The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1913-02-07
A Word to the Assessor

Editor Islander: The last issue
of the Islander con tanned an article
headed "Taxes Much Higher, in
which you quote the following
words of the assessor: do not lay
for the assessor with shot gun
but investigate and find reasons for
the increase in taxes" and also that
"The people got what they voted
for -
Now, Mr.. Murray, second the
motion with all my heart on the
subject of investigating the matter.
And without doubt Mr.. Murray
could save the readers of the Island
er many heart aches. head aches and
other torubles by stating in that
paper the reason for this so per
cent increase in taxes and settle the
curiosity of us poor ignorant voters.
Mr.. Murray has as good areputa-
ton for truth and verac:ty as any
man in San Juan county, and as Mr..
Murray is from Missouri, we would
be very grateful to him if he will do
his native countrymar such favor
as putting US wise on the subject as
above stated.
We will listen to him with all
due respect, and in the following
will find few points which we
would like to have explained so it
would appear clear to us.
First: What becomes of the dol
lars we San Juan county Henry
Dubbs dig from the soil or rather
rocks, between the thickly settled
stumps of these beautiful islands of
San Juan county. and will Mr. Muir
ray kindly tell US what we get in
return for these hard earned dollars
that we present to the San Juan
county treasurer each year. We
will gladly admit we have few
calf paths through the woods that
are most commonly called roads.
And a smooth excuse for public
schools. In order to have school
house built we have to mortgage
our bread and butter to the slick.
sly, soft-soaping money grabbers to
get it.
When we want road we have to
get out with our picks and shovels
and make it.
The most we get to show for our
money is bunch of tax receipts q
have roll of tax receipts as large
as nail keg) Mr.. Murray is we'll
aware of the fact that there are
many ranchers on Orcas island, and
many other of the San Juan islands,
who could not rent for enough to
pay the taxes which are assessed
against them. If man was to rent
on condition that he was to pay the
taxes. he would be up against it for
fair.
| possess one of many of these
ranches, and if l remember rightly
Mr.. Murray used to have one, and l
think that if he had confined him.
self strictly to his ranch he would
have famished many years ago.
Now, Mr.. Editor. it looks some
thing like this to US NUTS on the
outside. We pay taxes to employ
officials to levy more taxes to en-
ploy more officials to levy more
taxes, etc.. ETC.. etc, unto the bit
ter end. Now, to those of our fell
low citizens whose greatest exertion
IN paying their taxes is signing a
check, this matter does not cut
much ice. but to those of us who
have to work. save and bunch up
the sum to pay our own taxes, and
theirs also, it cuts whole mill pond
OF ice. and don't you forget it!
Mr.. Editor, | think that if that bunch
OF auto-riding, booze-drinking
vote-selling politicians, who congre-
gate at Olympia once in two years
to spend 100000 of the.people's
money. had to produce this money
the way the average tax-naver does