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About St. Helens mist. (St. Helens, Or.) 1913-1933 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 5, 1915)
ST. HELENS, OREGON, FRI DAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1915. ST. HELENS MIST FOUNDKD 1HNI iNNucd Kvery Fiidiiy Ily T1IIC .MIST PVllLIHiIINO COMPANY M. K. Allllnr, VMUe Kntnred as second class matlor, January 10th 1912 at the I'ost Otllco a tSulut Ilol.ini. Or'uun, under Ilia Act of March 8rd, 187V BUBSCIUPTION IUTEU On Year ' , Hlx Month . 76 Advertising rates made known on' 'uwlkutlon Legal notices 26 conn per line. "tHK COUNTY OFFICIAL PAPKIl AN EXCEPTION TO THE RULE. A number of bills liave been introduced in the Legislature providing for an increase in the salaries of the county treasurers. Since the last Legislature adjourned the duties of tax collecting has been put upon the treasurer and in very few instances was the salary ade quate for the additional service required of that official. As a rule it is against public opinion and really unwise to raise the salaries of public officials until the duties of such ofii cers increase to a very considerable extent, but in the case of the treasurers it would seem that injustice to the officers and protection to the taxpayers require that the salaries be placed at a reasonable amount. In the case ot the Treasurer of Columbia County there should be a substantial increase made by the Legislature. Mr. Hattan has not asked lor any increase nor, perhaps would he do so at all, but that is only another reason why it should be granted, lie is a capable officer, lie spends his entire time at his office and his records arc in first class condition. No com plaint can be made of his administration of the affairs of his office, lie receives the muii ificicnt sum of Six Hundred Dollars a year fur his services in collecting and cxpeiuliuj nearly half a million dollars each year lie should be paid a reasonable compensation for his services. Our Representative and Senator would be performing a service actually re quired of them as such officers if they would ask the Legislature to raise the salary of the county treasurer. MISPLACED CHARITY. At Christmas time the Muts of St. Helens extended charity to a family consisting of a father, mother and several children. The man said he was unable to get work and his children were without the necessary clothing to keep them warm and food to cat. The mother was sick with an infant ami their con dition was really deplorable. T he charity ex tended to the man in his hour of distress by the Muts was apparently misplaced. So far as the small children were concerned, they were entitled to this assistance and no doubt they enjoyed this Christmas as well as any they had ever witnessed. Hut now comes the news that this man has been given a chance to cam sonic money during the winter months by cutting wood. lie secured a contract for furnishing several carloads of wood to Port land parties. lie then made arrangements to cut wood on a place near this city. He hired several men to go to work for him with the promise that he would pay them when the wood was sold. During the past week he shipped three car loads of wood to Portland and received the money for it. He came back to St. Helens, with the money in his pocket and on Sunday at midnight he took the boat for Portland and from there to parts un known. The man who furnished the timber for him was not payed. The men who did the work remain unpaid. The men who furnished him with groceries received nothing. The man who received the charity from the citizens of the community took all the money and skipped. A man of that kind is not en titled to charity. He should have his children taken away from him before they grow up to emulate the disgraceful actions of their father. He is not entitled to the respect or confidence of his fellow man. He is worthless to himself and to the world. JUST A NUISANCE. Reports of the business of a small concern like the Mist are required to be made to so many different branches of government that it takes almost the time of an extra bookkeeper to keep up and to prevent being fined for fail ure to make these reports. For instance, a report is required annually to the Corporation Department of the State; a monthly report must be made to the Industrial Accident Com mission of the State; annual reports are re quired to be made to the Government on the income tax; on the amount of manufactured articles in the printing office, separately list ing the various items; on the amount of papers sent through the mails and by express; on the internal revenue documentary, (war) tax business and to the census department. If a ' sr.! all corporation like the Mist is required to iii. ke so many reports it must surely be a great burden to some of the large corporations to keep up with the many reports required. And if these reports are not in within a certain time heavy fines are imposed. Truly this is getting to be a great age of publicity. The way things arc" drifting it seems that it will not be long until the gov ernment will provide a man for each corpora tion, large or small, to prevent any possible surplus from going into the pockets of the peo ple who have their money invested. Of course there is vrey little danger of much of a surplus in a newspaper business, but for fear, there may be we are required to make reports and reports and reports and reports. Hut we will make them all right and without very serious objections except that it is a nuisance. . AMENDMENTS NEEDED. The bill before the legislature providing for the appointment of additional Circuit Judges in ine state, might be all right so lar as the in tention is concerned, but in its pr -sen: f .rni k would result in more delays and gciatci- ex pense than under the present system. l'h main idea of the proposed bill sliouU f.ir better service at not to exceed the sai-ie ojft to the taxpayers. That some relief alonn- the lines of Court work is necessary seems to be the general opinion but the proposed law would have the opposite effect. Taking Co lumbia County as an instance we now have a County Judge with probate jurisdiction. He is on the job practically all of the time. The Circuit Judge visits this county once a month. The new bill would take away the probate jurisdiction of the County Judge and still leave us with the visit of the Circuit Judge once each month and on many occasions only for a day or two at a time. So we would be left without a probate judge all the time with the exception of a few days the early part of each month. Our condition would be no better, nor even so good as at present. Cut there is some reason in the argument that there is work for a Judge in Columbia County all the time. That is a judge with probate jurisdic tion. It is true that a judge with all these duties would be kept busy most of the time and that it would expedite matters consider ably. Put such work is not worth $4000 a year, nor is the work of the judge in any one county, with possibly a few exceptions. If the legislature wants to make a real change for the betterment of conditions they should pro vide for a judge in each county and then fix the salaries at figures in proportion to the work. If that method was adopted there would be real progression and greater satis faction at a cost not exceeding the present cost. It would be better to keep working under the present system than to adopt the plan proposed in the bill now before the legis lature, without these amendments. GOOD, SO FAR. The Legislature so far has not enacted any very important legislation. The session is re markable only for the great reduction in the number of bills introduced, less than one-half the number that were introduced two years ago. Important measures are pending and will no doubt be enacted so that the 1915 ses sion promises to result in much good to the people of the state. Already it is reported that many thousands of dollars have been saved in the way of appropriations for the state institutions and if this policy is pursued to the finish the economy promised by the members before election will be to a certain extent realized. With the important tax laws that are really necessary, the prohibition law and the consolidation of the various boards, together with the general appropriation bill out of the way there should be little excuse for any great amount of useless legislation. The present Legislature is making a record. It is hoped that they will not mar that record during the last half of the session. LEST WE FORGET. The Mist has had nothing to say about State Highway Engineer Bowlby now for a couple of weeks and we had intended to drop the matter of his work in this county, feeling that we had done our full duty in setting the facts before the people, but this week we got a glimpse of his report, not that he sent us one but there is one in this city which we had the pleasure of looking over for a few minutes, The figures given by the State Highway En gineer in this report are so at variance with the actual figures submitted by him and which arc on record at the Court House that it would not be fair to allow them to go unchallenged. Just as soon as we are able to get hold of a report these figures will be compared, and we will publish the comparison so that the people of this county may see just how reliable are the figures submitted, both in the report and in his estimates on file in the clerk's office. When this comparison is made and shown up it will be real interesting reading to the public and to the State Highway Commission. IF1 " 2 WEEKLY SPECIALS One day each week we give specials, the prices on goods ottered are always cheaper than you can steal them. Next Wednesday, starting at 9 a. m., we will sell 81x90 inch good quality bed sheets, regular price 90c, sale price 65c. Not more than two to each person. A tine line ot Dress Ginghams Apron Ginghams . .... . Calicoes, exceptional quality, . . Fine quality Table Damask . . Old Glory Sanitary Gauze . . . Try our Toilet Soap, three bars tor Seven boxes of Matches for . . . o 0 WATCH . OCIt WINDOWS FOR 8PKCIAI.S NOAH'S ARK . llc yard 10c yard 6c yard . 57c vard 6Jc yard . 10 Cents . 25 Cents ST. HELENS FIVE ANI TEN CENT STORE This Farmer Lost $5,000 He had managed to clear from his farm during the past 6 years a total ot )5,000. He kept it hidden in the cow stable. The other night the barn was burned down the sav ings of five years destroyed. Brother Farmer, where do you keep your money where will it be when the I'lre King comes? Why not keep it at The Columbia County Dank. It is absolutely safa nere. It is not absolutely safe where you now keep it. Isn't that so? You can bank with us by Mali. May we tell you how? Columbia County Bank OLDEST IN THE COUNTY ST. HELENS, ORE. Wc pay i per cent. Interest In our Savings Department. AN UP-TO-DATE Jewelry Store COMPLETE STOCK OF Watches AND Clocks EXPERT WATCH REPAIRING. VON A. GRAY Jeweler. ST. HELENS Auto Troubles respond quickly and inexpensively to our treatment. If your car rattles, or does not run smoothly, or jars, or makes too much noise, IT IS TIME TO BRING IT TO US if you want it to last. A dollar or two spent on that car today may save you ten tomorrow, and that is an INDISPUTABLE FACT. Gasoline 16 Cents. Murine Engine Repairing. CITY GARAGE St. Helens. yOI IOI IOI 1 rr O SYMPHONY LAWN WRITING PAPER Its Use a Mark of Refinement. Plain White and tinted, Surf Green, Old Lavender, Champagne, Boudoir Blue, Shell Pink. Variety of shapes and sizes. In Gold Edged Correspondence Cards, with envelopes to match, in white and tints, it 40c. and 50c. the box. Remember we handle Krause's High Grade Candies, in boxes and by the pound. PLAZA PHARMACY W BANK BUILDING 01 PHONE 100 Ol ST. HELENS, OREGON IOI LUNCH MASON'S RUTHERFORD BUILDING, CHOICE Confectionery and Cigars QUICK SERVICE LUNCH ANY HOUR. LARGE ASSORTMENT OF BOX GOODS. All Work Guaranteed. Estimates Furnished. R. CONSTANTIN PLUMBING, HEATING, SHEET METAL WORK. St. Helens - - Oregon I NEW PERKINS HOTEL 1 r PORTLAND, OREGON. Handy to Large Stores, Theaters and Banks Comfortable and Convenient A RESTAURANT Of High Class, with Moderate Prices, - in Connection. c. Room Rates: With bath $1.50 up. privilege $1.00 up. With bath il C. H. SHAFER, Manager. o