Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1908-02-27
TAX EXEMP TION.
Digest of Amendment by Tax Re.
form ASsOciaIion.

Portland, Feb. 2l.-To the Sta Pres
I-Answering requests for a concise state
ment, the g Oregon Tax Reform assoc alton
submits this analysis of the tax exemp-
ton amendment. It's general aim is to
release industry and improvementsf from
the represslve pressure OF taxation.
First dwelli ngs. Every
new home strengthens our state. The
present law encourages gambling in
homesites until good site costs as much
as comforta BILE dwelling. This demand
that the savings OF years be given up for
the mere chance to build necessita es
postponement and congests population.
Second-Real estate agents will find
plenty to do bringing together the "and
poor" man who finds withholding from
use unprofitable, with the homeseeker
who an and will gladly pay tie tax
| when the speculative value has thus
been squeezed from the purchase price
and the house he builds and everything
in it will be exempt.
Thrd-Exempts farm production and
on taxing everything, always pays taxes
on everything OF his own, while the bulk
of the wealth drained from farms to cit
les eludes the assessor. Farm. belong
ings are not of the nature to be con cealed.
Constituting less than 25 per cent of the
population, farmers have been paying
more than 80 per cent Of the state taxes.
and the supreme court has now abol-
ished the customary $500 exemption.
Let farmers compare the assessment of
vacant land alongside of them with that
OF their improved farms which make
that vacant land valuable. Compare
taxes paid per acre bv7and grants with
that of improved farms. But, VIII IL
dwellings and farm improvements are
subject TO tsxes, farmers will pay,
railros ds and city franchises wifi not.
The only way tor farmers to have any.
thing exempt is to exempt it OPEN and
above board by law.
Fourth-Manufacturing exempt. Man
ufacturers everywhere agree that manu-
featuring will be stimulated, thus Great
ing "home market" for Oregon farm
ers-not in Massachusetts, but in Ore.
gon. <t
Fifth--Workingmen's tools exempt.
Increased competition for workers in
factory, farm and building trades will
reverse the present order where the only
competition is that of workers against
each other for jobs.
Sixth-Benehte merchant. Vacant
lots and lsud grants buy no dry >gooda
and groceries. With raw material
worked up at home, freights would be
ssvsd; wo kers would have more wages
to spend and there would be more work
ers, and producing farmers t-wouldr take
the place of idle sections, rejecting their
prosperity in that of business in general.
Oregon's enterpriping merchants will
never obiect to 30 greatly stimulate pro-
duction by shifting the tax upon public |
made values OF franchises and vacant |
lands.
Seventh-The banker. 1t will give |
our bankers a chance TO loan our mill
lions OF deposits on legitimate enterprise
instead of on speculative schemes dis
the future-in short. give mon
ey to industries and not to speculation
Eighth-It will discourage grabbing
or hoidup purposes, just shead ofindus-
ry, of our unsurpassed natural resourc.
,s, and make more profitable the en-
,iovment of the able brains of our pub.
ic service corporations in their proper
business as common carrie g.
Ninth-Thus the amendment is op
,osed only to his interests who fences
! tural opportunity away from labor,
nd to such one it opens the pleasing
prospect of getting down from the fence
nd becoming useful citizen.
OREGON TAN REFORM ASSN.