St. Johns review. (Saint Johns, Or.) 1904-current, 1922-11-03
Communication

Portland, oregon, 4lbH2 NOrth
Jersey street, Oct. 30, 1922.-To
the Editor: i will attempt to an
alyze some Of statements made
at the Williams School house, st.
Johns, last Tuesday evening by
the chief speaker, Walter Pierce.
His first effort was to ridicule or
minimize the charges being made
that he, through chicanery, Sc
cured thirty thousand dollars
from the school fund when no
person was supposed to be al
lowed to have more than five
thousand dollars. His defense is
that il was not law but a com
mittee ruling that established the
five thousand dollar maximum
amount and as they had a large
amount Of school money on hand
which they wished TO get out on
interest they took this means to
benefit the schools. II did not
seem to occur to him, a member
of the board, that they might alb.
rogate the committee ruling and
loan to any one an amount that
he was able to secure, but no! a
better way in the estimation OF
Mr.. Pierce was to make a phony
sale 20 relatives and friends and
cause them to perjurc themselves
that he might get the money 10
carry on his business with, as he
would lead us to infer, hut the
records seem 10 show that he did
IL for the purpose Of prolitccring
Off OF the state and that he loaned
the largest part Of il out 90 farm
ers at much greater rate of in.
terest.
We would like TO ask Mr.. Pierce
IL he or the board made IL prac-
tice 10 advise others who had
large holdings TO do as he did
that they might procure greater
amount than five thousand dol.
lars and thereby be able TO let
out more school money, or was IL
a special dispensation by the
board of which he was a member
that he alone could benefit there.
by. If he was 40 sollcitous for
the welfare of the schools why
did he not loan school money di.
rect 20 the farmers who procured
IL from him at a much greater
rsteH They surely were in the
market for cheap money.
Mr.. Pierce IL strictly opposed
TO bonds-a very good thing tu
keep away from, If ylu can get
along without them, but n large
part OF the farmers who he dearly
loves have mortgages on their
farms and are paying around $
per cent interest. II those farm
ers or any one else who are pay
ing high rate of interest are OBJ
ligated 10 raise more money that
they would have To borrow at u
high rate of interest would il not
be better 10 pay of n bond at I
per cent than mortgage at \
per cent? In this matter Mr..
Pierce does not use the business
aoumen that he did when he bor,
rowed school money at q pcr cent
and loaned IL out at a greater
rate ~ interest.
Mr.. Pierce speaks disparaging
ly Of the gasoline tax hill Zone Of
the best bills we have ON our stat.
ne books aud AZ an illustration
AZ TO how Il works he cites one Ia
Meier 4 Frank who use gasoline
conveyance in their business aud
says Don't you know that the
tax they pay on gasoline Is
charged 10 overhead expenses
and is paid by the consumer"
That is very bright idea of his |
and compares favorably with the
rest of the bunk he has been civ, |
ing us. According To his way of |
thinking If Meier 4 Frank would !
deliver their goods by pack mule
or push cart, although IL would |
cost them great deal more than
II does by their more modern way |
IL would not be taxed up 10 over |
head. Yes, Mr., Pierce, of course
II would be taxed to the business
and would ultimately be paid by |
the consumer just as much so aS a
severance tax on lumber which
You advocate would be added 10
the price Of lumber aud would H.
nally be paid by the party who
used it,and II that party is a bull
der he passes II ON To the home
purchaser.
HiA proposed State Income Tax |
bill, II il should become law. is
another one of his measures that Il
Is likely 10 work great INJURY To Il
our State, IL is all right for a Ma
tiOnal Income Tax, but when you
penAllZe an industry doing busi- /
ness or wanting 10 do business in
your state when other states al.
joining do not have such a law
you lOee that industry 10 the 9th
er states whose principles are 10
encourage industry instead of
hindering il.
Mr.. Pierce picks out some of
his best bills, such as the market
road bill and holds them up as
sample Of his work, but fails to
comment on those numerous
a a. 1