Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1909-01-08
Questionable Methods of
Our Near NeighbOr.
SCURRIL0US TRANSACTION
Attempt to Injure Grants Pass In
Order to Help Out the
Saloon Interests.

The Medford Tribune of January
7th has a purported interview with
Ex-Mayor Smith of Grants Pass and
also one with Sheriff Russell and
still another with the proprietor Of
the Palace hotel. The persons
named are made to take part In the
local option campaign which is go
Ing on In Medford. 1t is believed
that the interviews are fakes, at
leas as far as the eex-mayor is con-
cerned as he could hardly be so
shortsighted as to be made a cats
paw Of, by the saloon element of a
neighboring city. II is we'll under
stood that the sole object of the So
called interviews used, was to help
out the whiskey cause as above
stated. Sheriff Russell is used to
preach temperance sermon
Everybody will be glad to know
that the sheriff has turned his at
tention TO saving our young men
from the evils of intemperancee, but
just how he is going to protece the
young men and the salon at the
same time Is a matter hard to fig
ure out. What is said about the
Palace hotel is undoubtedly true.
The proprietor of that hostlery
claimed that his business hod been
cut in wo by local option. That
is one of Joe's jokes, for be II un-
derstood that a good half of his
business was in the saloon connect
ed with the Palace and when local
option went into effect 1t certainly
should have cut the business in two.
Below we print the Tribune's ef-
fort to help the Medford saloon bus
mess by tearing down its neighbor,
Grants Pass.
Previous to the city of Grants
Pass voting for and putting into ef-
feet local option the tax rate was 8
mills and the business done here was
fully equal to that now done in Med.
ford. Our tax rate Is now s mills
lis more than what Is legally al
lowed. In addition to that, we have
had to Increase our valuation so pei
cent, which makes our rate now real.
mills, and our business has
fallen OFF and we have decided that
we cannot do any paving"
That was the statement made yes
terday by Mayor J.C.Smith OF Grant,
Pass, who is not only one of the lead
hants but has also beer
looted recently to the state legisla
ture.
To show how certain people ar,
trying to mislead the citizens OF Med
ford. 1t may be stated that according
to the Mail the tax rate of Grant,
Pass was much lower than that o
Medford, and that the former plac,
was also paving its streets. Now
there is not only the positive state
ment OF Mayor Smith that the rea
rate now is only l mill less than tina
of Medford, but that city votet
against municipal ownership OF tn,
waterworks and also decided not t.
undertake any paving. These ar,
facts which cannot be disputed.
Nor is this all, for almost any bus
iness man in Grants Pass will stat
that business has fallen on since 10
cal option went into effect to a con
siderable extent.
How does your business compar,
now with what II was before you go
local option?" was the question
asked OF the proprietor of the Palac
hotel.
1T is more than cut In two." wa
his reply, "and we now have les
than one-half we had before.
This statement was amply verihe
when the writer had dinner ther
yesterday, for there were only tw
others in the dining room beside
himself. This in spite Of the fac
that the charge was only so cents 70
as good a meal as can be got an
where for double tie price. In spit
Of tie :act that tsc pIacs was nlmo,