The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1922-09-07

other departments? Why not be
fair?
Then again l wonder if the
smoke was not made to cover
some tax lodging. For instance,
Judge, you have stated the i'm
provement of that place of mine
that I cleared with my own hands
is so small that hay-rack could
not be turned around on 1t. That
may get a laugh from persons
who do not know the facts, but 1t
is true that am assessed 500
more for improvements than your
improvements in Ten Mile town
ship where you live, and my land
is not growing up to brush as
is yours. You paid taxes on 53
acres of that tract three years
ago as improved land, yet you are
paying on but 35 acres cleared,
this year. How do you account
for this return of Is acres to
wild land?" Why don't you
spend some of your vacation for
which you are paid 1875 while
doing nothing and chop some OF
the brush from those IS acres?
If you do not do so all of your
Ten Mile home property will go
wild"
Again, Judge Hardin, your hill
land in Nooksack township is as
sessed at but 81 per acre, while
mine of the same character is
assessed for 81. 1t takes consid
cradle smoke to cover the fact
that your buildings at your own
place which l am told could not
be replaced for less than $4,000,
go on the tax rolls at $500, or
6 per cent of their valuation. Can
you imagine any other taxpayer
in this county complaining when
he can get away with a valuation
of 6 per cent. Do you hope in
your attempt to control the coun-
ty commissioners, the county as
SCISSOR and board of equalization
to escape taxation altogether?
| The trouble with Judge Har-
din is he does not state the whole
truth in his criticisms. He makes
inference and insinuations that
are grossly misleading, if not
downright dishonest. might
say l had seen John Jones' wife
riding with another man and
right away create quite dis
turbance. 1t would change the
situation, however, If l were to
say that in reality that the other
man was John Jones son. Yet
this is exactly what Judge Har-
din does in his reflection on some
county officials who believe they
were elected as Independent Of
ficers and not chosen to act only
when advised to do SO by Judge
Hardin.
Judge Hardin speaks of the
Ballinger ditch, saying there was
as assessment of approximately
$25 on this account that was not
wanted. He knows very well
that when the treasurer certifies
to the county commissioners that
there is a deficit in the funds OF
the ditch district that the COM
missiOners then and there will
desk a list Of IS bitches that are
in this condition and must be
considered in making up levy
, Tor this year.
AS to Juggling funds here are
the facts: In the spring of 1921
. a number of the large bankers
that deal in county warrants in.
sisted that we raise the interest
rate from 6 to per cent. We
did not believe it was necessary
to make this raise. There was a
prospect of overdrawing some OF
the funds until taxes were paid
, totaling some $4,000. We then
had on deposit about 100000 OF
other funds that drew but 2 pei
cent interest on the balances. II
occurred to us that it was better
to buy our own paper" by trans
ferring these funds than to pay
interest on the warrants and we
adopted this policy. BY doing SO
We saved several thousand dol
lars in interest. l think any
county commissioner or treasur-
er who would not do the same
would be delinquent of his du-
ties. This is the only Juggling
higher authority than the volun-
tary opinion of Judge Hardin.
Judge Hardin, l am informed, has
suggested that he might call a
grand jury to investigate county
affairs. He should be careful,
however, or perhaps he will get
another vote of censure for him
self. AS to the DOnohue road
funds, four of these accounts are
being closed up this year and
there are ten roads upon which
payments are to be made. The
last of these will be paid for in
ten years and each township will
have to pay it's just share, no
more or no less.
Judge Hardin is pledging his
candidates to relieve the taxpay-
er of their burdens, but l think
If he succeeds in securing Off
Gals that will carry out his pro-
gram he will have plenty to ex-
plain two wears hence