Semi-weekly herald., 1908-11-02

| figures are wrong and that he know
that they are wrong. as he is wron.
throughout.
Coston further states that the smell
ter smelted 1906 tons of ore per montl
and further states that this vile mis-
| creant who Is wolf seeking a nice
| fat lamb told him so. The Herald
wonders II any one would take Cos
ton for nice fat lamb? Mr.. Coston
again knows that he is not telling the
whole truth in this matter for he has
told that this 1906 tons was the
charge" and consisted of ore. fuel
and flux. The Herald explained this
in former issue and Mr.. Coston has
not denied this as he should had 1t
been misstatement. He was also
given the exact tonnage OF ores &C.
tually smelted per month but he does
not give these figures in his article
for he knows that this would con.
Wet him OF actual falsehood IN his val.
uation OF the smelter. and would show
to the people the fallacy of his claim
that the smelter was assessed too low.
Coston believes only In telling you n
portion of the truth in order that you
may be mislead.
Coston has further attempted 10 mis-
lead you and conceal the truth In that
he shows your land valuations and
taxes thereon In the country part Of
La Plata county, and then he jumps
to Canon City and other cities In Colo
RADIO and gives you city values and
taxes. In La Plata county he gives
only the state, county and school rate
but In the other cases he also adds
the city rate but neglects to tell you
about It. But The Herald will take
his own figures and convict him OF
falsehood and an open attempt to mis-
lead and we will show you that In
stead OF paying less taxes even on that
unequal comparison that you are pay
ing more than the person In Canon
City, even though you are living on
land In the country.
Take piece of land In La Plata
county. outside Of the city limits of
Durango and a piece of land located
within the city limits of Canon City
Let US suppose that both pieces of
property have cost $1,000. Fremont
county has 30 per cent valuation and
this county has so per cent valua-
tion. Then the piece Of property In
Canon City is only assessed 5000 while
the piece In this county is assessed
$500. The piece of property at Canon
City, according to Mr.. Coston's own
figures, would pay only $1s In taxes
while the piece in this county would
pay 1850 or 60 cents more than the
city property. Further 1T means that
the piece in Canon City would only
pay to the state s1.20 and the piece
in this county would pay s2.4o Rob
bed again by Mr.. Coston. Yet the
property owner In Canon City gets
more for his taxes for he has police
and FIRE protection and all the other
things that go with city life and city
property.
But let us take an equal and not an
unequal comparison as Coston attempt
ed to do. Take piece OF property In
the city OF Durango and compare II
with the same piece OF property IN
Canon City. Remember the Canon
City tax is only SIS. The combined
rate on which you were compelled 10
pay taxes in the city OF Durango ior
the wear 1907 was SO mills and this
amounts on the $500 valuation 10
s23. 40 or in other words you have PAID
s5.40 more than the piece OF properly
did in Canon City. Do you now see
where you are being robbed and this
each year under Coston's administra'
tion and system OF valuation and taxa
tion. Further than this your railroad
facilities are not as good ana the
niece of property in Canon City can
he sold to a better advantage for peo'
nile will 20 there to live when they
will not come to Durango. In other
words they have a larger market Tor
their real estate.
Coston talks about your irrigated
land here and says that other couh'
ties are arid or semi-arid. We have
not space to go into all OF these coun,
ties again 30 we will only mention
two. Montrose county has an acreage
value of $14.o1; Mesa county OF $lb75
and La Plata county, according 10
Coston's own figures, of 1910 per acre
and you and Mr.. Coston and The Her
aid all know that land in these coun
ties sell for from four to twelve times
more than do the lands right mere
He has again deceived you In TINS ~
he has always deceived you. His teb
ure of office depends upon his powP'
to deceive you. His entire article i
based upon deceit and In some part'
ia worse than deceit for he tells yos
onIv half a truth and when this does
not answer he resorts to untru III
themselves.
The issue is up to you, taxpayer sn'
voter.