Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1922-10-27
PIERCE ASKED
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POINTED QUERIES
BY BRENTANO

ex-senator Pierce at La Grande,
Ore. I wish you would kindly pub
lish it. John r. Theo B. Brentano.
st. Paul, Or, Oct. "a, 1922.
Hon. Walter M. Pierce,
La Grande, Ore.
Honorable Dear Sir
The pamphlet containing your
platform has been received.
In looking 1t over | find that
you strive to make the voters OF
Oregon believe that the only
question is that OF taxation. You
are however not unmindful OF the
Ku Klux vote and throw them
very broad hint that they can de-
pend on you. That is the only way
can understand 1t.
You are certainly right when
yon say that taxes are excessive.
In looking over the records of
this state / find that you have
been a senator from Jan. 1917 to
Jan. 1921. ! find that during that
period there have been five cleo
tions at which the voters were
asked to vote on constitutional
amendments and measures. In the
senate, at the regular session jan
uary 1919, / find that SB276 was
introduced calling a special cleo
tion on June 3rd 1919 on consti-
tutional amendments and meas
ures, and that you voted for this
bill. (See page 316. senate jonrn-
al.) Why, IL you are such a
friend Of the taxpayer, did yon
vote to add this to the burden OF
the taxpayer? This election was
called to vote on the nine consti-
tutional amendments and meas
ures, nothing else. It was spe-
cial election and nothing else. The
taxpayers had the heavy costs OF
this election because you helped to
lay the load on them.
Another matter In connection
with this is section 4103 20. o.
I'D which provides that the sec
retary OF state shall publish vot-
er's pamphlet containing all the
proposed amendments and meas
ures to be voted on, together with
arguments for, or against, them
that may be offered by parties in
terested, quote from said section
4103; But In every case the per-
son or persons offering such ar
guments for printing and distri-
button shall pay to the secretary
OF state sufficient money to pay
all the expenses for paper and
printing to supply one copy with
every copy OF the measure to be
printed by the state," You violat-
ed this section 4103 by making
the taxpayers pay for the paper
and printing.
Are you the taxpayers friend?
You did more. You voted to have
arguments printed, at the expense
OF the state. In favor OF the af-
firmative only; but anyone who
was against any OF these meas
ures, you had no space for him in
the pamphlet. More than that, Mr..
Pierce, you voted to have com
mittees appointed to write argu-
ments In favor OF these tax eat
ing measures; but not one against
them. The consequence was that,
while the voters pamphlets con-
tanned articles In favor on these
tax eating bills, not q word was
said against them.
A good deal Ii said by the
friends Of these tax eating laws
about the people voting for these
taxes. Why shouldn't they when
these arguments In favor OF these
tax eating bills SO into the homes
OF thousands and thousands at
the expense OF the state. 1t Is said
that these pamphlets are not read
by the voters and have no influ-
ence. II so. why did you put the
state to this expense? Are you
the taxpayers friend?
For your convenience will
here draw your attention to the
pages in the senate journal,
where your vote may be found. s.
J, n. IA page 147, II, ], r. 30
page 277, II, J, r. S2 page 279, S,
], II. rs page S1s, II. j, II. 81 page
s20, II. 3. lat page 291, S. B. 266
page 315, S. b, 269 page 323 and
s, B. 2S3 page si7.
You voted for all these propos-
ed measures, excepting III. ]. r.
81 where you voted NAY" and
for the Roosevelt highway. where
YOU were discreetly absent. Yet
in $. .. 27s you voted to submit
these two to the voters also.
You think so much OF the dear
farmer and, taxpayers in your
speeches, II so, why did you help
call this special election when the
farmer was too busy to attend? II
Is a well known fact that the farm
ers stay at home when the cleo
tion is called in the spring. AT
this election only 90,S77 votes
We're cast, which was the smallest
in twenty years.
This letter win be sent to your
address at La Grande. Oregon: it
win be published and / trust you
will explain to the voters.
Yours respectfully,
John r. Theo B. Brentano,
P, s. This letter lis sent you by
registered MALL. II. 7. b. d.