The Colville examiner. [volume] (Colville, Wash.) 1907-1948, 1908-10-10

1t was indorsed at the last session of the inter-
national tax congress unanimously by the repre-
sentatves of 81 states
For instance the constitutional amendment,
when adopted. would enable the state to adopt the
Minnesota method and tax railroads on their earn
ings and to make the railroads and public service
corporations pay all the state taxes while the
counties would pay only their own county tax.
The amendment and subsequent law would per-
NIT the taxing of the earnings of express COM
panes just as the state officers are trying to do
now without such law Under the present law
which requires all property in the state to be taxed
alike, it is claimed such companies can only be
taxed for their actual property in Washington
which is almost nothing, although they took about
ST. 500 900 in express charges out of the state last
year.
There are arguments against this amendment
Counties which possess railroad property are fear
full the change would cost them loss of revenue
from county taxation OF the railroad property.
p~S
The auditors annual report for 1908 is out and
copies may be secured at the auditors office
persual Of this report will be highly gratifying to
the voters who placed the present board of county
commissioners in Office for Notwithstanding all the
improvements to building and office equipment for
",
been steadily decreased by the present board
Note the following
Net Indebtedness June 80, 1906, $183, ,252. 49,
Net Indebtedness June 80, 1907, $171, ,92911.
Net Indebtedness June 80, 1908, $168, ,475.6
In the mad rush at the auditors office to secure
the election of L. E. Jesseph (who has been in the
office four years. the auditor overlooked the fact
that the poor farm still belongs to the county, At
,c Oh
would make the net Indebtedness of the county but
$780, 1855. In other words, the present board Of
county commissioners IN taUo gears has decreased
the county's Indebtedness $23, 900.
The county commissioners have had great deal
to contend with in the discharge of their duties
For instance, they have no control over court ex-
penses, which were more than $4,000 last year.
The assessors office cost the county $1,000 last
year. which was $2389 more than the year before
and $2O12 more than two years ago. The new jail
cost SIG, 4.89 but the commissioners have some
thing to show for the money expended. The aud
itors office has had the letting of all the big print
ing and blank book contracts, and these were let
to certain offices for certain reasons without giving
the county any opportunity to save money by re-
ceiving competitive bids.
w. l. Fountain of Locke is the only one of the
through the aid of his business sagacity the county
is gradually creeping out of debt should be the
strong argument for voters of all parties to give
him their undivided support. Politics and policies
are we'll in their place, but the man who actually
delivers the goods in the county's business ad-
ministration has the best of the argument
S~S
Brother Veatch, of the Statesman-Index has
started in to make the office of county auditor an
hereditary one The voters will probably have
something to do with it before the job is finished
Pend d'Oreille Press, Newport
With due respect for the pleasing personality of
Judge Taft where is it of record that he ever man.
ifested concern lest the selfish users of government
for self njure the stability of the republic? Be-
fore he became candidate for the presidency,
when did he attach himself to any reform, or when
did he become known as the leader in movement
to bring about better conditions as to the fearful
abuses which have been revealed in late years?
Roosevelt stood for something definite; Bryan
was the embodiment of the proposal for civic re-
form; LaFollette was a human dynamo as he gen.
Grated power for reforms in state and nation; Folk
achieved reputation which stamped him as brave
champion of the people against the grafters.
For what specific civic reform issue did Judge
Taft stand which differentiated him from hundreds
of thousands of other good citizens?
s>s
Two hundred and eighty years is the combined
age of three voters in Spokane, and it is believed
they are the oldest in the Pacific northwest The
veteran of the trio is Horace Bagley, 81 years of
ago, born near Burlington, VT, who cast his first
vote for Andrew Jackson in 1892 The second is
G. " Horton, 92 years, born near Bnghamton, N
Y. where he voted for Martin Van Buren, and the
third is Daniel Dwight 92 years. born at Dudley