Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1905-03-28
WANT INITIATIVE.
Anxious That Back Taxes be Paid
by Possessors of Large
Land Grants,

lsduu NIduISs
A short time ago movement
was set on foot to invoke the ini-
tiative and force those who hold
large land grants within the state
not only to pay taxes on said
lands, but to pay back taxes of
from 80 to 40 years standing
The idea was taken up like Wild
fire by citizens all-over the state.
A few days ago the following was
given out from Salem, Or:
Petitions for the initiative upon
the proposed bill to assess and col
lect taxes on all property in the
state heretofore unassessed have
been completed and will be putt
into circulation within few days.
Inquiries are being received from
all parts of the state regarding
the move, and much comment of
la favorable character is being.
made. It is said prominent men
of both parties have signifed
willingness to not only sign the.
petitions, but help circulate them
in this county.
/ Beside the 1,12o, 600 acres of
land held in this state by the Or
egon & California and Oregon
Central Railway Companies and
by the Willamette Valley & Cas-
cade Mountain Military and the
Corvallis & Yaquina Bay Wagon
Road Companies, by virtue OF the
grants of Congress OF 1866, there
are several hundred thousand
acres of land purchased from the
state which have also escaped tax
alton in past years. This is due
to the fact that the purchasers
neglect to file their deeds of rec
ord when they complete payment
to the state, and there are no cor
| venient means by which the As
SCISSORS of the different counties
can assess the property on account
of the lack OF record of title.
In years past it has been :
practice. of purchasers of state
lands to make first and second
payments and delay final pay
ments an indefinite period, thu:
leaving the title in the name o
the state. Thus they would b.
required to pay only interest a
6 per cent per annum, which
was much cheaper than taxes
Last year, however, the Lane
Board issued an order compellin,
all purchasers of state land t
, complete payments within tn
limit of three years as prescribe
by law, under penalty of havin,
their certificates Cancelled. Will
l many were Cancelled under thi
order a great majority paid u
and received their deeds, but the
still have eluded the Assessors b
negiecting or refusing to recor
the deeds.
: All this property would com
= under the provisions of the prt
posed bill and taxes conld be CO
8 lected upon it back to the date
: the issuance of deed. There is
= complete record OF the state
: transactions in the office of II
:. Clerk of the State Land Boal
=. and Governor Chamberlain sa,
- that the Assessors of the differel
counties of the state have Fl
access to these records, whit
would give them all the data ne
essary to assess the property
the rightful owners. All the lal
ce purchased from the state al
r, escaping taxation could be list
or from the land Office records, al
=, the Governor says it would p
~ u each county to send its Assess
- - here every year for the purpe
ad of checking up the records a
e. listing taxable property. T
back taxes upon land of Il
or character would also amount
We thousands.o of dollars.
lat