Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1921-04-22
VOTED FOR POLL TAX;
WOULD Do It AGAIN
representative Jones Explains Stand
on Mooted Law-SolOns Guests
of Chamber of Commerce

auestiOnaDly WOrK severe ndrdShlp
an many, yet it contains much of
merit. | voted for it and, under the
same conditions, would vote for it
again" Thus spoke Representative
Row Jones of Dusty in an address
before the chamber of commerce
Tuesday. Representative Jones, to-
getber with Senator Oliver Hall of
Colfax and Representative Frank f.
Sanger of this city, were special
guests of the chamber at it's regular
weekly meeting. The solons also at
tended the Madame Aida concert at
the college auditorium Monday night
as Joint guests of the college and
the chamber Each of the visitors
talked on legislative subjects before
the chamber.
Explaining his position on the poll
tax law Representative Jones stated
that the law will reach thousands of
people who never before paid a cent
Of tax yet enjoyed all the privileges
Of the heavy taxpayers. 1t was nee
essary to raise a big sum of money
by taxation, he pointed out, and UNI
der the ordinary method this money
would have come out of the pockets
Of the people who are already taxed
to the limit. The poll tax law, while
ii does not except the man who is
already paying taxes, yet distributes
the burden among all classes and
reduces the taxation of the property
owner to the extent of the amount
paid by the non-property owner.
representative Jones pointed out
that had wheat remained at 5000
to $3.50 per bushel, as it was during
the session of the Legislature, and
even had other commodities re-
tanned their elevated price position,
the tax burden on the people of the
state would not have been keenly
felt, as everyone would have had
plenty Of money. The speaker
touched on the civil code, legislative
appropriations, the tax commission
and its purposes, the alien bill and
ether important measures enacted
INTO laws or defeated at the recent
session. The alien bills, he stated,
are aimed at the Japanese, who
threaten commercial disaster
throughout the Northwest He
pointed out that one-ninth of the
births in Seattle are Japanese, and
that rs per cent of the hotels and
restaurants of the Coast city are un-
Oer Japanese control
senator Oliver Hall, veteran mem
yer OF the upper house, and chair
man or the committee on roads, dis
cussed the legislation concerning
road construction and maintenance.
ne stated that the last session was
Vne OF the most harmonious he ever
alended, the two bodies as a general
RUE approving the recommendations
q the various committees. In an
Swer to questions, Senator Hall stat
gu mat the 100000 appropriated
LOT road work between Rosalia and
eOllax will probably be expended on
ae highway between Colfax and
9'eptoe, although the placing of the
'unus Is entirely in the hands of the
'Asineers. Prospects for completing
Ae grading of the Palouse-P Pullman
part OF the Eastern division of the
'u'ano Empire highway are not very
,Osy' ne pointed out, inasmuch as
Ae contract price for the improve
uent OF that part of the road be-
."een Palouse and Garfield, on which
'ue contract was awarded Monday,
some $4,000 above the prelimi-
.any estimate. This will reduce the
,unds available for this end of the
-en"ay to a considerable extent.
representative Sanger touched
ely on taxation matters. He
.'''eu that he voted against the poll
"a Dill and argued that the only
sNslactory way to remedy the tax
!. sHuitions is to revise the constitu-
4ai provisions, Eighty-five per
'u' OF the tax burden, he said, is
~ borne by real estate, and to
,smeoy this condition and properly
- '''ioute the burden, the constitu-
On must be changed.
senator R. C. McCroskey of Gar
s'ia' veteran member of the board
ssents of the State College, COM
,.. aueo the Whitman county dele
s,. 0n very highly for their accom-
~'nments, stating that this county
\ as we'll or better represented
s., ~" any county in the state. He
si1ed Senator Hall and men