Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-01-17

'eNN SOoiJ IHdI Will make the other
fellows burden seem easy.
My taxes are as follows:
Newport school tax ...7 mills
Toledo road tax ....4 mills
Toledo port tax ...... 2h mills
State and county tax. .....11 mills
1oIal ''''. ..,.,.......241 " mills
My taxes last year were $119; and
this year will be $147. l have been
cutting cordwood to meet these obli-
cations, as am not receiving any
revenue from such property.
1 have to help support the New
port city schools; yet my claim is
over seven miles away by trail.
have to pay Toledo road and por5-
districts taxes; yet 1 am nine miles
from there; and about three miles
from public road.
Three neighbors and myself, with
but little assistance, built about two
and one-half miles of road and main
tanned the three miles for our own
use; yet this road is used as a semi
public road, and follows a county
road survey most of the distance.
Two of these neighbors proofs
have been held up, and their patents
withheld; yet they are being taxed
upon their final receipt papers by the
Portland land officials.
To cap the climax, we are being
iniquitously and illegally taxed as
follows: Our claims are situated in
a body of about 25 sections of land
that has been attached to the New
port school district; the only connec-
tion of which is a variation of range
IN government surveys for adjoining
townships; such variation amount
ing to a distance Of less than one
fourth miles; yet this territory has
boundary line of over 20 miles with
the other school districts; and the
school law plainly states that all ter
rltory must be contiguous, or ad-
Joining. Also 1 have been informed
by reliable parties that in order to
; get even this slight connection, the
Newport school district absorbed an
abandoned school district, known as
the Logan district, without due pro-
cess of law.
My school tax last year was $S5,
and this year will be SAP.
The cheek of the Newport gang in
making the appearance they did be-
fore the state railway commissioners
upon the pretense of Justly repre-
senting the people of Lincoln county,
Is not beginning to the iniquitous,
unjust treatment they have mapped
out for Siletz homesteaders in two
townships; who they propose to make
help build new school buildings by
imposing an excessive cash tax.
These plans were put into execu-
ton when two members of the Lin
coin county court were residents Of
newport; and meeting was held at
the Abbey hotel in Newport to ar
range the plot and plan to carry 1t
into execution; which was done as
secretly as possible
Pray, what is a poor Siletz home
steader going to do when his prom
erty is being conflscated upon the in
stalment plan through excessive tax
alton; and 1t may be destroyed by
fire before he gets his patent; or be-
fore the market becomes active so he
can sell.
After spending three years over
there, these are the results up to the
present.
l have risked m ytime and money
without receiving any returns as yet.
The state, county, school, road and
port district are reaping annual rev.
enues; yet l have to risk all, taxes
included, in case of forest fire.
In case the forest fire doesn't come
the single taxer is on the road to
claim the balance.
Is this fair and just; or encourag-
ing for any one to 60 into the back
woods open up the country, and
swell the assessment rolls?
Who is ready to answer that this is
development upon a fair and jnst
basis?
Mr.. Editor, l would ask that you
publish this as a plea for justice
from an oppressed Siletz homestead
er, that would plead for all Slletz
homesteaders and timber owners iu
the same situation.
A HOMESTEADER.
| Polk county ian 15