The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1909-02-25

plant owned by the city should go to
ward its maintenance, fixed charges
and bonds In no city of our size
has the plan to tax property to run a
plant been adopted Why follow such
an absurd plan here? This, of course,
pulls the teeth ont of the tax dragon.
In all other towns, however, each
water user pays the same amount Tor
water. lhe renter and the banker
pay each the same rate and IL each
use the same quantity OF water each
pays an equal sum toward interest,
fixed charges and bonds. 1t is this
fact clearly seen and worked out into
actual experience In other towns that
makes the reference to tax payers and
heavy property holders so absurdIy
ridiculous. OF all the multitude of
replies from towns both in and out
of Oregon MT single one reports
ever having paid a cent OF tax.
Water rates have met fixed charges
and paid out the bonds. The city of
Ashland is most like the required
plant In Hood River. 1t pays to the
city above all repairs, extensions,
fixed charges and bonds about 81, 600
per year Their rates per month are
for house 81, for bath s 10, tor toilet,
) 10, for irrigating. S.25, or total OF
Sl5 Go per year. Hood River pays
just S26 for this same service, or
$40 30 in excess of Ashland
Salaries amounting to $1,000 per
annum arc to the point. Ii this sum
went into our city treasury instead of
private purses, and II each house
holder we're spared in addition $40 80,
it would make quite a difference to
US,
We concede this argument not ger
name, except in so far as it removes
the News Editors grave fears over
taxes, We have heard ''taxes, I"
heavy property holders" more
taxes" till it becomes necessary to
show it up aud to give the experience
oi seventeen other towns, all Of
which report, emo tax. "
The tax cry here reminds us of the
clergyman who WAS so fond Of OK
postulating ON infant baptism that he
exhausted the patience of his flock.
1t reached such pass that the congre
CATION thought to cure him of infant
baptism by selecting a text which
would exclude the idea. He consent.
ed and they chose these words: "Ihey
shall grow up like calves of the stall. 4"
The following sabbath he mounted the
pulpit and triumphantly announced
insthese words three divisions to bis
text: My first is the Calves, my
second is the Stall, and my third is
Infant Baptism. Now after showing
that water plant does not tax prop
city, il the charter is changed, that
no oth"r town has paid cent of
direct tax, yet next week the News
Editor may be expected to arise and
solemnIy announce: "My third is
tax"
Herein lies the difference between
high school bond, sewer bond or paw
ing bond and water bond. The first
have to be paid and with interest;
the last pays itself and with interest
and without Sc, 600 salaries.
Shall the charter be changed in re.
gard to tSo.thirds vote to carry a
bond issue?
Yes. II a majority, not a minority,
shall rule. Is 1t out OF place to ask
who are shouting against this change
the business men? Not one. The
taboring men? Not one. / he clergy?
Not one. The lawyers? Not one
Who, then, is so scared of majority?
The Water Company and their organ,
The News. We have just learned of
a private toll road 50 like Hood
Rivers struggle for water that we
respect it. Fourteen farmers lived in
a small valley, who used private toll
road to let them out onto the public
highway. Five farmers owned the
toll road and divided the cash, while
nine men Clamored to construct a