property 10 be
sold, But little argument is necessary
to any one at all familiar with the tax
rolls, Alter some personal effort Mr..
Durbin went before the County Court
and laid the matter before il, and the
Court at once seeing the efficacy OF the
proposition, exercised its good Judgment
and ordered the work 10 be done. This
work was done under contract and was
gigantic task. Accuracy being the
w1tchword, the preparation OF these
rolls, correct In every particular, as.
sumed a stupendous work. The work
was done by Frank w. Waters, OF this
city, a person having some 20 years ex.
perience lin handling all manner of rec
ords, and wholly competent 10 perform
the work, as the work proved for itself.
When this work OF preparing the rolls
was completed, and the books turned
over 70 the sheriff, the latter Immediate
ly collected all the taxes, except the
personal property tax, which would be
impossible for him to collect. The
assessor In no way was concerned in the
matter, other than 60 accomndate Mr..
Waters, and his corps OF assistants. He
had nothing TO do with the Clear de.
scriptions" furnished, and did not
stand at the back OF the sheriff as il IA
alleged IN the articles in the Woodburn
paper. II the assessors work brought
the buyers, and the sheriff simply did
~ the court ordered him TO do, whv was
any contract let 10 Mr.. Waters? MI
these clear" descriptions were 10 be
had In the assessors office, why did the
court 20 To useless expenditure OF hav-
ing II done by some one else2 III they
were TO be had, Mr.. Durbin would have
known II, aud not have been before the
court asking for that which he already
had. IL isso selfevident that the facts
have been misnepresented in the Wood.
burn paper, Ia order 10 belittle Mr.. Dur.
bin, that no special attention or denial
is necessary except In cases where il
mixh' oe read by some one not familiar