Semi-weekly herald., 1908-10-29
JUMBLED FIGURES
TO DECEIVE VOTERS
The More the People Study Coston Methods
and Manner Of Manipulating Figures the
More Shocking Conditions Revealed

Now. will Mr.. Coston stand up and
tell us the value Of the plant. the i'm
provements. at the time purchased by
the American Smelling company, and
what was paid for the improvements
as improvements and the amount paid
Tor the smelling franchise. VIII Mr..
Coston take an affidavit the plant cost,
or rather was worth $1,000,000, and
VIII he take an affidavit that new
improvements have since been added
costing 100000? Under his sigma
ture Mr.. Coston says so, but this
makes him out as o falsifer and he
knows It, Mr.. Farmer. If he will mis-
represent the value of the new i'm.
provements over 100000 in one little
sentence what reliance can you place
on single statement advanced by
him? In the first place the highest
estimate placed on the improvements
in flattering newspaper write-ups was
100000 and Mr.. Coston knows Just as
well as he is living that these i'm
provements simply replaced the old
workings that were assess.
ed but considered worthless and
thrown out. Mr.. Coston refers to the
new smoke stack. Yes, there is u
new stack, but 1t takes the place of
old stacks. The only real increase is
in the office building which is larger
and better In every way, but SO far
as the other improvements they have
not added to the capacity of the plant
but became necessary in order to
throw out the old and put in new
machinery to keep up with the times.
| Why does Mr.. Coston wilfully and
ers. The Herald is willing to submit
the result of the election, that is, ask
for his election, If he will 90 over
to the smeter and after securing data
make an affidavit that the improve
ments he mentioned cost half a mil.
lion, one-half Of what he stated. II
Mr.. Coston made such an affidavit he
would be prosecuted for perjury. And
still he tells the farmers It amounts
to one million and expects them tc
believe 1t. All The Herald wants Is
facts. II we have not facts and fig
ures to prove our side before any
court in the land then we will never
criticise Mr.. coston as long as he
lives.
True. Mr.. Coston expects the farm.
ers and voters to believe he is in
earnest and honest in his statements
and they may continue to believe him
but the facts are not altered.
Now to real touchy subject for Mr.
Coston. We quote:
In regard to my unpaid taxes
/ have only to say, that II / had
not been compelled to pay out
large sum of money in vain at
tempt to protect the people of La
Plata county from the annual steal
of the American Smelling & Re-
fining company, that those taxes
mentioned would have been duly
paid, and a large amount of inter
est saved to myself, but these
taxes will be paid, however un-
Justly they may have been i'm
posed.
VIII our readers note the pathos In
the pitiful closing of an article re
plete with deception. Let us say that
the large sum Mr.. Coston was com
PEELED to pay because of his suit
against the smelter foots up a total
of $47.35. And now let us get down
to the facts. This large sum Mr.
Coston complains of was incurred less
than two years ago What had that
70 do with Mr.. Coston not paying taxes
due the county for the year 1897 to
1901. inclusive. The taxes were due
nine years ago, long before the suit
against the smelter was thought OF
and Mr.. Coston now comes in and says
1t was this expense that has kept him
from paying just taxes. Again. Mr.
Coston says he will pay these taxes
just as soon as he can, however un
Justly they may have been imposed
Mr.. Coston tries to make out the taxes
In question were unjustly imposed
Let us say. and the records will beai
us out. that the valuation placed OF
the property in question was less thar
10 cents on the dollar and now he
tries to make out this was unjustly
imposed. Did you ever hear such
rot. Now, Mr.. Farmer and Mr.. La.
boring Man with lot and house, lie,
US tell you what would have happened
to you had you not paid your taxes
you would have been sold out and
made to move out In the street. No
matter II sickness and misfortune had
overtsken you, that would make no
difference. Today the tax sale is
being made up and II you are delin.
quent for your 1907 tax you will have
your farm sold and not permitted to
give any back talk. Why should Mr..
coston be permitted to let his taxes
drag on and on forever when you
must pay or move out. Mr.. coston
n - - .I~E.