East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-02-11
LETTER TO VOTERS
c. p. STRAIN DISCUSSES
ASSESSORS OFFICE
Reviews Assessment and Taxation
and Gives Figures Showing Increase
of Taxes-Has Been Urged TO Run
for Congress, But Feels That Poll
tics Would be a Handicap.

Assessor C. p. Strain, who has been
urged to accept the office of assessor
for another term, has addressed the
following public letter to tho voters
of the county through the columns
of the East Oregonian:
Pendleton, Ore, Feb. II, 1908.
To the Citizens of Umatilla County:
My second term as your assessor is
about to expire and | wish to have a
little chat with you.
1t was your votes that elected me
and your support that sustained me
in the difficulties which have met
have given you all Of my time and
energy and ability in exchange for
the honor and the salary which you
have bestowed upon me.
Your taxes have been increased
through the levies of your leSisl .ture.
your school districts, your city coun-
ellis, and your county court from
Sl96.631 in 1902 to $351,000 in 1901.
This enormous increase of $165.OOO
in five years has occurred during my
tenure in office; but from causes over
which I have no control
If it had been permitted to fall dis
proportionately upon home owners, as
! is often the case your taxes would
have been far more burdensome than
they are.
However, have done nothing more
than my duty. for which have been
paid well already. | am now entirely
willing that you may decide whether
or not shall serve you further in
this or in any other capacity.
Several years ago l concluded that
the people of this country needed,
above all other things, public Off
-cials who were capable and reliable.
Accordingly | began to prepare my
self to meet that demand. For Is
years have been investigating, think
ing, searching in this field.
But you gave me the first and only
opportunity which / have had to test
my fitness for public service.
\ few friends have suggested my
name for congress. | do not know
whether / am big enough to fill so
great an office If were thought
worthy of higher place than | now
occupy, l would like to be railroad
commissioner or congressman.
In either of these positions | would
endeavor to safeguard every interest
of the state.
No vote or act of mine should pur-
posely rob the stOckman, the farmer,
the miner. or the manufacturer of
profits fairly earned or turn away a
penny's worth of legitimate COM
merce from the state.
But probably you can not, II you
would, advance me to either of these
positions. For | am known as a DEM
o<eat. and L, am one, If democracy
means as think it does, a firm be-
lief in equality of rights and in sim
pie, honest administration of law.
This kind of democracy is not the
exclusive doctrine of any political
party, and adherence to it should not
exclude a person, as ii now does, from
public office,
The assessors office is your own
If you wish to keep me in touch with
the problems of public concern, you
can do so through this office. The
other positions belong to larger dis
trict in which my party name, rather
than the substance of my belief, would
be severe handicap.
1t would be a valuable favor to me
for YOU to discuss this matter among
yourselves before the primaries so
that 1 may learn your pleasure.
I should esteem 1t high honor to
be chosen third time to this office;
yet II you oppose third terms, or IL
you prefer some one else, I should
cheerfully acquiesce in your decision.
Respectfully,
C. p. STRAIN.