Durango semi-weekly herald., 1906-10-29

money to pay it, but that he expect
to as soon as he earns 1t in the bust
ness. Mr. Coston, in this explanation
uses the cunning that he is known Il
possess. He does not state to you VIII,
there is no money in the treasury
Every person In the county who Is ia
miliar with the business of that alb
stract company, knows that its earn
ing capacity, II IL could be given Il
the public, would show a fair dividend
upon a 100000 of valuation. II Mr.
| Coston owns all the stock in the com
pany. controls the board of directors
| and there is nothing to prevent him
| from voting salary to himself as
manager in the sum of ten or twenty
thousand dollars a year, and show
that the company is not making any
money, and In that case, there would
be no money In the treasury and he
could put up very poor story to the
assessor as to the means of the com
pany and its earning capacity. II the
company has no money In its treasury
with which to pay these taxes. and If
it has not made a dividend upon from
fifty thousand to one hundred thou
sand dollars of capital, 1t must be by
itdpoh VI SOhi' JuSGltly vi lnt hinu
herein indicated This is one of the
well-known tricks of the tax-dodger.
How amusing 1t is to imagine John p
Coston as manager of the La Plata
County Abstract of Title company fix
ing up tax-dodging scheme to de-
ceive John p. Coston the assessor of
La Plata county.
Mr.. Coston tries to excuse himself,
or his company, from its tax'dodging
practice upon the ground of ignorance
and again he says that the county at
torney never told him tia, he should
assess 1, al It's full cash value, not
withstanding the plain provision of
the law hereinbefore cited. This ex-
cuse IL as lame as the other and II is
not an excuse unless he shows that
he asked the county attorney and that
the county attorney informed him that
1t was not taxspie al its full cash
value, and we venture to assert that
no county attorney, in the face Of the
statute above quoted, would ever give
him such adyices and Mr.. Goston
knew ii.
Giving Mr.. Coston the benefit of the
doubt and saying that he was ignor-
ant about this matter, ho nov knows
better, AUD u he i POSSESSED Of the
fairness that he claims, there is but
one thing for him TO do. There is
large conscience fund that belongs to
the county, Mr.. eoston can figure up
how much he should have paid the
county for the last six years by rea-
son of his not putting in the abstract
property al its fuii cash value and he
can now pay the same into the county
treasury where it belongs in good
conscience, II he weuld do this the
county treasury would be enriched by
several thousand dollars,
"The amelter Valuation"
This seems TO be Mr.. Coston's sub
stitute for the old cay of stop thief,
stop thief" He evidently is trying to
cover UP his qwn short.e6Miihgs by
tryina ty'Hake the people believe that
he is fair and honest and looking out
entirely for the interests of the tax
payers, while on the other hand, we
have a grsa. trust in our midst In the
person OF Tho American Smelling and
Refining company that is breaking
down and running tho prosperity OF
the county. With some people with
strong prejudices against corporations
this scheme might work ana be d
great assistance TO Mr.. Coston to get
into office for another term. That
this is his intention is evident from
the article. He say5 that Mr.. Reese
mentioned these facts in his nomina-
ton. He does not tell you that he
prompted Mr.. Reese to make this talk
in his behalf or that he furnished him
copy of his stump speech. called a
protest, to read before the convention
nor does Nh, Coston tell you that he
prepared this same protest in order
to make political record for himself
That this is evident win appear from
his explanation.
Now the facts about the valuation
of the smelter touched upon by Mr..
Coston's article and stump speech, 1t
might be well to call attention to the
eai-marks of the crafty politician
shown in reference thereto. He tries
to cast some reflection upou the Re
publican members of the present
board at county commissioners, yet II
you go to the treasurer's office you
will find that during the term el the
Democratic board Of 1904. after said
board had completed Its work as
equalizers, 1t left the valuation of the
property of the American Smelling
and Refining aalapany at the follow.
ing figures:
The Main plant valued at. e. ,$142,l75
The Standard plant as,,.... 5.14O
Making a total valuation for
the year 1904 under the
Democratic board of. ,315
In the year 1905, under the Re
publican board, we find the valuation
as left by the county board OF equal.
zation as follows.
the Main plant valued at. 1927 ,92O
The Standard plant valued at. 1900
Totai. i..-ft.i.,.,........ $23g,9S0
1t will be observed by this that Mr.
Costons insinuations against the
present board, when understood, will
| have no force or effect. The valua
tons for the year 1905, as left by the
present Republican board are prac
| tically the same figures of 1905.
| The next hest thing that could hap
| pen to Mr.. Coston from his point o.
| view, aside from his own election, Il
| the election OF Democratic member
of the board of county commissioner
and II one Democratic member WOul(