East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1916-05-04

I NAAts4atAAAA N4AAstA AeAAte - ~ AN AAA~s-Aa
uxuriant; vet the tax on 1t is over
one hundred dollars a year
Laborers produce and they consume
and in this way pay taxes In higher
rents and higher cost OF goods. The
expenditure Of the huge sum of $780,
OO0 borrowed money would create a
noticeable temporary boom to be fol-
lowed by a reaction with its attending
lack of employment and dun times.
The fact that wealthy land owners
pay goodly share OF our total tax
does not justify lavish use of public
funds. There are twenty little taxpay-
ers to each big one. 1t is the small
taxpayer who finds his taxes burden
some. He is the man VINO cannot pay
and against whom penalty and inter-
est and tax certificates run. The big
man has credit or bank accounts.
When he wants cash he draws a check
or signs note. He is back among
the reserves, The little rellows occupy
the front trenches and the firing line,
and they are the ones who really suf-
fer on account Of high taxes.
1t is no less incumbent upon the
public than upon individuals to make
good investments. Even a passably
good investment is not justified when
there are better ones available 1t
is up to those advocating this eight
fold outlay in hard surfaced roads as
compared with Multnomah county, to
show not only that it IS a good invest
ment, but that 1t is the best one open
to us at this time.
The so-called millionaire land own
ers and curbstone farmers profess to
favor a special road tax of 500, 900
Per annum. They propose to submit
the proposition to the voters in No
vember This sort of tax can be con-
tinued as long, and can be increased
as much as circumstances warrant
The intimation that public money may
be spent with impunlvy merely because
portion of it is to come from an un-
popular minority is in violation OF
sound econmy and contrary to the
spirit of our constitutions.
Fortunes in private hands. consisting
Of farms and mills ana stores and
banks and railroads assemble the fa-
cilities in material, machinery and la
Dor to produce and to exchange. All
these things yield profits, and some-
times unearned profits Most of us
have come to believe tnat limitations
should be set upon these profits some
believe that private property should
be socialized and used for the equal
benefit of all. But to tear down for
tunes of any kind and to dissipate
their values upon public improvements
when the motive therefor is OCCASION
ed by class feeling rather than pub |
lie necessity is in violation of sound
finance. and will injure, not benefit |
the poor.
Let us consider other uses for pub
lie money just now. There are the
public schools. Many farmers move |
to town. leaving their property be-
hind them. The population of this
county resides largely in the towns,
and diversified farming districts This
congestion of population has thrown
the support of education mainly upon
a few school districts. Umatilla,
Helix, Ferndale, Pend1eton. Weston,
Athena, Milton, Freewaier and Vim
cent all have special school levies this |
year than the county and state levy. |
Echo, Stanfield. and Pilot Rock each |
have levy one-halr mill below the
county levy. A higher general school
levy would exact its toll of tax upon
all the sparsely settled but valuable |
wheat lands; and this would be pro-
rated according to the school popula-
ton of the county, which would ap-
portion 1t where needed. This wouso
equalize taxation 1t would violate
no rule. of justice or economy. IT |
would relieve large numbers of small
taxpayers who are now oppressed
The county court has power to do it.
and doubtless would DO so upn request
Of the school boards throughout the
county.
Hard surfaced roads do not last for
ever. They are now costing at the
rate of some $4,000 per mile for \
sixteen foot track, which is narro'
enough. Builders will guarantee
hem for a period Of ten years Their
lifetime exceeds ten years Assuming
hat it is fifteen years. the loss
through wear is $1,000 per mile per
year, or 100000 for each hundred
miles of road. When all this cost is
counted up and placed against pos
'ible benefits, 1t is a powerful argu-
nent in favor of caution.
A special road tax of two mills and
4 twenty dollar per capita general tax
instead of the present one of ten dol
ars for public schools woul4 be n
very generous program for the pres
ant. The second year would land us
ahead of Multnomah county in hard
surfaced roads in proportion to our
wealth and population After that we
would gallop away from them Our
schools would be supported and our
labor employed. The bond method
would bring us $9SO,OO0 in a single
sum. 1t would be expended within
two or three years, and many of the
numerous outsiders attracted here by
the work would be lert upon our
hands to compete with home labor fol
such jobs as we have during ordinary
times.
Under existing laws, a mlllage tax
would have to be expended in the dis.
Lrict where it originates Districts
could be enlarged, however, If neces-
sary in order to distribute the money /