The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1912-11-15
REFUTING A ISLANDER.

ministrative Waste,'' selected the
state of Washington as a subject of
it's structures. The article was sub
mitted to j. E. Frost, former state
tax commissioner. Having studied
the article carefully, Mr.. Frost said:
81 thank you for calling my atten-
tion to this article. 1t contains so
many misleading statements and
wildly drawn differences that it is hard
to escape the conclusion that it was
prepared for political purposes, and
not as study in economics.
''The facts are that the last public
reports show that the local taxes i'm
posed upon the tax rolls of this state
for the year 1910 were S24, 1913, 500. 33,
of which So, 1886, 6sO.62 was expended
for state purposes and S21, 657, 2O5. II
for purely local purposes, including
county, municipal, road district,
school district. irrigation district
dixie district and drainage district
taxes.
eve had in 1910 population Of
1,21O,0OO The total amount of taxes
levied for all purposes, both state and
local, amounted to $40. 63 per capita
81. 8 per cent of all taxes were i'm
posed upon banks and timber lands,
practically all of which are owned by
non residents. Deducting these
taxes, we have per capita tax upon
the residents of this state of S14. SO
per ANNUAL of which falls upon
visible, tangible property, as money,
stocks, bonds, mortgages, securities
and credits of every kind are exempt
ed. Compare this with the city of
New York, for instance, which with
a population of 4,70O, 900, this year
levies tax of $500, 600, OOO or $40. 80
for every man, woman or child for
city purposes alone, and we make a
showing to be very proud of.
eff the New York publication is
seeking an Illuminating example of
administrative waste it should search
it's own garrett. If it is engaged in
manufacturing political capital it
should select more plausible liar to
make the figures.
FThe state of Washington does all
it's own business upon cash basis,
owes no debts which the taxpayer can
be called upon to pay, has a cash
balance in it's treasury of 81, 446,
247. "a, and has So, 900, 062. 81 of perma-
nent and irreducible funds, growing
out of land grants, invested in bonds
which are producing approximately
81, 200 per day.
''During the past seven years the
state of Washington has paid off a
debt of 81, $780, 600 left it as a heritage
by a populistic Democratic admin
istration. The same fusion admin
istration fastened a lien upon the
state capitol land grant of 1920, 900 for
the state capitol building at Olympia.
This is not debt of the taxpayers,
but it is to be paid from the state
capitol land grant of 132, 600 acres,
which contains in round numbers
5000, 900, 900 feet of timber, worth at
present prices from ST, 500, 600 to So,
600, 600 the proceeds of the sale of
which are restricted to the erection
of buildings at the state capitol.
"Nor has there been any emigra-
ton to Canada. On the contrary,
during the last decennium the popu-
lation of the state increased 100 per
cent, the greatest on any state In
Union. During the last seven years
we subdued 1888, 600 acres of raw
land and put it into cultivation, in
creasing the improved acreage in the
state from 3, $780, 600 to 6, 400, 900 acres.