The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-03-17
UNJUST TAXATION.

1t has been announced that an or
dinance is being prepared to submit
to the common council next Monday
night to require the Astoria Electric
Co, TO pay a license OF 500 per year
on each car used by that company TO
haul fuel from the saw mills to the
power house. Just what possible ex-
cuse or justification exists for such an
ordinance is probably known only to
the author. If the city is getting short
of funds, there are other ways in
which they can be secured. II is very
possible that the council could do away
with a man experimenting the con-
struction of Franklin avenue, which
the council ordered not to be done
and which is clearly the duty Of the
superintendent of streets. There has
been over $1,000 illegally paid out to
political pets in giving them positions
unwarranted by the charter or ordi-
nances, and which the common council
themselves admit, and which Council
man Hansen explained al a meeting
of the council that there. was no
authority to employ any person to sup
erintend the construction Of streets
yet they are doing today, just what
they declared to be Illegal last week.
Instead of throwing distractions in
the way Of enterprise, they should be
encouraged Many cities exempt var
ious enterprises from taxation in or
der to induce them to locate. No one
is going TO invest capital in any en-
terprise without a possible chance of
making interest on the money invest
ed. No one is going to put money in
a city or town when there Is a dispo-
sition to enforce hardships upon them
in the way of unjust taxation. Capital
is timid, and is controlled by shrewd
business men. who are willing to in
vest and assist in building up city,
where their efforts are appreciated.
The Astoria Electric Company have
invested over 100000 in Astoria, in
a street car line and nearly 5000, 600
in electric light, gas and power. They
paid out during the year 1904 nearly
$4,000 in betterments, wages and sup
plies, every dollar of which is spent
in Astoria. They have extended their
lines east and west and contemplate
still further extensions. They phid
this year in taxes. according to the
assessment books; $1277.33, or over 800
a month in taxes alone. And now
someone wants to make them pay IL
cense on their freight cars.
The excuse offered by the father of
the ordinance is, according to a state
ment published in the Budget, that
"the city compells the owners Of drays
to pay a license and limits the weight |
of the loads which can be hauled on
any dray over the public thoroughfare,
and l see no reason why similar re-
strictions should not be placed on
cars"
There is an apparent density Of in
tellect or wilful ignorance lurking in
the think tank of the author of the or
dinance. The ordinance limiting the
weight hauled on trucks and drays
has never been enforced and is violated
every day. It is true that the teams all
pay a license, but so does the street |
car company. They pay about $3.50
per year license on street cars, or $50
per year on each car run. The draysI
and trucks wear out the streets and
are the only vehicles in the city that
does wear them out. If there were mol
drays or trucks instead Of having tel
repair Commercial street every twOl
years, besides an enormous expensel
for constant repairs, the street. would
last for twenty years. The street cars
do not wear out the streets. Section
Z Of the ordinance granting the street
car company franchise provides as
follows:
Sec. 7. The streets over which said
railway line shall run, between the
rails and one foot on each side thereof |
shall be kept in good repair by the
owners of said railway in such manner