Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1912-08-12
TAX DODCINC
AS A BUSINESS
CONTINUED from page One)

solve him from blame on this score.
for protection OF ones property is
tie second great law.
-Ask tine ChenaI4s county real So
t,..v man then what OF The thousands
II acres OF lands nom which the
tl--1.,r i.aa been Ie--.u, q. &c ',.-.
Tell lu. tu@i Ae las i.-.4.- at l.s
cd i'm Eis. Office SEX al Diac"l-c.,
ard goa VIA dt. ,4a, the C-.Het
l~.Lpai. huidin- e.. seems not aI.--
.ots to 4aN Il ,ac 1Nau With Wuom
soil tuik is tvCtliul ~ Vii a-tat
tilat the timber com DarN doesut de
sire to sell. bUt lac WlH ada tuat ."->
are actuated in MS solely DECIDES
of fe&r OF lre. tv. a. many instances
these logged-Cn lands udjoin lands
from which the timber has not been
GO aad make further inquiry and
You Will find many responsible men
WAC WI! tell YOU tnat the fear OF IRE
mas not all to do with this policy OF
reJardmg settlement. They Will tell
,Ou tnat these timber land holders
are almost as fearful OF increased
laNatiOn as they are OF fire. Tney
viii show you in Chenaiis county,
for instance, that the eight great
timber companies which practically
own the county, pay but one-slAth
OF the taxes OF the county. The!
VIII snow YOU that III Chehaiis coun-
ty there are 21.0UO.O"o,0G0 feet Of
standing timber controlled by these
great corporations and that tne|
paid lasl Year out SIi6.1OI.14 of the
.2,,,Zo.G2 raised by taxation.
IaDLIe q litCIe into the politics OF
C..e..aIs coun,y and you will find
men of reputed integrity who Will
tell you that these timber land hold
ers usually are on terms OF frlehd-
snip with the men VINO DO the couh-
ty business. You will find other men
i.,f of No
county officers are the servants flrsi
vi .n- timber men and secondly or
the people. How truthful these stor-
les are we do not know, but our eN-
perience inclines us to their beliet.
This, then, is the condition in Che
halls county. And how is 1T to be
reInedled: So long as the fear OIL
fire IS good argument then these
holders, of timber lands must be at
tat:ked at the one other vulnerable
point-taxation. If officials cannot
be secured who will make the timber
man bear part of the burden that
now falls upon the farmer with ms
twenty acre ranch then we ShOuiu
go across the border to British 90
lumbia and seek there for the solu-
,ion The government of British Co
Ilmbia pays a premium TO the man
" no hcW,S from the forest MS aSrlcui-
tural rome by assessing him at
lower rate that thai laid against the
man WHO holds the land uncultlNateu.
Think You what would happen IN
Cu.ua4, county. for instance. II sucN
a condition snnuid come TO pass IN
the State OF Washington, Practical
" every acre of logged-om land no"
held by timber companies would re
vert to the state because by no pro
cess ot REASONING can We imagine
the tiubcr company paying the laA
it would then be compelled 20 pay
There would then be no vast domains
controlled by these giant corpora
lions Instead there would be upon
the market thousands OF acres OF de
sirable farm lands and the real "Stat"
dealers of Chehalis county Wouldh
have time to complain.
The friend OF the timber land nold
or Will argue that the contiscatioh
of this land by the state peca"9r o.. o.
unpaid taxes Will work great nara
,njD upon the county because then
uothing at all viii be received IN the
way of taxation upon the logsed-oh
lands. They will argue 100, that Tn"
timber land holders would probapiH
be compelled TO give up thrif Iah4'
upou Inch the timber still stands.
The first argument would apply OF
course until the ranchcr cam" to
settle up the land and even Win tne
favor shown him by the state would
nay much more upon each acre than
The timber holders pay today. But
if we We're ChehaliS county We would
be willing to take Il chance with the
timber man so long as the timber
stood. In any event it We're better
that it should go back to the state
for other disposition than that it
should be fenced about with no
trespass" signs and that the holders
of it should be a corrupting influ-
ence in our political life.