The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-12-13
TAxEs ON TIMBER.

TAXES ON TIMBER.
The fling of five suits against Clat-
sop county. in5oining the sheriff from
selling the timber lands belonging &c
the plaintiffs for delinquent taxes, will
result in calling the attention OF the
people of Clatsop county to the neces-
sity of protecting its forests against
the encroachment of syndicates wao
buy timber lands for speculative pur-
the commercial interests OF the county.
1t is well-known fact that the for
erts of the eastern and middle states
are already denude of their timber,
and in the near future Oregon and
Washington will be called upon to sup
ply the demands of trade. Knowing
this. few wealthy men have formed
trusts, or syndicates, as they term
them. for the purpose of securing con-
troll OF all the available timber In
both states. That frauds have been
perpetrated in securing much Of the
timber lands. is too we'll known to
admit of any doubt. That large tracts
have been secured at very low figure.
by employing men TO take up the lands,
prove up on them. and then turn them
over to these syndicates is well known.
Many men have been hired for a paltry
sum, in many instances not exceeding
800. to file on timber lands for these
syndicates. In this way they acquired
title to thousands of acres Of the best
timber lands of Clatsop county.
These syndicates Rave not purchased
these lands for the purpose of en-
gaging in the lumber business. foster
ing or building up any industry. but
for purely speculative purposes. They
purpose holding them until such time
as saw mill men and lumber manufac-
turers are compelled to buy them. pay
ing fabulous price therefor. When
this time comes, as 1t will in the near
future, the price of lumber will adj
vance to double the present prices. On
account of the necessary increase in
the price of lumber, the market will
be demoralized; people cannot afford
to build. and the result will be that
many saw mills will have to go out
Of business Thousands of men will
be thrown out OF employment, and its
effect upon the business community
cannot be estimated. All of this will
be accomplished by few unscrupu-
lous timber syndicates for private gain.
These are the men that have filed
suits in the circuit court of Ciatsop
county, complaining of the assessments
made against their property. Tney
claim that their property is assessed at
more than its actual cash value, and
that the estimates made by the cruis
ers employed by the syndicates. AS
to this last contention there can be
no doubt Timber syndicates employ
cruisers to cruise claims. with the
instructions to cruise them at half or
two thirds of their actual products.
They buy the lands from the owners
on the basis Of the cruise made by their
own men: The cruisers sent out by the
county made an honest cruise and
gave in the actual amount of timber on
each claim. This is why there is a
wide discrepancy between the syndi-
cate cruisers and the county cruisers. |
They claim that they ought to pay
taxes on the same basis that they Sc
cured the lands, and because the coun-
ty court viii not accede to their unjust
demands they endeavor to stop the sale
of their lands by some technicality, in
hopes of avoiding their just and equi-
able proportion Of county taxes. In
years past these lands have not been
assessed at one-tenth of their actual
value, and now becaues the county pro-
poses to assess them at one-third of
the actual value, they refuse to pay and
expect to avoid taxes by litigation.
Their contention will never be up
held in any court of Oregon. They
will be compelled to pay their taxes,
with interests and costs, and in justice
to the county the assessor should
double the assessment on every timber
claim in the county, and even then 1t
will not be in proportion to the amount
the owners of small homes are COM
pelled to pay. Timber syndicates have
no interest in the county, but rather,
they are seeking to destroy one of its
most important industries. Not only
have they virtually robbed the gov
.rnment by the most glaring frauds in
title to these lands, but now
want to rob the county Of their just