Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1913-08-22
Holding Back Business While Long Objections
Are Written Into the Record of the
Board of Equalization
time OF BOARD IS limited BY THE LAW
So Far Had This Scheme Been Carried That
Attorneys Hogan and Abel We're
Forced From the Room

it will be altered by the tax dodgers
or those in favor of equal taxation
will be an important question to be
settled.
Disoraceful Scenes
The sessions of the board yester-
day, as reported, were disgrace to
the county. To witness the counsel
for objectors and interested specta-
tors wrangling in the manner describ--
ed is sufficient to bring the blush Of
shame to the cheek Of every citizen
Of Chehalis county, and may be tax
en- as an evidence of the lengths our
tax lodging friends are willing to go
in their attempt to preserve their tax
immunity. Attorneys Abel and Ho-
gan, after heaping abuse upon the
sworn officers of the law had to be
elected from the room almost by
force. This sort of law practice
should be met with a club or the
county Jail.
If the average taxpayers Of Chehalis
county desire to secure EQUAL valua-
tions for taxation purposes, it be-
hooves them to get busy at once, and
stand on guard until after the elec-
tions of next year. A branch of the
County Taxpayers League should be
established in every voting precinct
Of the county. Assistant counsel
should be provided for the threaten.
ed law suits, and in this assistance
can probably be secured from the
State Taxpayers League. Action can
not be taken too soon, as the dodgers
have at last been forced into the
open, and the battle is on.
For instance, on Wednesday w. L.
Adams, of the Hoquiam National bank,
accused the taxing authorities of try
ing to force the owners of logged-off
lands to sell, and Mr. Adams was but
repeating what had been said before
the board by others. Yet what are the
facts concerning the assessed values
Of such lands in adjoining counties.
We have it on the authority Of the
State Tax Commission, that in 1910,
similar lands in the II timbered coup-
ties of the state were assessed at an
average Of 1854 per acre, while in
Chehalis county the average was $3.50
an acre.
Timber Land Values,
Chehalis county was about the last
county in the state to cruise it's tim.
Der for taxation purposes, and but one
assessment has heretofore been made
based upon that cruise. As a result
we have the testimony of two county
assessors that the average valuation
for the county was about 20 per cent.
The average throughout the state
including other counties wherein lum-
bering is the chief industry-was
about 40 per cent. Since the cruise
was made, an examination Of the as
sessment rolls will reveal the cause of
this low average. 1t will show that
the small owner, the farmer, merchant
or worgingman was not assessed on
any such valuation. They were pay
ing at a rate of from so to so per cent.
while the favored interests were es-
Gaping at value Of frequently not
more than per cent. Hence the light
average valuation.
In the Herald Of the 18th, 1t was
shown that state taxes were levied
upon counties upon an assessed valu.
alton Of 40 per cent upon actual val.
ues, and that for 1911. this levy for
Chehalis county was 1888 mills. Com
pare this with competing lumber coun.
ties: The levy for Mason county was
2.13 mills; Thurston, 2.12 mills; Lewis,
FL mills; Pacific, 20S mills; Pierce
county, 2.15 mills, being the highest
levy in the II timber counties, yet the
Of those counties-with
fewer natural advantages-havve pros.
pered along with thos in Chhalis. The
same article showed, over the sigma
ture Of the State Tax Commission, that
in 1911, by reason Of its low average
Chehalis ciunty lost in taxes
from public service corporations the
sum Of $50,232 in money.