The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1916-07-21
NEWS ITEMS
OF General Interest
About Oregon
Arguments in Favor Of Three
New Legislative Acts Are Filed

acknowledgements in behalf of thu
proposed tax limitation amendment
rural credits amendment and thu
amendment to repeal Oregon's Sunda.
closing law were filed with Secretar,
of State Olcott this week for inclusion
in the official election pamphlet.
The tax limitation argument wal
submitted by Robert E. Smith, secre
tary of the Oregon Taxpayers League
the rural credits argument by the com
mittee in charge of the Oregon Refer.
endum League, and the argument fol
the repeal of the Sunday closing law
by Dan Kellaher and Ben A. Bellamy,
of the Independent Retailers associa-
tion of Portland.
The arguments for the three pro-
posed amendments in part are as fol-
lows:
care taxes in Oregon high enough?
Shall we limit their further increase
to 6 per cent . year? These are the
questions in considering the State
Wide Tax Limitation Amendemnt.
"Oregon's per capita tax is higher
than that Of any other state in the
Union. During the past ten years
taxes have increased 81 per cent a
year. Taxes have increased five times
faster than population.
GAS result, Oregon has been going
backward in population and wealth for
the past three years. Last year seven
families left the state to each new
family coming into it. In the face of
these discouraging conditions there are
those who have plans which will result
in still greater increases in our taxes.
Unless limit is provided the legisla-
ture and our public officials will con-
tinue to increase our taxes as rapidly
as they have in the past.
"The amendment limits the increase
in taxation to an annual increase not
to exceed six per cent unless greater
increase is authorized by the people.
"The farm debt of Oregon, secured
by real and chattel mortgages, is con-
servatively estimated at $50, 900, 900.
On this debt the farmers are paying
an average rate of about eight and
one-fourth per cent interest. Added
to this the costs of renewal and COM
missions, the rate paid is probably
little under nine and one-fourth per
cent.
"The rural credits amendment pro-
poses to take the burden out of the
farm mortgage at interest of five per
cent. The cost of title searching and
appraisal will be from $40 to $50, ac-
cording to the amount of the loan. The
farmer must pay off one per cent of
the original sum borrowed each year.
That is, the payment of six per cent
on the mortgage will pay interest, cost
of operation and wipe out the debt en-
tirely in period of 36 years.
"This system would mean to Oregon
an annual saving in interest and mort
gage costs of $3.50, 900. 1t would mean
an end to the perpetual worry and ex-
pense of mortgage renewing; practi-
cally an end to foreclosures, lost homes
and blighted hopes; better equipped
farms and greater rural prosperity.
'The continuation of the old blue
law, which will be enforced if not re-
pealed, simply means putting the peo-
pie of Oregon in a straight jacket on
Sundays. If not repealed this anti.
quated law will be enforced strictly,
as it is now being done in Washington,
Lane, Linn, and other counties in Ore
gon, where now you cannot purchase
newspaper, a cigar, refreshments, gas
oline or anything else on Sunday.
IF enforced it means that all NOV
ing picture theaters must close on Sun
days; it means that no baseball games
can be played on Sundays; it means
that all pool and billiard parlors, and
alleys or other innocent exer-
cising sports and recreations operated
for pay or profit must not operate on
Sundays; 1t means that Sunday news
papers cannot be printed, sold or deliv-
cred on Sundays; It means that all
pleasure resorts and recreation delights
Of all kinds, including picnics, must
cease on Sundays, if entrance fees or
charges are made.
"Ice cream, confections, foods of all
kinds, and regular business of any
kind except medicines, and medicines
only, at drug stores cannot be sold or
delivered on Sundays. 1t means that
you cannot get shoe-shine, that you
cannot buy cigar, or candies, or flow
srs, on Sundays, unless you can prove
hem necessities or charities"