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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (May 18, 1908)
THE MORNING OREGONIAN, 3IONPAY, MAT. 18, 190S. I i COUNTRY LINKED ' THE CITY Early Edition of The Oregonian Greatly Appreciated in Valley Towns. ARRIVES FOR BREAKFAST Cottage Grove, Formerly Served in Four Days, Sow Gets Paper in Six Hours Expressions ot Ap proval From Various Places. In 1 The Morning Oregonian was de livered In Cottafte Grove, 144 miles from Portland, four days after the date of te niae, carried bv staje traveling nicht and flav. Testerday morning xne people m Cottage Grove received their Oregoraians In time to read them at the breakfast tab1- ... The change in schedule of the Southern Pacific Railroad, -whereby train No. 13, leaving Portland at 1:3ft A. M.. carries an early edition of The Mornini? Oregonian to towns In the Willamette Valley, is meet ing with general approbation. Expres sions of feeling from Willamette Valley points Indicate a universal appreciation of the Improved service. The feature that appeals to all the towns in the Valley as far as Cottage Grove Is the fact that they can have The Oregonian by breakfast time. Salem has waited 30 years, since the Southern Pa cific was completed, to et The Oregonian before breakfast. The new train arrives there now about i o'clock. Eugene re joices that the new schedule gives It prac tically three-quarters of a day advantage. Grants Faf is glad that it is 24 hours nearer Portland. A Medford man says he Is convinced that "verily, the world doth move," when he can read The Oregonian the same day it Is published. Heretofore the remote, towns of the Val ley could not receive The Oregonian till the rtav after it was issued. The- nearer places received it late on the same day f . Issue, xow Tne uregoman is aenverea m Ashland, a few miles this Bide of the Cali fornia line, at 4 In the afternoon of the same day It is printed. People of Salem, Albany and Eugene can have the paper delivered before breakfast, and can read It at the same time It Is being read in Portland. The greatest feature of all connected with this early edition ta the fact that the farmers on the rural routes In the Valley can have The Oregonian before nooo of the day it is printed, and thus a link is forged in the chain binding together the people of the city and the country. The merchant of the small town up the Valley can have the full market report before opening his store for the day. and trade is thus brought into close relations throughout the Valley. The consensus of opinion from the towns served by The Oregonian's early edition is that a new era has been started in journalism in the Northwest. THINKS THE AVORIjD MOVES Medford Resident Halls Change as Slpn of Progress. MEDFORD. Or., May 17. (Special.) To read a daily paper from Oregon's me tropolis on the date of Issue has been the pleasure of Medford's residents to- dav. The changing of the Southern Pa cinc's train schedule, which went into effect today. Is hailed with delight by the readers of The Morning Oregonian, a luxurv not before accorded to those liv ing smuth of Roseburg. The service is now . highly improved over that of for mer schedules. One who nasi long been a reader of The Morning Oregonian. but who had missed the notice of the change In train sched ule, on being asked how he liked to read the Sunday paper on Sunday. Insisted there must be some mistake, as it was impossible for the paper to reach here so soon. Vpon being apprised of the present arrangement, he said. "At last the world verily doth move." MARKS AX EPOCH AT ASHLAND Helivery of Oregonian on Day of Is sue Will Increase Prestige. ASHLAND. Or.. May 17. (Special.) Ashland subscribers got double serv let from The Morning Oregonian to day. Saturday morning's paper was delivered as It usually is between and 9 o'clock this morning, and this afternoon at 4 o'clock the big Sunday morning Issue reached here, marking a new epoch for metropolitan daily newspaper subscribers in this section in giving them the news on the day of Issue. This Innovation is brought about by the new schedule of South ern Pacific passenger train' No. 13. go ing Into effect today. Ashland people lake to the improved mail service and welcome its inaugura tion. InridentaMy, it will greatly in crease the popularity an prestige of The Oregonian. which now reaches here 17 hours ahead of all competitors. MORE POPVLAK THAN EVER Rosehurg Takes to Idea of Having Oregonian in the Morning. ROSEBl'RG. Or.. May 17. (Special.) The arrival of The Oregonian at 8:45 this morning, the day of issue, instead of at 5:30 In the evening, was the cause of much favorable comment among Its subscribers and the citizens generally In this city. The Oregonian has always been In the lead In Roseburg. as compared in the lead in Roseburg. as compared with other outside paper, but this latest departure, whereby Roseburg cit izens can secure the paper on the morn ing Of the day it is published, will make The Oregonian more popular than ever in this city and county. HAVE DESIRED IT 30 YEARS Salem People Much Pleased at Early Arrival of Oregonian. SALEM. Or.. May 17. (Special.) Sa lem subscribers of The Oregonian en loved the privilege of reading their pa per before breakfast this morning a pleasure they have long desired, and which they now fully appreciate. As the paper 'arrives in Salem about 4 A. M.. Salem readers have the paper on their doorsteps as early in the morning as the people of Portland do. The change in train schedule, which makes it possible to get the paper hers early, is a great advantage to the busi ness and professional men and those occupying official positions- Hereto fore the paper arrived in the middle of the forenoon when men were busy. Now they get it in time td read it be fore going to work. Merchants will now have the full market reports be fore opening their places of business in tha morning. As a consequence of WITH this improved service, the circulation of The Oregonian is rapidly increasing, a number of new readers having been ori-tAr4 n rna lint a a nnn a th an. nounecment was made that the paper would be brought here early. Ever since the Southern Pacific was completed to Salem, over 30 years ago, the people have earnestly desired an early train which would bring The Oregonian here before breakfast. They are therefore gratified over the change in train schedule. WHEN' IT YVEVT BY STAGE R. M. Veatch Has Been Reading The ; Oregonian Since 1865. COTTAGE GROVE, Or.. May 17. (Spe cial.) The new train schedule, which ad mits The Oregonian being delivered here. 144 miles south of Portland, in time for breakfast reading, is greeted with marked pleasure by its readers. The people see in this another stroke of progress for Ore gon. They recognize that with each ad vancement of this kind the relations of the people with the state and world hap penings are closer cemented. Following are some of the expressions: James Hemenway By virtue of the new schedule one is Justified in the assertion that we are taking on metropolitan ideas. Think of being on a par with the citizens of Portland, with reference to reading The Oreponian! C. H. Burkholder I look upon The Ore gonian as the greatest newspaper in the West. Years ago I gave up the idea. of getting along without it. Now I can have it for breakfast, a most appetizing relish. K. .M. V eaten I have taken The orego nian nearly all of the time since '65, when It came to us here by stage. I don't re member how many days it took from Portland here, but I think about four. The, stage traveled day and night. At least It took a number of days. In the Winter time it was no telling when we would get It. I certainly will enjoy The Orego nian for breakfast. WORLD'S news at breakfast First Time Albany Has Been Able to Enjoy This Luxury. ALBANY. Or.. May 17. (Special.) The Oregonian at breakfast was an agreeable innovation in Albany this morning. To receive The Oregonian in the morning has long been a desire of Albany people. and the new train service is accordingly greatly appreciated. Favorable comment was heard everywhere. The full effect of the change will not be apparent until the succeeding week days, when the Al bany man will for the first time have the news ot the world at his breakfast table. The new service means the most to the large number of subscribers on Albany's six rural routes, for the paper now reaches here in time to go out on the routes on the day of issue instead of one day late, as heretofore. The Oregonian has long been the most popular paper circulated In Linn County and the new service will increase its present prestige. STREET SALES Mt'CH LARGER Eugene People Read Oregonian Long Before Breakfast. EUGENE, Or., May 17.-(SpeciaI.)-Vrhe people of Eugene were reading their' Oregonlans this morning long before breakfast and the papers were in the hands of the outlying subscribers by the time the Portland papers published yes- terday afternoon were distributed. This change in the arrival of The Oregonian, bringing it here at 5:44 A. M., instead of in the afternoon, gives the subscribers an advantage of practically three-quarters of a day over the old schedule. The new service is the subject of most favorable comment on the streets, and will doubtless make Eugene, which has always been .a strong Oregonian town, still more so. The street sales reported today were unusually good, both morning and afternoon. Such service has never been given Eugene by any city news paper, and will not only apply to the cities or towns of Lane County, but also to the rural free jjelivery routes. NEARER PORTLAND BY A DAY Grant9 Pass Delighted at Needed Change in Mall Service. GRANTS PASS, Or., May 17. (Spe cial.) The new train schedule for both passenger and mall service meets the long-felt want of the public' and gives Rogue River Valley towns and the sur rounding country the mail service which they have long, contended was justly due a country so prosperous and thickly set tled. Heretofore mail leaving Portland in the morning was transferred at Rose burg to the local freight and brought to this point the following morning. By the present arrangements the mail serv ice for this section of the country will be equal to the Willamette Valley towns. The arrival and delivery of The Dally Oregonian on the same day It is pub lished brings its readers 34 hours nearer Portland. Corvallls Much Pleased. CORVALL1S. Or., May 17. (Special.) Instead of waiting until midday or later, the Sunday Oregonian was tn the hands o its readers here before 9 o'clock this morning. The morning service is highly appreciated by people here, who can now get the news of the day in the morn ing instead of having 'to wait till the afternoon for it. This was the subject of much favorable comment on the streets here today. WHOOPS IT UP FOR CAKE Kdltor of Polk County Observer Brands His Republican ism. DAIJ-A6, Or.. May lfl.-To the Editor.) Permit me to call attention 1 to an error in yesterday's Oregonian. wherein an editorial ia reprinted and credited to the Polk County Observer that has never appeared! In that paper. The mistake is clearly unintentional and is unimportant farther than that It places the Obse rver i n a f alse 1 t:h t bet ore th e f o ur hundred and aome odd thousand" people in Oregon who are not so fortunate a to be numbered amonx its subscriber?. The news paper quoted says it has decided to take no farther part tn the present political cara paipn and Intimates that it Is not interested in the result of tY.e June election. This ia tn no way the att'tude of the Polk County Observer. Thta newspaper believes that an editor should have opinions and that he should express them on all subjects of pub lic Interest or concern. The Polk County Observer is a Republican paptr and as such it desires the election of the Republican ticket from United States Senator to Constable. It supported H. M. Cake before the primaries and is- supporting him now, fcelievin-r that the interests of the Nation will be best served tn th future, aa in the past- by a Republican Congress-, and see ing no reason why Oregon, with its enormous Republican majority, should elect a dyed-ln-the wool Democrat to an office next in im portance to that of President of the United Statea. c- HATTER. - Editor ana fuoiisner. L.ov Rates to Chicago. Extremely low rates to Chicago and other Eastern points on sale May 18 via Chicago and Northwestern line. For full In format io n app 1 y" R- V. Holder, general agent, 153 Third street. Tomorrow and Wednesday will posi tively he the last days for discpunt on East Side gas billa. PORTLAND GAS CO. TAX BILL OPPOSED State Grange Adopts Report Against Measure. FAITH IN PRESENT LAWS Existing Inequality of Taxes Would Be Eliminated, It Is Held, if the Statutes Were Properly En forced by the Officials. (Continued Fnjro First Page.) that a larger revenue to the state may be produced. An ad valorem tax, assessed accord ing to the unit rule and administered by a State Tax Commission and applic able to all transportation and trans mission companies in the state. Discouragement of a monopoly of water power, timber wealth and arable lands by taxation, on the theory that the people should reap the monopoly gains. Clumsy and drastic measures ior cms purpose, admits tne urange, would effect public robbery. Summarized, the Grange is seeking primarily to accomplish the following results: A uniform assessment at cash value of all classes of property; separation of state and local taxes and such changes in the present system of taxa tion as new developments in business make necessary. The complete report of the special committee on assessment and taxation, together with its recommendations, follows: We, your committee, were appointed be cause of the indorsement by the last State Granjre of a resolution from the Linn County buetn-s? council requesting that a special committee of five be appointed on assessment and taxation, who shall take up the subject of securing equal taxes In our Mate, and whose findings shall be submitted for d1s- ciwelon and revieion- by the various Pomona Granges and county councils, during the year, and whose final report shall be made at the annual meeting of the State Grange In 1008. The original committee consisted of Clara H. Valdo. chairman: J. J. Johnson. H. I Hopkins, Judjre Seneca Smith and! Hon. Thomas Paulsen, later H. I. Hopkins re signed and Professor F. G. Young was ap pointed to replay him. Mrs. Waldo request ed to be relieved of further duty as chair man and A. T. Buxton was called to the ohalr. Five meeting have been held1 during the year, besides several informal sub-committee conference. Your committee frankly confesses to being uneJble satrtsfacrtorUy to handle this subject in the time allotted and we feel that we have but triAile a beginning- in the study and' in vestigation necessary to a final report -of any value. This committee. In September. 1907, sent out to the various Oranges, through the bulletin, a communication which was in part as follow: letter Sent to Grangers. "In our judgment not a readical change in the law or system, but the enforcement of our present law in its true intent and spirit is the most important issue to be consid ered and1 accomplished by our community. The law of Oregon (S. B. and C. Code) provide that all property shall be asseeeed at itfl true cash value, which is held to be the amount such property would sell for at a voluntary sale made in the ordinary course of business.' It is readily seen that the work of a weak or incapable -Assessor can be corrected by a strong board, and as well the good work of an honest and capable Assessor be nulll-flc-rV by a weak or unprincipled board. We should look well, then, in the first instance to the election of upright and strong men for these ooeitions. We should also carefully examine our Aesesey work, go before our respective boards ot equalization and. insist in no uncertain tone that his work be cor rected if such Is needed, so that tne large corporate and other interests which now es cape their Just share of our tax lyurdvn will be ooiigea to pay tneir just ano raw pro portion of our taxes. It is for their peculiar benefit as much, and we believe even more, than ours, that such burden of taxation must be had. In case of riot, lawlessness or strife they suffer most, and we protect chem far in excess of our true responsibility, because they escape either through the weakness or per fidy of officials the tax burden they should bear. But wherein would this be corrected If the system-were changed? The enforcement would still rest upon some . off ieial even thomrh different from now. "The first and most important end to ba attained is a proper enforcement or our laws, and this we. as a united community, murt firmly and continuously insist upon. There are men among us who are honest and up right, and If our present county officials fear these great, selfish Interests or are weak and Incapable, and refuse to properly and in its true interest and spirit, enforce law we must put men in these places who will. With a proper enforcement of phe law the inequality tn our taxes wm largely aie- To further aid your committee, six ques tlons were sent out to the various Aessors. concerning the assessment of rall-roatte, tim ber land?, etc., which, with the answers re ceived, we hereby append: Questions Put to Assessors. q. "What Is the assessed valuation per mile of the roaabea or your railroads, main line and aleo branch lines?" Umatilla "Ten thousand dollars for O. R, & N.. $50CO for W. & C. R. R." Wasco "Main line 12.500 per mile or, roadbed and right-of-way, branch line from $3000 to SrtOOO per mile. Grant "Twenty-five hundred1 cottars pen mile." Washington "Fifteen thousand dollars per mile. f'latHOD "Railroads, $6000; logging .road, 11500." Douglas "Thirty thousand dollars per mile." Polk 'West sloe line. jenerson street line. $10,000: Salem & Fall City line, OlackamfleJ "Main lines, $15,000; branch lines. SHOOlt." lane "Main line. $17,000: Woodburn. Na tron branch. $XX; made $10,000. but cut 19t.fi bv board to $WXKlt: pringfleld-Mohawk, made $10,000. but cut by board to $7000." Marion 'Main line, $2S,0W; branch line, sin itfVt " d. "What is the assessed valuation of your railroads' rolling stock per mile? Umatilla "One thousand dollars for O. ft N, $140 for W. & C. R. R." Vasoo "One thousand dollars per mile. Grant "Three hundred dollars per mile.' Washington "One .thousand dollars per mile." Ola tsop "Twelve h undr.ed dol lars per mivinc.ia Twn thousand dollars per mile. Polk "Main lines, $1000; Fall City line, Sll.Vl " l Clackamas "One thousand dollars per Lane "One thousand dollars, made $2noo 1906. but was cut down by Board of Equal! aation to $lt00." uUr)nn Tvn,t thousand dollars rer mile. q. "What t the assesses valuation or cultivated land, uncultivated and tillable lands?" , A Umatilla "Cultivated, $3 to $W per acre; uncultivated. t cents to $10 per acre." W asco "Cultivated from $5 to $lfj0: uncul tivated, from $1.50 to $T Pr acre." Grant "Right dollars to $20 for everything that raises acrop of any kind; wild land at 1'Vashingto "For year lftoe, cultivated land $.V per acre; non-tiilable land. $9 per acr?" Their values are the average assessment-roll for year 17 not yet complete ut averages will show higher by quite a la'ciatsi--'Cult1-ated land. $5 to $SR per acre; tillable land. $1 to $15 per acre." Doug'ae "Cultivated land- $30; unculti vated. $5; tillable land. $T0 per acre." Polk "Cultivated and tillable land, $15 to $50: uncultivated, $3 to $5 " Clackamas "Cultivated land, from $15 to $1.: uncultivated, from $1.25 to $75. Lane "Land on tax roll is classified only as 'tillable and 'non-tillable and is assessed at vaiues varviiyj according to quality and location: tillable land from $10 to foO per acre with some small tracts adjoining Eu gene' at $100; average farm lands, tillable, from $20 to $30 in best farming districts: non-tillable land, from $1.50 to $15; average non-Ui.able of best farming localities, from ' Morton "Ranging from $50 to $300 per acre, according to quality, location, whether planted i producing orchard, hops and ths Values Taken as Basis. q. What percentage of true value do you take as a ba-is of awesmert?" Umatilla "Twenty-five per cent or one fourth of market value." Wasco "Fifty per cent. Grant 'l aim at a two-thirds valuation." Washington "About 75 per cent." ' OatFp "Forty per cent." I'UBla Seventy-five per cent." polk "Aibout 7S per cent. Clackamas "Fifty per cent." Tjane "About 60 per cent. Marion "One hundred per cent. Linn "Cash value. J Question "How do you arrive at actual Talues?" Umatilla "Use market values when these are ascertainable, otherwise capitalize rent als, or net earnings at about 7 per. cent." Wasco "Take selling; value." Grant-1 "Two-thirds of what he property would sell for at ordinary sale in my sec tion of county." Washington "By keeping myself informed the best I can as to the prices lands are sell ing for." Clatsop "Fifteen cents t 55 cents per thousand and $1 per acre for land, accord ing; to location; timber Is all cruised in this county." .Polk "By watching- the selling- price of property." Clackamas "By sending deputies to see the land who are qualified to Judge as to the real value of the land. I shall raise the as sessment of the railroad to I0.0O0 per mile this 3'ear, and assese at cash value next year which, will be more than double what it is now. Iane "A difficult question to answer,, ex eepuby saying that I try to learn what the land or other property would sell for readily to those fully acquainted with same. I watch sales and the considerations, asking prices, etc." Marion "Observing sales, when made in the ordinary course of business and by gen eral knowledge of conditions in the county, earning power of utilities, productiveness of lands, sale value of timber and volume of business." Iinn "What property will readily sell for; no outside or imaginary values. Question "Upon what basis or plan do you determine value of timber lands?" Umatilla "We have very little timber land; such as we have we rate according to market value." Wasco "By location, amount of timber and value of land after timber is removed. Grant "Until we can have It cruised, I am assessing it very low $3 to $5 per acre. In this way I make sure that I am hot getting the prire above the value of the poorest of it. Hope to get it all cruised next Sumnwr." Washington "First, bv having our timber lands cruised, which has been done, and I have assessed that class of land as follows: Maximum, $5 per acre, and $1.25 per thou sand feet; minimum, $2 per acre and $1 per thousand feet." Clatsop "Guess, the same as tney ail ao." Douglas "Assess timber land according- to estimate. Polk "This year our timber lands are cruised at actual value, and 75 per cent of that will be assessed value." Clackamas "Bit taking the amount of timber on it and calculating it at $1 per M tumpage. Lne "same as other lanas. l aiso nave estimates of the amount of timber on a large area and try to keep postea as to value of 'stumpage.' etc. I am assessing timber lands at from $7.W to per acre this year." Mar on "Bv rru sinsr ana recoros or saies. together with lnauiry from experienced tim- bermen." Tinn "No cruise: values nlaced from gen eral knowledge of the different tracts as a whole." Tin Shows Inequalities. t The contemolation of such Inequalities as the above list exhibits, has caused your com mittee to look favorably upon the eatabiisn ment of a State Tax Commission, whose duties shall be somewhat similar to those outlined, by the report of the temporary tax commission (set forth in House oiu i , which failed to pass the last Legislative As sembly. ) ' Your committee approves of and recom mends to th nttpntfnn or the State Grantre legislative Committee the amendment to the constitution proposed by the late temporal tax commission, permitting property to be classified and taxed in classes at different rates, maintaining always within each class umrorm race. we doiicvo mis wouiu once, the simplest and most effective beneficial change in our present tax system. we were conrrontea with an unexpeciea problem when the Oregon Tax Reform leairue caused to he nlaced uDon the ballot. at the coming election, an amendment to the Oregon constitution exempting- eenain prop erty to an extent which woum reauy pieaga Oregon to the single tax system. Single Tax Is Opposed. ' Your committee oonoses this amendment as too radical ana extreme at tnis time, l ne citizens nf Oregon do not understand how this revolution in taxation will affect their homes and business interests. Your committee is not able to predict how such a law will operate, because they have found hut little in the experience of other countries to guine their luagment. Tour committee is convinced that the prin ciple of the single tax should be applied only to future unearned social increments as tney accrue, tr at an, rne nresent system or state taxation can he made more nearly just and equitable and efficient through being viewed as a growth. improvement or it will he nest etrectea gradual and carefully-adapted adjustments to tne newiy-aeveiooea metnoas ana organ i zatlon of business and to the habits of the neonle. we strongly favor constructive as opposed to revolutionary tax reform m Oregon. With the idea of aiding- the perioral tils cussion of the Single Tax Amendment which your committee has urged uoon the Grange. we put rortn ny rroressor v. . Young or the University of Oregon) the following set of questions touching some fundamental points which Grange members should be in formed upon: Subject for Tax Study. 1. "Should a system of taxation he dl reeled primarily to secure revenue sufficient ror tne support or tne wont or tne govern ment; or should this fiscal motive be made secondary to considerations of ethical and social reform ? i. How far may the machinery of state taxation be used to remove moral evils? b. How far mav the machinery of stats taxation be used to remove ecpnomic evils: -ur tne inree main pases or taxation; a. Ability to pay. b. Cost to the government for the pro tectlon received. c. Benefit derived from the government which should be the leading factor in de termining the apportionment or assessment of the burden of taxes? 3. "Our State Constitution, in its clause pertaining to taxation, restricts very rigridly tne mode of urocedure in taxation, it com pels adherence to one uniform rate of as sessment and taxation for all nroperty alike Under thls'constlf utlonal provision our nres ent innerttance. corporation license, insur ance and license on gross earnings of certain transportation companies, .taxes are allow able only as supplemental to the genera property tax contemplated by tne ronstuu tion. Should not tne constitution he amend ed so as to sanction equal and uniform rate of assessment and taxation within the terri torial limits of the authority levying the taxes? Such an amendment would be in ! accord with that recommended by the recent I Oregon Tax Oommlsftfon and with the first i resolution adopted by the National Confer ence on State and Local Taxation, held at Columbus.- Ohio. November 12-1.". 190T. 4. "Should money, notes and accounts (Invisible property) be taxed at a lower dif ferential rate to secure' larger returns of such forms of property and more equitable assessments? See Maryland and Connecti cut systems. 5. "Because business has taken so many different forms and the kinds of property have become so diversified is not the most serious source of trouble In taxation the lack of organization and expert service for the work of assessment ?" The majority of the committee are opposed to wholly exempting money and credits, but should not object to some system of taxing money, notes and accounts at a low rate, as is now being so successfully done In some other states. Money Is liquid and has a way of flow ing out of the reach of the assessor, and for this reason we would favor a law taxing bank deposits, if such a law can be enacted to deal fairly and effectively with all kinds of banking Institutions. We wish to avoid all danger of "double taxation." Other Questions Answered. "We beg to introduce the following set of questions, with the answers received from the various Assessors, ufcon this subject of assessing and taxing money, notes and ac counts at present in Oregon: Question "What Is the total assessed value, in your county, of money, notes and accounts ?" Lane "Money, $218,525; notes and ac counts, $492. 21io. Linn "Money, $133,475: notes and ac counts. $(l7.Hfir " Marion "Total assessed valuation for 1007. $:tl.421.528; money and accounts, $l.snp.Ht4." Multnomah "Money, notes and accounts, $26.170.240." Umatilla "Money, notes and accounts, llOO. Wasco "Money, $110,945; notes and ac counts. $57,620." Washington "Money, notes and accounts. Question "At what psr cent of face value do vou assess notes and accounts?" Lane "Notes and accounts, according to rate of interest they draw, taking an 8 per cent note at face, a per cent note at seven-eighths face, and a C per cent note at three-fourths face, etc. Linn "At cash value." Marlon "At 100 cents on the dollar. Multnomah "Notes and accounts, at 75 per cent of their face value after deducting those which are considered aa very doubt ful or uncollectible." Umatilla "Full value basis." Wasco "At 50 per cent of face value." Washington "At 75 oer cent of face value." Question "To you think it would increase the revenue from money, notes and accounts If the tax were reduced to a very low rate?" Lane "No. The man who wilt He to the Assessor at one time, will at all times." Linn "I hardly know how to answer your last question. If you mean to ask: 'Would, a lighter general burden and a lower levy increase the returns of the above species of property? I would aay possibly yes. as X think a lower levy always encourages, to some extent, a better return of intangible propertv. But to - lower the per pent of assessed value 1 would answer no. Money 'is within itself a thing apart.' It has been and roust ever be an invisible thing. i : ' J--,'-v'-''i'x" ' ' The First Piano was rather & crude affair, but out of it came the first complete piano, in the perfection of the STEINWAY It is just the same with piano players. The first ones .were in the nature of an experiment, un til finally, through ev6lution of perfected ideas, the world was given the first complete and per fect piano-player in the A. B. Chase Artistano Piano Player It is indeed true that pialno-play-ers, like pianos which do not pro cess in constructive ideas, real-' ly retrograde. You owe it to yourself to examine the A. B. Chase Artistano Player. We have players from $500 up, and make a liberal allowance on your old piano. Sherman, Clay 8 Co. Victor Talking Machines. Sixth and Morrison Streets, Opposite Postoffi.ce. whollv bevond the reach of the Assessor, and perhaps no legislation will eve- change it. iserore we oetier inia cunuinua luum will, no doubt, have to te a great awaaen- Ing of civic conscience." I hare always thought we might increase the return of notes by a Utt le conservative legislation along this line." Marlon "I believe that a lower rate will naturally bring out the values that are in hiding." .... Multnomah "l do not inmic it wouia Increase the revenue from the notes and accounts If the tax were reduced to a very low rate. Money, as you know, haa a happy faculty of always disappearing when afisen.s- ment time comes, consequently, very nine of it ever goes on the assessment rolls." i Umatilla "Those who wish to evade a tax, cannot be induced to pay a portion of It. when they can evade it altogether." Wasco "I do not." Washington "If I understand the ques tion my answer will be: No." Two Laws br Initiative. The Oregon State Orange has caused to be enacted, under the Initiative, two laws placing a moderate license tax upon certain fmbiic service corporations (Pullman Sleep ng car companies, refrigerator car compa nies, express companies, telephone and tele graph companies), doing business In . the State of Oregon and paying little or noth ing towards the support of the state gov ernment. The results of our attempt to tax these corporations upon their gross earnings have been so far very discouraging, as win o seen by the following statement from the Ktate Treasurer unaer aate ot Apru t , 1 U4Ut - "The following sums have been collected to this date from the companies taxed under the laws enacted by the people at tho June election. IWMi. by initiative petition: Express companies 5.ft33.72 Telegraph companies 1,44. 96 Telephone companies 980.64 Sleeping car companies 2,778.13 Kerrigerator car companies an.iw Oil companies 104.53 Total S1L191.91 "The companies from which a much greater revenue would be received have refused to pay the tax. Suits to collect have been instituted by the Attorney-General, and I presume that the litigation will go to the highest court before It is finally settled." Froblem Is Serious One. A certalh amount of intelligent co-operation among the people, based upon prin ciples of justice, must be back of every law to secure its enforcement. This question of assessment and taxation Is of the most serious Importance to all our citizens. We are already facitis the problems of obtaining increased, revenue ror our public school system, good roads and other needs incidental to a growincr state. The new tax law oroviaes on cage 451 of the 1907 session laws, section 8, for a speedy review by the courts of any assess ment. If this new law is valid, it will not be possible-hereafter for large taxpayers to embarrass the counties by holding up their taxes by means of lengthy litigation. Hence, all is to be gainea ana nothing lost by an effort to fully tax large corporations tne same rate tnat private property paya. ... Kerommenaations Are juaoc. We recommend that the State Grange continue Its educational campaign among the Grangies to the end. that our members may clearly una erst an a tne principles ana methods of state and local taxation. We recommend further that a committee. similar to thia one, be continued for an other vear. We offer the following suggestions as an outline guide to further study: A system of i'tat taxation of a high or der is a co-ordinated whole. Balutary changes can be made only in the light of a comprehensive grasp of all of Its features and principles. Our present Oregon system of state taxation exhibits features ana principles which may advantageously be grouped as follows: First Featunes which are universally ap nroved as to their general form, but which need slight modifications to bring out their full virtue. Second Features which are so unsatis factory as to need virtual replacement by others more adapted to our present-day (vinditinns. in addition rrouo Third May be suggested for features to fit new and un ique ekements in our econ omic conditions. Under 1 (features needing modification) we would name: Changes That Are Needed. (a) The Oregon basis of apportionment of state taxes among tne ainereni coun ties, that of relative county expenditures excluding cost of roads ana bridges. This is a unique and happy device which should be retained, wltn sucn moamcauons as ex nerience proves advisable, as long as we continue to have recourse to the general propertv tax for state revenues. A change in it that is immediately necessary grows out of the fact that the principle has not vet been adequately developed In our statutes. The law of 1907 natalns the five year period of apportionment. The appor- tinnmnt should be revised every year. based on the average of th-a last preceding five years of expenditures. This change would not involve the making of addi tional rnorta. It would yield most valu able statistics which the taxpayer should n-n him tar recelot and so be the means of keeping him informed as to the degree of economy exercised in the administration of his county affairs. As a second feature worthy of study with the view of Improve ment we sugsest: , ( b Separation of state and local rev enues The increase of state revenues from the special state taxes is gratifying, but the degree of separation of the sources of state revenues from those of local revenues can advisedly be carried much farther. It is not clear,- however, that It would be salutary to divorce completely these sources, as the state revenues need the elasticity that an element of the general property tax revenues would give, and then, too. the people need to feel directly the burden of state expenditures to a certain minimum degree to keep them alert as to the extravagance of their state officials. As another foature of the group needing modification have C. The inheritance tax. The Oregon inheritance tax law should' be amended so as to yield larger PORTLAK AND POV THE STREET E. In this bulletin we pro a street railway company the suburbs and outlying s This subject is of such that we shall have to divide order more fully to cover it, in our next bulletin.' THE SOCIAL VALU In the special report of the UnitA under the heading of "The Urban tor," the report says: "The street most important single influence I AHA a The chief function of a street railway in bution of the population over a wider area ' be possible to occupy. Economic to draw multitudes of people into the inhabitants increase in numbers, they must closer and closer together to the or they must find some means by of time and strength, they may live from their places of business. A CITY GROWS EITHER PERPENDICULARLY OR H Z0NTALLY A city growg perpendicularly, in the form of tenement-houses and high buildings, or horizontally, spreading itself in the form of smaller buildings over a much larger area. The character of growth is determined by the time consumed in transportation between the business and residential sections of the city. People will not live in great numbers more than one-half hour's time from the business sections of the city. Slow and irreg ular service materially decreases the dwelling-house area and the people crowd together. If the service is rapid and regular, the radius of the residence circle is enlarged and the dwelling-house area proportionately increased. ' This healthy growth will vary according to the character of the streetcar service. Thus in Glasgow, Scotland, where the railway mileage is very limited, or in New York, where the service to the east and west is hampered by the rivers, tenement-houses prevail, and social conditions cause grave concern. The horsecar could travel but a short distance in half an hour, and the suburban growth of the city was limited. The result of the early adopting of rapid transit here was the Bpeedy enlarge ment of the dwelling area and greatly improved social conditions. PORTLAND THE "CITY OF HOMES" Portland has few tenements; it requires but superficial exami nation to see how well the city stands in this respect. Its great area is largely covered by two and three-story houses, and it is not standing still. A glance at every suburb will show that vast build ing operations, consisting of two and three-story houses, are now being pushed far out into the new subdivisions. While this represents the energy and enterprise of our citizens, we feel that they will not begrudge us our claim to have aided in making this growth possible and profitable. Prior to 190j the city area was 38 square miles; in 1907, 44.75 square miles. Due to the rapid extensions of the street railway lines much of this has since become improved city property, mak ing a tremendous increase in the taxable basis of the city. The electric railway system is equally indispensable to the dis tricts outside the city limits. Its suburban and country lines accom plish two things. First, a great number of people who have their offices in the city are enabled to live in the suburbs. Second, the sections of the country traversed by the electric lines are brought into much closer relationship to each other, thus greatly enlarging and developing the field of business activity in these sections. The most forcible argument in favor of the value of rapid transit as a developing agent in the suburban and interurban districts is the increase in population and prosperity in these districts which has taken place since the electric lines were built. But the company is pushing still farther out and extending ahead of the population. It has many miles outside the city limits. When these lines were built they ran through very sparsely settled localities. They did not pay for many years. Some of them do not par now, but substantial homes have sprung up, lining the various routes, and the people have availed themselves to a surprising ex tent of their opportunities to leave the crowded sections and still be within easy reach of their places of business. Present conditions are a stronger argument than anything we can say to show the remarkable growth of the suburbs and the assistance given to it by the railways. revenues. While UDerai exemptions ior ai rect heirs should be retained, the rates should be raised for both direct and in direct heirs and the progressive principle with a higher ratio snouia appear in an tne rates. Rpmnd Among tne ieatures or our present methods of taxation that are quite unsatisfactory and that require radical modification are: a The taxation or lntangioie person alty. The position of tlva committee on this phase of the problem has already been in dicated in an earlier paragraph of this re port. (b) The taxation of railway and other public service corporations calls for radical revision. An aa valorem tax. assessed ac cording to the unit ruks. and administered by a state tax commission, and applicable to all transportation and transmission com panies in Oregon a system similar to those found in Michigan and Wisconsin would no doubt make the longest move toward bringing the Oregon system of taxation up to date. Third Aa to innovations planned to se cure to the whole people the benefits of un earned social increments which now are reaped by the speculator, the committee indorses a thorough study of them. The monopolization of water powers, of tho timber wealth and of the arable lands in Oregon should be discouraged through taxa tion. The people should reap the monopoly gain. The clumsy and drastic measures for this purpose would effect public robbery. Summary of the Report. By way of a summary it may be said that the committee Is aiming primarily to achieve: (a) A uniform assessment at full caan value each of the different forms of prop erty. To attain this a state tax commis sion Is necessary for the assessment of rail ways and other public-service corporations and for the authoritative supervision of County Assessors. (b) It aims also to secure the separation almost, but not quite completely of the sources of state and local taxes. (c) Finally, it Is studying to supplement the present system, especially where new developments in business have made it nec essary. Brings Valley Nearer Portland. WOODBURX, Or., May 17. (Special.) For the first time in the history of Wood burn the citizens of this city, were today enabled to read The Morning Oregonian before breakfast, and It is needless to state that they duly appreciated It. This laudable enterprise and energy of The Oregonian will treble its circulation at this point. This great accommodation wakens up the whole Valley and makes it seem nearer to the metropolis. Hanan srmes n: Hownrnaf USE ALLEN'S F00T-EASE, A powder to be shaken Into the shoes. Tour feet feel swollen, nervous and damp, and get tired easily. If you have aching feet, try Al len's Foot-Ease. It rests the feet and makes new or tight shoes eaey. Cures aching, swollen, sweating feet, blisters and callous spots. Re lieves Chilblains, corns and bunions of all pain and gives rest and comfort. Try it today. Sold by all Druggists and Shoe Stores, 25c. Don't accept any substitute. Trial package FREE. Address. AHn P. Olmsted. Le Roy. N. Y. TRAVELERS' GUIDE. SEE THE COLUMBIA EIVER Via REGULATOR LINE Daily service to The Dalles and return. Phones Main 914, Home A 5112. BX ra in tiis and social : huge urban detriment of hea which, without iru farther from one' TRAVELERS' GUIDE. PORTLAND RY., LIGHT ft POWER CO. CARS LEAVE. Ticket Office and Waiting-Room. First and Alder Streets FOR Oregon City 4, 6:30 A. M.. and every 80 minutes to and including 9 P. M -then 10. 11 P. M. ; last car 13 midnight. Gresham, Boring, Eagle Creek, Estsv cada, C'azadero, Eairview and Trout dale 7:15, 0:15. 11:15 A. M.. 1:15. 3:45, 6:15. 7:25, P. M. , FOR VANCOUVER Ticket office and waiting-room Second and Washington streets. A. M. 0:15, 6:50. 7:25. 8:00, 8:35, 0:10, 9:50, 10:30, 11:10. 11:50. P. M. 12:80, 1:10. 1:50. 2:80. 8:10. 8:30, 4:30. 5:10. 5:50. 6:30, 7:03, 7:40. 8:15. 0:25. 10:35t ll:5t On Third Monday In Every Month the Last Car Leaves at 7:05 F. M. Daily except Sunday. (Dally except Monday. CANADIAN PACIFIC Empress Line of ths Atlantic. LESSTHAN FOUR DAYS AT SEA The Empresses sail from Quebec to Liver pool in six days; two days on the majeatla St. Lawrence. Speed, comfort, elegance and safety are combined tn these splendid ex press steamers. Ask any ticket agent for particulars, or write J. R. JOHNSON, Pass. Agt., 142 Third 6t.. Portland, Or, SAX FRANCISCO A PORTLAND S. S. CO. Only Direct steamers and Daylight Sailings. From Ainsworth Dock. Portland. 9 A, M. S. S. Rose City, May 23, June 6, 20, etc 8. S. Mate of California May 80. June 13, 27. From Spear St., San Francisco. 11 A. M S. S. State of California, May 23, June 6, etc. g. S. Rowe City May 30. June 18. 27, etc, J. W. RANSOM. !ock Agent, Main 2ti8 Ainsworth Dock. M. J. ROCHE, Ticket Agent. 142 3d St. Phones Main 402. A 1402. STR. CHAS. R. SPENCER FOR ASTORIA Monday, Wcdnesdar and Friday, 7 A. 31. Kelurn. o p. M. THE DALIES Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, 7 A. M. Keturu 10 P. M. I.andinK. Washington-Street Dock. FARE fl.00. MAIN 8610. North Pacific S. 1 Co'. Steamibip koanoke and Geo. W. Elder Sail for Eureka, San Francisco and Los Angeles direct every Thursday at 8 P. M. Ticket office 132 Third St., near Alder. Both phones, M. 1314. H. Young, Agent. COOS BAY LINE The steamer BREAKWATER leaves Port land every Wednesday at 8 P. M. from Oak ttreet dock, for North Rend, Mam bile Id and Coo Bay points. Freight received till 4 P. M on day of sailing Passenger fare first class, $10; second-ciasa, $7, including berth, and meal a Inquire city ticket office. Third and WsBtalostOB streets, or Oak-street dock1 k.