The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1900-03-12
COUNTY FINANCES.
WpOdburn Grange Holds An Open
MEETING Saturday At Their Hall.
County Finances S's" an n"lns ahu
Another Meenn.7 Friday March,
23rd.

All the seats were taken a. Grange
Hall Saturday for the farmers NJ Getting
TO discuss county taxes. The hal.' is
about a mile out Of town and for a rain. v
day there was good attendance.
The chairman presented a statement
from the county court Of Linn county
and the question was discussed why
the tax levy Of Marion was almost three
or four times as high as Linn, when
this county had made no expensive inn
provements and Linn had built a new
poor house and court house and bought
a poor farm without running in debt a
dollar.
LINN COUNTY FIGURES
were shown by L. Hofer Of THE jour
NAL for the past four years as follows
1895 1899
Warrant debt 1927 10 none
Interest paid ..... l20 90 none
Cost of assessment. 1875 90 $24 90
Cost of bridges for 4
years. rS............., w, 100 ~
Criminal expenses 4
years. .......... Sl2,995 4S
The expenses of the different depart
ments Of Marion county are being COM
piled and will be presented at the next
meeting to be held in Woodburn at
Beach's Hall, Friday March %, at one
o'clock.
Mr.. Hofer also gave the official figures
for the total amount Of county and state
school and state taxes of Linn county
from 1892 to 1895 inclusive as S507,
09S.67, and for the four years just end
ed (from 1896 to 1899 inclusive,) at $780,
02S.7s, a reduction of Sill ,069.s9 taxes
taken from the people by Judge Barton
as against four years Of Republican rule.
The speaker replied to the claims Of
Mr.. U'Ren that the last legislature was
one of the best that ever assembled by
showing that the amount appropriated
at the regular session for ordinary ex-
penses was 81 ,39l 1851. The state tax
was 6.3 mills, besides a quarter of mill
scalp bounty tax, or 6.55 mills.
It took this big levy TO raise $751;
972.57, while the amount actually APP
propriated for 80 was S70i, 1895 TO have
raised what was appropriated would
have required over seven mills state
taxes.
One speaker attributed the high taxes
TO the presence Of the state capital in
Marion county. 1t cost 800 each time
the grand jury investigated all the state
institutions, useless expense. II cost
too much TO send up insane people. He
charged that Sheriff Durbin had on the
canvass promised to run his Office for
1880 year and no sooner was he in
office than he had it raised to $4,000 year.
Mr.. Hofer asked permission to state
the facts. They were not here TO as
sail the character of any indiyidual for
partisan purposes. Marion county he
said needed better system Of county
government and taxpayers had a right
TO know the facts and apply the rem.
edy. The special session Of the legis-
lature had cut down the salaries Of all
the officials Of Marion county. 1t was
afterwards found that the salary Of the
sheriff had been put too low and Mr..
Durbin would have been compelled to
resign had It not been raised TO a fig.
ure that a fairly good man could af'
ford to give his time. On petition Of
the most prominent Republicans, legis.
lature had raised the salary 10 $1,000
year for the sheriff and $4,000 year for
deputies.
This was considered an equitable adj
justment OF the matter and Frank Dur
bin had made the best record for prompt
collection OF taxes and absence Of all
gratis on the tax payers Of any man
who had eyer held the office.
The meeting was entirely harmonious
and free from personal or partisan at
taeks. All present expressed them
selves pleased and more such meetings
will be found TO have good effect.
DIR. Bulls Cough syrup Is a Great
medicine OF intrinsic worth. IL re-