Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1922-11-03

Walter M. Pierce
Who is Walter M. Pierce? ILL o,,nor
LAWYER professional politician, farmer land owner
and money loaner Of La Grande, Ore
When did he come to Oregon hn
Forty years ago. he states as "anueiins Do''
What property does he possess! ouor+
~ owns thrty-six farms which with personal properly
40 ossassed al S253000 and worth over $5oo,ooo.
How did he get his start? .4 fl
n 1899 he was elected county school superintendent =
Y+;a county In 1890 elected county clerk uhuei
th fee system then prevalent He served two years anu M
records show that he wrote himself county warrants " ~
tune Of $42,012.74
Were these fees legal? 44 -
49, IN 800 within the law but the records show that ne
emitted no opportunity to soak the taxpayers the
exceeding the amount collected Dy ms pie 49,
mstionable methods were used to secure 'hein
What is a typical instance?
f +ha fees permitted then five Genus TOT slgh
inc county warrant Records reveal tnat instead y .oo
inp warrants for the full amount to be PAID Mf
Cd large number of warrants tor small aiiou0 441
tco II November 1893 his bill for county lees toeaheu
ana Itd f drawing one warrant for the full amount
ia drew n his own Al warrants thus making a u
ditional So for himself -.
Were Jmatila county warrants at par tnen.
They were below par.
Did Mr. Pierce speculate in them
I1i brother Charles Pierce who supposed to rep
resent him, did,
What did Mr. Pierce do with his money 4;4,
He loaned it farm mortgages and ne Dough' up "
thus acquiring his many farms ,o
Dd he borrow money from the state schooi luna!
In 1908 he decided relatives and friends 1ve tracts -
land These relatives and friends made ai1ldNe u
hi and borrowed $4,000 the farms aftef which eeS
Iodad hack II Mr. Pierce who assumed the mortgages
II addition to the loans secured by these dummy owners
M Pierce also borrowed $4,000 in his own name
Why were the fake transfers made ,., ,;,;tot
10 evade the rule OF the state land DoaIa Wni l-'
0 How long did Mr. Pierce keep the $4,000 state tuno
= Tave ea years although the law limits the loan TO \
bid Mr. Pierce continue in business as money loahe
after receiving the $4,000 state funds! H.
Record Of mortgages filed show that he continued 70 mar AZ
loans at to ~ percent WHiie iie ~
state percent ~, p;roo bad9
He has Been member of the senate for three four yea
What is his record economzer in the ser senate o a.
AZ member Of the senate he voted for neary every ai
nriaton bi and every salary grab presented during nj
official career j IL aoaouv9
IN 1917 1919 and 1920 legislatures there We're re ppo
priaton bills passed approprating total o.
Shn o5T Ss ana voted against only IL bills appropratn
$385O47 During these sessions, new state taxes ~ee
Nv lid people onto taxpayers to the extent OF
tbe neope simply ratfyng the tax increases submitted
the legislature. Mr.. Pierce supported anu Vo hift
Of the measures his record s tha' O une 'pe"1-
the taxpayers coin.
IT, III has champoned many radical measures, ncludir
h nrogram of the Partisan League and the creaS
of Soviet feature, the creation Of source o. ouppg
parment that would get everyone JoD az 'e '"N Pay
r he consistent in his advocacy of principles?
In the legislature he voted to authorize private n scnot
and as candidate opposes them in order to secure tne
I, sunnort AS legislator he introduced constltuto
ii amendment exempt money notes and creds from y
snrno he helped draw up the income tax measure on
ballot but has dsowned It on the stump
What was Mr. Perces war record? > ~, !,
He drew full pay for the time he served on the drf
board at Sl rs an hour amounting to nearly 5000
What Is the source of his popularity!
M Pieree has personal magnetism, is good mixer
fine campagner effective oratorbu he IS not @ notne M
md ic thn mo
agogue that has yet appeared in Oregons puohe me-
Willamette Endangered