Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1913-08-15

10 MS valu6tlOub. OeblTlHS u ecl
the matter right, Mr.. Archer crossed
the hall; was met at the door by i
member of the board. This name is
available, with affidavit Of the cir
cumstance) with the information that
when he was wanted in the room
he would be sent for, and the door
was slammed in his face and locked.
His information was not desired. evil
IDENTIFY.
Assessor Archer submitted to power
for the time being only. :. He was a
man OF some resource himself, 80.
in the following January. he .wended
his way to Olympia and, spent, a
week at the state capital. When the
Legislative session closed 1t was dis
covered Mr.. Archer had not been al.
together idle. inasmuch as q law
passed reconstructed county boards Of
equalization. by adding the assessor
and treasurer to the county commits
sfoners as such board. 49,. agp
Backed Up at the Gate
Taking the disinterested statement
Of the State Tax Commission quoted
above, is it any wonder that the
AVERAGE taxpayer of the county,
who was paying taxes on an assess.
ed valuation of from so to Is, per
cent in order to make the ridiculous
average sworn to by two county as.
SCISSORS rebelled? 1t was time some
thing was doing. and the League did
it, and it is up to you, Mr.. and Mrs.
Average Taxpayer, to see to 1t that
the fruits of your victory are not
snatched from your lips.
The members of the Ancient and
Honorable Order of Tax Dodgers are
not bad fellows. They have simply
dropped into an easy way of shifting
part of their load onto you. You
have become 80 accustomed to carry
ing it that you had began to believe
it was natural. Isn't 1t about time
you woke up?
II 10 Revolutionary
The Chehalis County Taxpayers
League when organized fully realized
the task before it. It's members were
fully aware that to antagonize the
A. o. Of T. DIS was to become
blot on the political map Of Chehalis
county, and that to win meant
struggle. Many thought that success
at the polls last fall ended the fight.
but they reckoned without their host.
Privilege once extended over a per-
iod of time becomes-in the mind of
the privileged-a vested right. Why,
please?
1t required ten years of agitation
by the Aberdeen Herald to procure the
cruising of the timber lands of the
county Who delayed it? Who prof.
tied by the delay. and who paid what
the timber owners lodged? You an
swer.
It has been well said, by the state
tax commission that the assessed val
uations Of Chehalis county were a
disgrace to the state, yet we find
that an attempt to remedy this con-
dition is met with determined from,
80 determined as to constitute an
affront-by the very people who would
wax indignant were their patriotism
challenged. The Herald admits the
attempt to EQUALIZE the cost Of
government in Chehalis county is Of
a revolutionary nature, but submits
that it is but square deal and in
vites successful contradiction on that
score.
That the average assessed valua-
ton of the county has been but 20
per cent--while every small holder
was assessed at from 70 to 80 per
cent, in order to make that low av.
erage, caused the organization of the
Chehalis County Taxpayers League.
p Main Fight Now On 3,
The league now finds itself con-
fronted with the real battle. Cutie.
fish-like, the tax dodgers are, trying
to becloud the issue. The Board of,
equalization now in session is being
assailed by a venal or misguided.
press, and the attorneys of the tax.
dodgers. ~ i - D
In order to lay a foundation for pos.
sible court Intervention in the future.
one attorney said the other day: 4
1.-THE attitude Of this equalization
board is that Of an antagonist and not.
that of judicial body disposed to
treat all taxpayers alike"
There you have it. No specific
statement, but general allegation
that may be made do duty in court
properly twisted-as real griev-
ance in a specific case-the case to
be named later AS said above, the
fight is on NOW. NOW is the time
when every taxpayer who desires a
square deal should get busy The
maneuvers of the dodgers remind one