Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-12-31
ELEVENTH HOUR
ATTEMPT MADE TO
INCREASE BUDGET
Friends of L. J. Chaplin Would
Provide $6,4OO for the
Office Next Year
JUDGE BUSHEY REFUSES
TO OVERRIDE FARMERS
Says TO Add to Budget Now
Would Be Without Notice
to Taxpayers

An eleventh hour attempt was made
/ today to persuade the county court to
put an additional $1,000 in the county
budget TO provide for the services of
a county agriculturist. This $4,000
sought was in addition to the $1,000
already appropriated for tine county
fruit inspector and would make $4,000
from the county which would be dupl.
Gated by a like amount from the state
the purpose of teaching the farmers
and would provide total of $6400 for
of Marion county how to farm.
A representative from Washington,
d. c., and the department of agricul-
ture was present with delegations from
Woodburn and Silverton who asked
that $1,000 be appropriated to retain
the services Oh l.. j. Chaplin as county
agricultural expert. Not a single one
of the 80 tax payers VINO attended the
early session spoke in opposition to
the plan and when it was nut TO
vote the motion to put $1,000 in the
budget in addition to the amount ad.
Nertsed, the motion carried with but
two votes against it.
Judge Bushey then stated that he
was certain that if the farmers of the
county generally had known that any
agSltation to increase the salary of tne
county farming expert was on foot that
there would have been numerous tax
PAYERS present TO oppose the plan. He
said that for the last three months,
farmers had calle dat his office daily
TO say word in opposition to hiring a
county farm expert ana that he had
assured them tnat the budget stood as
.it did last year and that petitions or
personal appearances were not neces.
sary. To this account he attributed
the absence Of opponents of the plan.
IN spite of this, however, there were
long petitions opposing the employ
ment of a county agriculturist as
against about ESQ others who asked
that Chaplin be retained. In addition
a great number of the oranges of tae
county mad gone on record AS opposinp
the employment OF Mr. Chaplin for the
coming year.
- Upon the representations of the
present meeting, said Judge Bushev,
"it is probable that the services of a
county agriculturist are worth some.
thing to some of you but the sentt-
ment of the county at large is that he
is not worth as much as ne asks for. |
doubt if we can increase the budget
without notice. We advertised and
published the budget as it stands and
10 increase it at this time would be
without notice 10 the taxpayers. am
satisfied that if a levy had been put
in the original budget that many farm.
ers would be present today to oppose
Judge Bushey expressed willing.
ness to submit il TO n referendum vote
OF the people Of the county but tae
friends of Chaplin asked that the
amount be incorporated in the budget
and then submitted to a referendum
vote. This the court refused 10 do.
After some discussion this afternoon,
Judge Bushey said that the representa-.
ton present appeared 10 be all of one
mind mostly but that he believed that
tney represented only very small
minority Of the real farmers of the
county who as whole were almost
opposed 10 the employ.
inent OF county agriculturist.
The other items of the budget went
through and were adopted without op.
position and the amount of $2l0.93s.4O
WILDE raised by taxatin next year.
This provides for $lS0,00O for Grads
and bridges and will build Marion
county's share Of 100000 bridge
across the river at Salem. The school
census is not yet in and the final es.
Inmates are not available but IL isl
thought that tax levy of 10 mills will
provide for the county, expenses next
year
From this 10 mills is subtracted .
mills for roads and highways and 81
mill for high school tax in the city of
Salem making Salem Is share of the
county tax l0,5 mills. To 1915 mills Is
added II mills for city tax and 81
mills for school tax in District No. %
or a total Of 3l,2 mills for the city of
salem next vear