Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1905-05-01
THURS7ON COUNTY
OLYMPIA CHAMBER OF commerce
WANTS To EXHIBIT.
The MOrning OIympian Makes an Ar.
gumenf for ThurSfOn County,
Exhibit at Portland Exhibit, Everv
Word of Which will Equally Apply
to ChehaIiS County.

After thorough discussion OF the sub.
ject, the chamber of commerce last night
decided to make one more appeal to the
county commissioners for an adequate
appropriation to cover the expenses of
Thurston county's exhibit at the Lewis
and Clark exposition.
The discussion started off on the
assumption that the action of the com.
mi 'sicners was final; that the board
would give no more than $lJO and the
services OF one man, and the situation
soon narrowed down to the one alter
native-a public subscription. This was
so manifestly unfair. being in effect the
saddling of the burden upon the bust.
nes' men of Olympia, but it was put
aside in favor of the resolution to make
one more attempt to induce the COM
missioners to carry out the plan provided
by the Legislature in cases where counties
desired to make individual exhibits. and
the question is open again.
AS everyone in Thurston county knows.
the Legislature has given the commission.
ers authority to appropriate money for
this purpose to the extent of one.hnlf of
one mill on the assessed valuation OF the
county. This would yield something like
80, 900, the assessed valuation being
about SO, 100000 The chamber Of COM
merce suggested the appropriation of
~ 800, sum we'll within the boards
authority and not an unreasonable or
extravaga3t amount. The boards re.
sponse has been criticized throughout
the county, and it is safe to say that
could the wishes of the people be ex.
pressed in vote, the full limit allowed
by the act would be pressed. The peo.
ole of Thurston county want creditable
exhibit at Portland, tut there is no W y
to provide for one with any degree of
fairness between those interested except
by the general tax levy provided by the
law for this special purpose.
The chamber is right in deciding to
refer the matter back to the commission.
ers rather than resort to the expedient
OF a public subscription. though the mat
ter is one of such Importance to the
county that a public subscription is, in
the Oiympian's opinion, preferable to no
exhibit at all. But to throw the expense
upon the few who will subscribe, allow
ing those who cannot be reached and !
those who will not subscribe, to escape
their share, should be the very last re.
sort.
Thurston county wants an exhibit |
the commissioners have but to pass a
resolution to provide the necessary funds
from source and in manner that will
divide the burden equally upon all those
interested. Why should all this impor-
tuning; all this supplication, and all this
argument be necessary to get Thurston
county into line with the other enter
prising counties of the state?
1t surely cannot be individual objec.
tions to the tax. When divided between |
the individual taxpayers the amount be.
comes 80 trivial that most men;would be
ashamed to speak of it. Figured out it
amounts to only fifty cents on each 81 900 |
of assessed property value. And when
it is remembered that nearly three-Rfths
of the assessed property of Thurston
county is held by nonresident corpora.
tions that in other words the Weyer.
haeusers, the Northern Pacific railway
and a few nonresident timber land hold.
ers would be called upon to pay about
81 500 of the $1,000 asked for, it is in
'eed difficult to account for the boards
hesitation.-Morning Oympian, April,
q.