The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1920-08-26
FARM BUREAU SEEKS
TO INITIATE MEASURE
Bill Providing Tax of Five-Tenths of
A Mill VIII Go on Ballot to Pro-
vide Funds TO Fight Predatory An
imals and Rodents.

Wells Spring, Irrigon, Alpine. ant
Cecil 1t was definitely decided to ash
the Morrow County Farm Bureau tC
approve a plan OF submitting to the
voters Of Morrow county a measure
at the November election, calling fol
one quarter of a mill tax to go into
fund to provide for the control OF
the rabbit pest in the northern part
of the county. According to Judge
Campbell this would give a fund Of
about $500, which should be en-
ough to carry on the work for al
least the next two years.
At the June meeting Of the Farm
Bureau 1t was decided to incorporate
with this the idea of exterminating
the squirrels and coyotes and to ask
for one-half mill tax instead OF
one-quarter OF mill. This measure
will AFFECT the stockmen who are in
terested in the coyote pest, the alfal-
ia man who is troubled with the rab-
bits, and the grain men who are af-
fiicted with ground squirrels.
The money will be spent under the
direction Of the County Court and the
Farm Bureau. 1t is possible to Sc
cure a hunter to be paid half by the
Federal Department, one-fourth by
the county and one-fourth by the
sheepmen Of the county to assist in
exterminating the coyotes. At the
present time the sheepmen are large
ly defraying this expense themselves.
paying an individuar bounty running
as high as $40 to $25 per head. This
plan will not do away with the pay
ment Of bounties, but no coyote kill
ed by government hunter can re-
ceive bounty from the County
Court. 1t will, therefore, have the
effect Of lessening the amount Of
money paid out by the County Court
for bounties, as II will decrease the
number Of coyotes in the county and
therefore, will relieve considerable
strain from the present bounty fund.
This measure has not only received
the endorsement of the local Farm
Bureaus mentioned, and the County
Farm Bureau. but has also the ap-
proyal OF the Heppner Commercial
Club. We believe that this is very
worthy measure and should receive
unanimous support.
So far as we know there is no op-
position to the measure. 1t must
be remembered that last year the
men who fought the rabbits in the
northern part Of the county raised
practically the entire money them
selves. The men who have been
fighting the squirrels have been pay
ing their bills. The men who have
been fighting the coyotes have large
ly been paying their own bills. This
manifestly is not entirely fair as the
wild land breeds all these pests and
yet where the owner Is not resi-
dent of the county, there is practic-
ally no effort made on his part and
no expense borne by his property to-
wards combating these pests. AS 1t
is planned to work in cooperation
with the farmers, the entire expense
will not be borne by the taxpayers,
but will be apportioned partially
through taxes and partially through
the cooperation of the sheepmen and
farmers of the county,
The following is a copy of the
measure as it will appear on the bal
lot;
AN ACT
Providing for levy of five-tenths Of
a mill on the dollar Of taxable
property of the County Of Morrow,
State Of Oregon, to be used in the
destruction Of predatory animals
and rodents in the County of Nor
row, State of Oregon, and provid-
ing for the expenditure Of the mon
ey arising from said levy.
Be 1t enacted by the people OF the
County of Morrow, State Of Oregon;
Sec. 1. That there shall be levied
upon each dollar of the taxable prop
erty Of the County of Morrow, State
of Oregon, as shown by the tax roll
for the year 1920, in addition to the
regular county levy, tax of fve-
tenths of one mill, to be collected and
paid in the same manner as other
county taxes are collected and paid.
Sec. 2. That the money arising
from said levy shall be expended un-
der the direction of the county court
of the County of Morrow, State Of
Oregon, In connection with the Fed
eral Government and the farmers and
stockmen of said county, in the de-
of predatory animals and ro-
dents, fifty per cent of said money tol
be expended In the destruction OF
predatory animals and fifty per cent
in the destruction of rodents, during
the calendar years 1921 and 1922.
- -