The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-04-01
Going After Tax Escapers League
In Oregon.
INCLUDES ALL BACK TAXES
Petitions for the lniative Being Cireu.
lated in the Various Counties of Ore.
gon for Law Compelling Tax
Eseapers to Pay Their Taxes,

A short time ago movement was
set on foot 10 invoke the initiative 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 so to 40 years standing. The
idea was taken up like wildhre by cit.
izens all over the state. A few days
ago the following was given out from
Salem. Ore
Petitions for the initiative upon the
proposed bill to assess and collect taxes
on all property in the state heretofore
unassessed have been completed and
will be put into circulation within a
few days. Inquiries are being received
from all parts of the state regarding
the move, and much comment of fav-
orable character is being made. 1t
is said prominent men of both parties
have signified willingness to not only
sign the petitions but help circulate
them in this county.
Besides the 1,129,S60 acres of land
held in this state by the Oregon &
California and Oregon Central Rail-
way Companies and by the willamet-
te Valley & Cascade Mountain Military
and the Corvallis & Yaquina Bay
Wagon Road Company, 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 taxation in past
years. This is due to the fact that the |
purchasers neglect to file their deeds |
of record when they complete payment |
to the state, and there are no con-
venient means by which the assessors
of the different counties can assess the
property on account Of the lack of
record of title.
In years past it has been a practice
of purchasers of state lands to make
first and second payments and delay
final payments an indefinite period,
thus leaving the title in the name of
the state. Thus they would be re-
quired to pay only interest at s per
cent per annum. which was much
cheaper than taxes, Last year, how
ever, the land board issued an order (
compelling all purchasers of state land
TO complete payments within the limit Ic
of three years as prescribed by law. Ia
under penalty of having their certi-
hcates Cancelled. While many were r
cancelled under this order great ma a
Jority paid up and received their deeds.
but they still have eluded the assessors a
by neglecting or refusing to record the v
deeds. c
All this property would come under
the provisions of the proposed bill and r
taxes could be collected upon it back e
to the date of the issuance of deed.
There is a complete record of the v
states transactions in the Office of the a
clerk Of the state land board and Gov. p
ernor Chamberlain says that the as
sessors Of the different counties Of the
state have free access to these records.
which would give them all the data
to assess the property to O
The rightful owners All the land pur-
chased from the state and escaping ir
taxation could be listed from the land
'fice records, and the governor says Il
I would pay each county to send its
assessor here every year for the pur- te
pose Of checking up the records and
listing taxable property. The back Il
axes upon land of this character would
llso amount to thousands Of dollars. v,