Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1911-02-24
SENATOR NORTON
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net gain TO the state instead Oh
loss; to illustrate, the receipts from
the state engineers office are in
cerasing rapidly, and have been
largely in excess of its expenditures,
and while we made large appropria-
tions for the expenses of that Office
during the next two years, we were
appropriating money which had al
ready been received through that of
flee. and which will continue to be
received largely in excess OF the
amount appropriated, and this is but
one sf many Illustrations which |
could cite.
"On the whole, the increase in ap-
propriations is about in proportion
to the increase in population, tax
able property, and the natural in
crease in expenses OF a growing
state.
Oregon is going to be the bat
tie ground of the single tax idea at
the general election of 1912. While
appreciate that this system would
have a tendency to break up large
land holdings, to my mind it would
incidentally destroy the small land
holdings which it is to the interest
to the state to foster and protect.
The tax amendment to the constitu-
tlon, which the people adopted at
the last election under mistaken
view of its effect, destroyed all uni
formity and equality of taxation,
which was the view of its open
ing wedge of the single tax propa-
ganda And on behalf OF my
committee on assessments and
taxation, introduced and sue
ceeded in passing three amendments
to the constitution to be voted upon
at the next election, which restores
the requirements of uniformity and
equality, but permits a classification
so that various interests which have
heretofore escaped taxation, such as
corporations doing various kinds of
interstate business, may be classified
and made to bear their just share Of
the states expenses, The fight two
years from now will be on the ques-
ton, whether the people adopt an
equal and uniform system of classifi-
cation as proposed by these amend
ments, or whether they so to the
single tax system.
My experience in the legislature
has caused me to reach the conclu-
sion, that under our system we have
too large a body of Legislators act
ing during too short a period A
smaller and more wieldy body, hav-
ing londer time to sCrutinize and
work over the proposed bills would
achieve much better results The
thing that surprises me is that under
the present system the business of
the state is as well protected as it u.s.
for the system is not conductive to
the best results; nor it there any
inducement for disinterested per-
son, having no interest to serve 9th,
er than the public interest, to sub.
b iect himself to the mental strain and
the financial expense OF second
term.
For many years back | have OBJ.
served that the Portland papers ha-
bitually condemn the so-called ex.
trayagance of the Oregon legsla.
ture, and have been interested dur.
ing my term in ascertainng the mo.
tives that have prompted the editor.
ial policy of these papers. have
observed that Multnomah county
feels that in paying one-third of the
taxes of the state, small proportion
only OF the appropriations are ex.
pended on institutions in Portland.
and furthermore that Multnomah
county does not have representa-.
tton In the legislature equal in pro.
portion to its population as com
pared with the other sections of the
state. The country members. how
ever are generally imbued with the
toeeling, and quite properly so, that
Multnomah county exacts sufficient
commercial tribute from the balanc,
& OF the state, and should not be
Jealous of the expenditure of stat,
money on the state institutions else.
where, and furthermore, the char.
actcr OF the members which Mult.
nomah county sends to the legisla.
ture do not think, compare favor.
aNly with members from country
districts, and there is every reason
for Ills to feel that an increased mem.
horship from Multnomah county of
the character previously furnished.
would not be for the best interest