Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-11-04
ATTENTION VOTERSu


A folder is being widely circulated on the streets of
Salem this morning, presenting an argument in favor
of the proposed Richardson Amendment to the City
Charter. Permit us to call your attention to a few of the
fallacies of the argument contained in this circular.
To induce you to support this bill it is stated in the
pamphlet, that none of the money will leave the city of
Salem, but the notes will stay here and the money paid on
the same will remain in the city. The city of Salem has
issued heretofore bonds under the Bancroft Bonding Act,
of which there remains unpaid at this time, $385,422.00.
These bonds are practically all owned by capitalists living
outside of the city of Salem, and they are drawing six
per cent interest. Ask the signers of this pamphlet how
the City of Salem is going to pay these bonds without
shipping out that amount of money to the holders of the
bonds.
The proposed Richardson Amendment does not con-
template the repayment to any person of cash, but the
cltys promisSory notes only, drawing interest at the rate
of four per cent. Ask the signers of this argument how
the City of Salem is going to raise enough money on these
four per cent notes to pay off these bonds amounting to
$685., $4,000, when the United States government today is
paying four and O~nefOurth per cent on bonds issued by
il, which are the highest class of investment in the world.
Unjust appear to any thinking person, that no method
can be devised whereby these .bonods can be paid off ex-
cepting in cash, and since the bill makes no proposition
for paying these bonds, it will be necessary TO raise this
amount Immediately by taxation, which will increase our
taxes to a tremendous amount.
The argument contained in this pamphlet throughout,
is intended to catch the vote of the poor man. 1t is true
LHdC III lit lew INSTANCES poor pdrueS residing OH pdVeu
streets would be slightly benefited by the passing of the
act. On the other hand how about the hundreds of poor
people living on unpaved streets who are yearly wading
in and out through the mud, to their homes, and who will
pay at least double the taxes they are now paying, in Or
der that their more fortunate neighb0r may get to and
from his property on a nicely paved street,. The poor
man who will be thus affected is not considered in this
article and he is many, many times more numerous in the
City OF Salem than the one who resides on a paved street.
This article calls your attention to the Sewer Bond
issue an dthere is an attempt to compare the proposed
method to the one adopted in that case. In the first place
the conditions confronting the people at this time in no
manner compare with those confronting the people at
the time of the adoption of the Sewer Bond Amendment
At that time practically one-haf the residents of the city
were enjoying sewers which on account of an adverse
decision of the Supreme Court would Of necessity have
been paid for by general taxation, while the other one
half Of the city. was being served with sewers which were
being paid for by special assessment. 1t was only just and
equitable that all persons be placed upon the same basis
and to accomplish this, a plan was worked out on a scien-
tific basis, whereby the city issued bonds to provide the
entire cost of paving, and these are being retired by an
nual taxation. There is nothing of this kind confronting
the people of Salem, today. The city is in position to col
lect every dollar of overdue assessments---just as rapid
ly as the financial condition of the public will warrant.
In view of the extensive demands made on the public at
this time, on account Of War Activities, the city is defer
ring the collection of these overdue assessments just as
far as it can, and the proponents of this measure are in
poor position to criticize the city for not making collection
when, as a matter of fact, many Of them are the owners
of properly on which overdue assessments are now out
standing.
The Sewer Bond issue required the assumption Of
a debt of $480,000.00. The paving bill would require the
assumption Of a debt Of s., 3O0,0OO.00,. which added to
bonds already outstanding, would put the City OF Salem
more deeply in debt than any city Of it's class on the Pa
cific Coast.
The thing the City of Salem needs today, more than
anything else, is more factories for the employment Of
its laboring men. Should this measure pass and the rate
of taxation be doubled, and perhaps more than doubled,
t what chance do you think the city would have to induce
new business enterprises or new factories to locate here?
Th, laboring man whose vote the signers of this pam
phlet are attempting to catch are more vitality affected
in the matter of soaring capitalists away from investing
here, than any other class of citizens. 1t is the laboring
mans attention they are trying to catch. Ask them to
answer the questions propounded in this article before you
There is an effort made in the argument referred to
to create prejudice in favor by the proposed Charter