Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-02-01
WHO WANTS BUSINESS METHODS DISCARDED?

Tie Portland Evening Journal organ of the Portland
putocrats and special interests is continuing its dirty
and unfair fight upon the legitimate newspapers OF Ore
gon brands all publishers grafters who accept the
business of printing delinquent tax list although it adj
mts that the principal graft in this business has been
the county of Multnomah and that it participated IN the
graft and has far failed to return any conscience
money to the public treasury.
Inast evenings issue the Portland Journal prints an
alleged interview with Judge Bushey of Marion county I'M
which the cost of publishing the delinquent tax list is
discussed and figures given covering several years
past These may be right or wrong and at worst snow
little evidence of graft and none of cuuslon between the
publishers since their bills were not excessive and df
fered in their totals Only regarding the past two years
does the present publisher of the Capital Journal have
knowledge since these the only ones he
has printed Of these lists the Portland Journal has
its obIiging tool, Judge Bushey says:
The & sa % s a fsn M @ B on @ cents s S sS n9S for @
Of s % @ se' 9e v sns Ra4seS fos S'4 ss s5
and five insertions in each paper cost the & county So @ each @ there
% P % ese ss6sp Bp & a 1'4s another nf the % s name the
Hammond lumber npay is repeated Az @ ds "h h d @ % 70 % clearly @ e the
space Of a postal eari.-Portand journal
And here is all the graft the Portland Journal is howl
ing about Marion county, second largest IN the state
handles nearly million dollars in taxes and to collect 1t
and close the books finally it cost for advertising IN 1919
S658 (for both newspapers and in 1914 $360 or both
papers and this bill not paid by the county, but by
the delnquents. What private business concern or
corporation doing million dollar annual business IS able
to clean up its collections for $500 or $700 year?
And who is doing all this kicking about advertising
the delinquent list? County judges and others who are
backed up by the hangers and raters about the court
houses Of Oregon Men who fleece everybody who come
their way scapng county claims buying tax liens in the
dark and putting honest people to all kinds OF trouble and
expense.
The Portland Journal may have been party to graft
ing the taxpayers Of Mutnomah county in the publication
Of the delinquent list it confesses was but there
has been no graft in Marion county in this respect as
the figures given by Judge Bushey and reprinted above
from the Portland Journal axe proof The price PAID mere
is only commensurate with the service rendered. and the
service is one of the most important In the conduct OF
county affairs in busness-ike way The county ex-
penses are made up budget form and tax levy made
to cover the1f the taxes assessed paid Ii they
are not paid the property of the delinquent must be sold
to realize the money necessary to meet the county budget
There is only one way this honestly and effectively
be done by advertising thoroughly, with full and cor
rect description all the property delinquent and the date
upon which it will be sold if the taxes are not settled be-
fore that date The burden falsnot upon the man Wnc
has paid his taxesbut where it should fall upon the
property who has not paid 1t is properly not ar
expense upon the general treasury, and the present
method Of advertising this delinquent list and charging
the cost against the denquents recognizes this fact
But the delnouent has rights in this matter also One
of these rights is full notice of his delinquency through
publication in its fullest possible sense, and not by the
ercaous uncertain and unbusnesske method OF posta
cards through the mail expense which, the man Wht
has already paid his taxes would have to bear Assess
Ients are made full year. even more before taxes
become delinquent, and large amount OF property
changes hands between the time of making the assess
ment and the levyng of the taxes so that large per