The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1904-02-23
CHALLENGES
MP. COWLES
CONTINUED from Page ~


debate, l to take the affirmative side
of the question:: Resolved, that the
railroads of Spokane county are as
sessed at a higher percentage of
actual value than is the personal
property of w. Fl. Cowles. including
the Spokesman-Review.'
Il will meet them in debate under
the auspices Of some representative
body like the chamber of commerce.
the ministerial association, the trades
council or the taxpayers league, or
1 will discuss the question with them
through the columns Of any news
paper not owned by Mr.. Cowles.
Briefly here are some of the false
hoods Mr.. Cowles' newspapers have
published very recently: They stated
that minority of the assessors in
the recent state meeting fixed the
railroad assessment. The report of
the committee. after being amended
to make the rate on first class roads
$40 per lineal foot. was adopted
without a dissenting vote. The
Spokesman-Review tacitly admitted
that fact, but claimed that l and
others of the railroad gang forced
a vote before the arrival of many
of the assessors. The only arrivals
after the vote was had were Messrs.
Kayser of Klickitat, Walton of Adams
and Wilson of Asotin. These could
not possibly have affected the result.
even had they voted as a unit. but
Mr. Kayser voted against reconsider
alton.
Used Persuasion.
"As a matter of fact, the editor of
the Spokesman Review got hold of
some of the assessors the night fol-
lowing the adoption of the report.
and in his effort to stir up dissension
succeeded in getting them to retur,
to the convention in the morning with
a motion to reconsider the unanimous
vote of the previous day. Led by Mr..
Kenney of Ellensburg, they favored
a further raise of 10 cents per foot
upon roads of the first class. I OPP
posed this, and stated that 1 favored
instead an increase of at least 10
cents on rolling stock, as that portion
Of the railroad property was assessed
at a lower percentage of value than
was the track itself. $751;
- after the motion was voted down
Gas noted by the Spokesman Review
and again made by me las not noted
by the Spokesman-Revie the ap-
pointment of a committee upon the
assessment of rolling stock was final
~ III, s,.x~1 80
that committee, Mr.. Coonse of. Yaki-
ma, voluntarily came to me and asked
for my opinion as to how much of
raise there ought to be. I advised
him to increase it Is cents per foot,
or 60 per cent. The committee so
recommended and the convention
unanimously adopted the report.
Stewart Wanted Increases.
''There are 976 miles and 3649 feet
of first class railroads in Washing
ton, and Mr.. Kenney's attempt to Sc
cure an additional raise of 10 cents
per foot upon that class alone would
have resulted in an increase of S515,-
1920. But the motion made twice
by me and backed by the other So
successful, and resulted in an increase
of Is cents per foot upon the 976
miles and 3649 feet of first class and
also upon the 1647 miles and 1877 feet
of second class roads, or a total of
$2,077, 735.05. In other words. myself
and supporters were contending for
an increase of more than four times
the amount asked for by Mr. Kenney
and his followers. and yet the
,Spokesman-Review has succeeded in
convincing many persons that Mr..
Kenney was fighting for the rights of
the people. while / was the bell-cow
of the railroad forces!
Spokane Assessment Reduced.
'In fixing the railroad assessment
opinions of the several county boards
of equalization and of the state board
were given more or less weight, and
in this connection 1t might be well
to remember that my assessment of
railroad DrODerty was so high last