The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1903-12-10

they could have asked for a rebate
on their taxes. Those matters
should never have been printed, for
the less we say about it the better
it would have been for all concerned.
but you drive me to do it. hence you
take the blame for it. will only
say that the board of review was in
adelicate position, which I think no
one will realize any better than you
can, If you will take the time to think
the matter over fairly.
This year the tax roll is ST., 900 in
all. The county tax is $25, 500 to
our $37 900 last year, a difference of
$11 500; your school tax this year
is 5000 to $25, 900 last year, diff
ference of S., 900, making total Diff
erence of $4,000. Could you, Mr.
Yates, add this $l6,5OO to your tax
roll this year and still have the rate
beloM ; per cent? What would you
have done? Would you have re-
pudlated any of those items even
with your business ability that we
have heard so much about this wear.
| do not see how you could get
around it.
Another reason for lower taxes is
the way the assessor has assessed
property; the valuation of the city
property being cut somewhere about
20 per cent. but this reduction will
be offset by the assessing of the
grain in the elevator and other mer-
chandise in the Omaha Railway
warehouse which ia. all will reach
nearly 100000. This has never
been done BY other assessors, but
Mr.. Lien looked the matter up and
placed it on the assessment roll.
Would the rate have been 2.91 this
year if this had not been done? IL
you want to refer to any of my ad-
ministrations why don't you refer
to my first when the rate was 2.61.
That was what will call n>rmal
year.
Now in regard to my work on the
County Board [ don't think anyone
that is familiar with my work there
will criticize me and tell me that it
was done In an unbusinesslike man.
ner. 1t was the first year in the
history of Washburn that we had a
fair valuation as between the diff
ferent towns, and I done my very
best to get it where it should be.
/ will not criticize the town board
for the way they have handled the
town affairs this year, the people
can judge for themselves. I only
want to make these comparisons in
regard to taxes and the reason for
the difference in amounts that there
has to be levied each year for the
purpose of carrying on our town
government, and in connection with
this woul ! like to say to the peo-
pie of Washburn that you will never
elect anyone that is not liable to
make mistakes. We can not all see
things in the same way, but [
earnestly tried to serve you to the
best OF my ability and done what I
thought to be to the best interests
of our town.
There is no doubt that a great
number of Washburn taxpayers will
be sorry that Mr.. Yates name is to
disappear from the political arena,
and thereby loose his valuable abil-
ity, but he has set an example for his
successors to follow that should not
be soon forgotten, and the reason
he gives for not being a candidate is
that it takes too much of his time
away from his own business,
which know is very true, and in
fact takes all of Chairman's time if
it is going to look after the Office
as it ought to be; but there is no
doubt that Mr.. Yates could find
other reasons for not coming before
the people once more as a candidate
for Chairman, Respectfully,
NELs NELSON.