ONTARIO ARGUS
PUBI.iHHBD EVEHY THURSDAY
I
Entered in the at Ontario,
Oreiron, for transmission throngh the
mailn m .... . in I i-ln-i' matter.
M. K. BAIN. Publisher.
The Last Word
With thin Issue we clone the cam -
paign and wish to thank our reader
for bearing with us In using no much
pace for the county neat question,
but now having won the content the
people of Ontario wiah to assure all
the people of the county that they
value their frlendslp and Rood will far
snore than the county teat and hare
conducted a clean, straight forward
campaign no there will he no regrets
after It Is all over. Kvery statement
anil claim made In behalf of Ontario
was done with the belief that It was
the absolute truth and not distorted.
Rural Credits Lost
What has become of the system of
rural credit which the Democrats
promlsi'd farmers of the county would
be enacted Into law just as soon as the
new Federal Reserve law was disposed
of by Congress?
When efforts were made to amend
the currency bill In both the Mouse
and Senate, all such amendment were
voted down, and the advocates of this
leglnlallnn In behalf of the farmer
were told that an effective and work
able rural credits law would follow
promptly.
It ha not been forgotten that Presi
dent Wilson once Issued a personal
statement asMurlng the farmer of the
country that an open rlght-of-wav
would be given rural-credit legllatlon
Immediately after the passage of the
currency law. The currency bill be
came a law before Chlrlstmas, a year
ago. Hlnce (hen there bus been a ills
position on (he part 1)1 the President
and demorcadc leader In Congress
not to mention rural credits. The
farmers are told now, when they
Inquire about the promised farm loan
system, lha( (he problem hus proved
dlfflruK and complicated.
II seems strange (but an adminis
tration and emigres which were able
completely lo overturn (he entire rev
enue and riiium lal system of (be coun
try should now confess Its Incapacity
to enact a rural credits system. This
confession would not be so much a re
fire don on democratic leadership, If
the subject of rural credits were new
lo bankers, financiers, or economists.
If the banking and currency committee
leaders of the (wo houses are so much
al sea, (here are a thousand lutein
gent heads of fanners' organizations
throughout (he I'nlted Slates who can
train.' a bill which would undoubtedly
give all the results lo be desired. And
then our democraOc friends might
he surprised ili.it several countries In
Europe have rural credits systems
will, b have been in operation for years
to (he s(lsfac(hin of the farmers.
The one big (ruth of (he rural credits
blockade In Congress is that the ad
ministration and Its leader In Con
gress basr been too busy playing mi
UM and In tnlug (o pass u war (u
bill lo nuik. up (he deficit in revenues
produced by the liul.rwood tariff bill
to pa any attention to (he needs of
the tanners.
Donated Some Labor
The old timers In. resided In or
near Vale a( the time the present
court In, use was built and who helped
build the ston,, walls which the Vule
people claim the constructed and
lonut.xl to the coiintx at a cost of
$6.0iK, all unit.' In declaring that the
Vale people donated er ll((le cash
Mil towurds (he construction of the
old stone shell. Tin- Vale people In
dia. -d (he tanner around Vule to haul
in the n.iin, stoue. and the stone
cutting and masonry work was almost
entirely done by donations of the ser
vices of the farmers and laborers
around Vale, who were promised Jobs
to recompense them for their labor
donations The only cash actually eon
trlbuted (oward the court house con
struction was for the mortar to hold
the old stone shell together. After
the stone shell was fltiished, then the
"Generous Cldteus" of Vale, ceased
their efforts and the stone shell was
left exposed to the elements for two
or three years Wheu the west wing
of the stone wall began to crumble
and tumble down, dun the "(icuerous
Citizens" of Vale got busy with a peti
tion and asked the county to help them
out of the whole and finish the build
lug. It was necessary (o rebuild
nearly the whole west wing of the
building, whlih hud crumld.'d down
at the expense of the county.
Pwt Left Out Quite
. Important
'
In the last Issue of the Vale Enter-
prim- they rlalm that Ontario received
,. from C0I)nty court ror te
ropnr 0f the Snake River bridge,
when the court holds a bond from
citizen of Ontario to keep the repairs
up for ten years, without cost to the
county, but they failed to Rtate the
truth of the matter.
The fact In that the bond Riven In to
' keep the 309 feet of plllni? or wood
j structure of the bridge In repair and
I baa no reference to 600 feet of ateel
stntcture. only to the wood structure
and the bond so Btates.
The $600 was used for redecklng Re
steel structure.
Thl bond I also a guarantee by
these people that the piling part of
the bridge would not go out by high
water or Ice gorges, and Is signed by
thirty of the most responsible men of
the city, and this is the only time
the Vale court has ever asked any
part of the county for a bond to keep
any public work in repair.
There Is much that might be said
regarding thl brldgo deal, but It has
no bearing on the present controversy.
How the court waj opposed to any
thing but a wooden bridge and that
to be built i.y a certain contractor,
and how said contractor boasted that
If he did not get the contract the
bridge would not be built, and how one
of the county court members who
Is now fighting Ontario did everything
In his (tower to keep the bridge from
being built This same contractor
did all the bridge work In the coun
ty for years.
When bid were called for thl
favored contractor was among the high
bidders. In spite of all this opposition
the bridge was built and bas proven
the best Investment the county ever
made.
Even Attaek their own
Court
The Vale people seem to have been
In a panic for several weeks and have
been making all kinds of wild state
ments. Their article last week re
garding the bridge at Ontario is a fair
sample. They quoted part of the
agreement regarding the Ontario busi
ness men keeping up (be repair, but
purposely' omlttel the part that showed
It referred only to (he wooden span
on (his side of the river. Those who
were In the county at the time this
bridge was built will remember (but
(he county court was opposed to the
building of a steel bridge and wanted
a wooden one erected and It was
dually compromised by having the
approach or first span on the Ontario
side built of piling and the Ontario
people agreed to keep that In repair
and have done so. It Is an Injustice
to the county court to Insinuate that
Hi,, inlsupproprluted $500 They have
the records there and are acting ac
cordingly. When the readers goes over the list
of moneys paid to Vale citizens dur
ing the past few mouths he will realize
why the whole town of Vale Is making
such a desperate effort to have the
feed trough continued, but the citizens
will decide by their vote on Tuesday
(bat it Is time to abolish this expense
.ui. I reduce their taxes that much.
The voters will also show their wis
dom In accepting a new court bouse
al Ontario where It will be most ac
cesHible to eighty per cent of the
people and thus save thousands of do!
lors In milage for the people having
business at the court house.
Anoi her Bridge Story
There has been much written and
said regardiug tbe bridges across the
Snake river during the campaign, of
course they hae no bearing on the
ud liability of the county accepting
new court bouse without a dollars
cost to the taxpayers, but Is being
used to blind the people. The county
gave $3,000 toward the upprou. lies to
the Welser bridge and later gave
$5,000 for a steel spun. For the On
tario bridge the county gave $10,000
and the cltlzeus of Outarlo gave
$12,500. this went as part payment on
the bridge proper and the balance
for the approaches, havlug bad to
provide them on both sides of the
river. For the Nyssa bridge the couu
ty gave $23,000 and the town about
$6,000. Outarlo agreed to keep the
womleu spun lu repair for ten years,
the county court refusing to allow the
bridge to be built unless this was done
Tbe county appropriation for the fair
grounds was about $12,000.
Here Is another thought. Vale pays
but 4 per cent of tbe county tax but
every year draws dowu more than
these other sectlous have received lu
improvements for all time.
The taxes collected by tbe county lu
Outarlo Is more thau double what
Is collected in Vale Vule is assessed
at HltJM aud Ontario $1,143,160.
Thus while Vale pays but 4 per cent of
the county tax her people are paid
seventy per cent of the total expenses
of running the county. The bonded
Indebtedness of Vale is $H0,o..u, while
that of Ontario is only $6'.0OO.
The riling of the bond with the
names of men worth many times the
$200,000 which Vale wants used In build
lng a new court house, has satisfied
the most skeptical that Ontario can
and will build the court house and
equip It Just as the plans and speclflca
dons call for. Many voters have
stated tat there could not be stronger
proof that Ontarla as at all times
meant to do Just what she agreed to.
Did you ever have occasion to visit
the court house at Vale and start out
to catch a train? It would not be so
bad If the building was nearer the
depot and on higher ground so that the
waters of the Malheur river would
not flood It.
The middleman is nothing more than
a farm hand but he Is able to fix his
own wages and to collect them and to
multiply his transactions as he pleas
es. The farmer can neldhcr help Mm
self nor be helped by others until he
organizes.
Agriculture needs all the great men
It can get.
Sheridan Hss Csnnsry.
Rherldsn The first unit of Sheri
dan's packing snd fruit canning estab
lishment was dedicated by tbe Sheri
dan Fruitgrowers' association, and $60
farmers and their families gathered
In tbe big warehouse to rejoice over
the event.
The entire plant, costing $$000, will
be completed and ready for (he season
of 191$.
Cigar Stores snd Groceries Closed.
Eugene. Eugene is to be a closed
town to the extent of soda fountains
and cigar shops on Sundays, accord
ing to the announcement made by J.
M Devers, district attorney. A week
ago he nodded grocery stores on the
outskirts of the city tbst they must
close on Sundsy, in conformity with
(he state law.
COURT HOUSE COST
Continued from Page 1.
"Miscellaneous and current expenses,"
as well as those shown In the "Court
house expenses." From an Inspection
of the reports of the county clerks.
rendered seml-anuually. beginning
with March 31st, 1914, and ending with
September 30th, 1914. the following
disbursements were debited against
the "Court house," "Current" and
"Miscellaneous" expenses, aud "Jail
expenses:"
I 'or six months ending March 31,
1904:
No Items obtainable.
For six months ending September 30,
1904:
Court house $ 200.00
Current expense 2,289.03
Miscelleanous 682.37
For six months ending March 31;
1905:
Miscelleanous 492.0$
For six mouths ending September 30,
1905:
Court house and Jail 4.00
For six months ending March 31,
1906:
No Items obtainable.
For six months ending October 1,
1906:
Court house 123.75
current expenses $,776.59
Jail 69 95
Fur six months ending March 31,
1907:
Court house , 676.37
Curreut Expenses 1,181,40
Jail v. 197.61
For six months ending October 1,
1907:
curt house MMI
Current Expenses 92s. 73
Jail Sept 314.86
For six months ending September 31,
1907:
Court house 2,590.81
Jail 307.00
Curreut Expenses 2,033.50
For six months ending March 31,
1908:
Court house 698.42
Current Expenses 1,488.11
Jail 682.50
For six months ending March 31,
1909:
Court house 683.49
Current Expenses 1,666.92
Jail 1,429.00
For six months ending September 30,
1909:
Current E7xepmb mbmb mbmb mbm
Court House 583.49
Curreut Expenses 1666 93
Jail 2429.00
For six months ending March 31,
1910:
Court House 1,159.46 '
Current Expenses 1,310.64
For six months ending Sept. 80,
1910:
Current Expenses 2,098.11
Court House 1,504.38
Jail 388.50
For slv months ending March 31,
1911:
Current Expenses 2,071.59
Court House 489.00
Jail 162.84
For six months ending Sept. 30,
1911:
Court House 3,523.53
Current Expenses 3,463.66
Jail 22.90
For six months ending March 31,
1912:
Court House 616.60
Current Expenses 3.678.61
i. ii At on
Jail 457.89
For six months ending Sept 30,
1912:
Court House 449.16
Current Expenses 4,813.67
Jail 686.40
For slv months ending March 31,
1913:
Court House 694.87
Current Expenses 1,642.34
For six months ending Sept. 30,
1913:
Court House 913.07
Current Expenses 1,125.67
For six months ending March 31,
1914:
Court House 1,177.06
Current Expenses 1,471.03
Jail $27.00
For slv months ending Sept. 30,
1914:
Court House 1,799.29
Current Expenses 1,379.1$
Jail 1,003.93
Total
Court House and Jail
$66,229.76
.$27,2$9.07
Current Expenses $38,940.$$
One-half Current Expenses $19,470.34
Court House and Jail ....$27,289.07
Total $46,769.41
While all "Current Expenses," "Mis
cellaneous expenses, ' snd "Jail ex
penses," Items do not exclusively con
tain expenditures on the court house,
yet an Inspection of the records shows
(bat the major portion of this money
was used for that purpose It would
tuke an auditor several months to as
certain just the exact amount which
has been expended In patching up the
present dilapidated courthouse (mild
lug. but It would be more than fair
to charge off at least one-hair of all
"Current Expenses" and "Miscellan
eous expenses" to repairs and Im
provements on the courthouse and
grounds. This would show a total ex
penditure upon the courthouse and
grounds for tbe last ten years of $46.
759. since the stone shell was donated
to the county.
$400 was appropriated by the coun
ty court In one lump on September
9th, 1914, a little over a year after the
new courthouse had been finished, to
make repairs on the building.
An example of the way In which the
county money has been squandered
on the court house Is shown by the
minutes of the Commissioner's Jour
nal for April 21st, 1908, showing an
allowance of $1,601.42 to J. F. Wilson
of Vale for drilling a well on the
courthouse grounds, and everybody
knows that the well never was any
good, and this expenditure was a dead
loss to the county.
On March 5th, 1908. another $1775
was appropriated by (he county
court for Jail repairs and improve
ments. With all this almost yearly expen
diture on the courthouse of thousands
of dollars, yet what have the tax
payers of Malheur County, who were
pledged a courthouse by Vale fifteen
years ago, after tbe expenditure of
thousands of dollars of county money
to put It In shape, got to show for
their mouey? Is It not about time to
quit squandering money on this dila
pidated old shell and move tbe coun
ty officers to a new building donated
by the citizens of Ontario with all
modern Improvements and thereby ef
fect a big saving to the county?
Over $5,000 has been expended by
the county court during the past fis
cal year on the courthouse and Jail,
the major portion of the money prob
ably having been devoted to raising
that beautiful lawn and shade trees
about which much has been heard in
the Vale Enterprise. And the county
records show that the City of Vale
has charged the county as high as
$35.00 per month for the water to
water the courthouse lawn with, aud
thus the county is even asked to con
tribute Its share towards that $100,
000 Vale water system graft
Accept Ontario's offer of a new
modern courthouse and the taxpayers
will deprive the county Judge of any
excuse to give the Vale courthouse
hangers-on and pensioners fat Jobs
at rehiring and Improving the court
house."
HERE ARE SEVERAL SUBJECTS DISCUSSED FOR
YOUR BENEFIT RELATING TO THE ELECTION
Make Big Saving
Reports from the people living
around Nyssa and most of those In
Nyssa Is that they will support Ontario
on Tuesday, because they know It
means a big saving In taxes for the
people. Those speakers are showing
the voters that Ontario Is ready to
build the court house and that it will
not cost the taxpayers one dollar.
Thousands Saved
- -ti.. ,L.t u
tnv nmnv of vou realize that the
. u .. .. v- ftiniii
business men who are on the Ontario
Council have saved the city thousands
of dollars In the building of the city
sewers, the city hall and that the
library building, high school and other
Improvements here represent full
value for every dollar expended on
them. Our city hall Is nearly as
large as the Payette building, hut the
cost was only half, and the same com
parison holds good with the public
Improvements lu any of our neigh
boring towns. That Is one reason
why Ontario can and will give the
County such an excellent building for
a court house. Tbe same building
In Vale would coat several time as
much, Judging from their water sys
tem and school buildings.
Unanimous
Does a vote of only eight against
the court house Indicate that the move
Is one of real estate men only? All
of the people of Ontario want you to
come here.
All Benefitted
The building up of the Snake river
valley helps every part of It and all
should work together and make It the
best valle in the world, what na
ture Intended It to be
Not Briben Then
When the fight was on for the loca
tion of the county seat .. Ith Jordan
Valley, Vale and Ontario us the con
tenders, Vale offered to lulld a court
house free and It was a!l rlvht not
bribery but now that Onturlo is go
ing to present all the people with a
court house It Is bribery.
Who to Watch
In the Enterprise of the 24th was a
statement that It would be the last
Issue of the paper before the election
In which county seat matter would be
discussed, but the voters should not
ink.- that seriously. That talk about
the roorback was another attempt to
deceive the people. If any sensational
matter In connection with the county
seat Is sprung It will come from tbe
Enterprise and the Vale people. On
tario will close the campaign In the
same open manner they have conduce-
ed It throughout.
Condemn Court House
When Judge McKnlght was In Jor
dan Valley working for the mint seat
to remain at Vale he stated that a
movement had been started in Vale to
condemn the court bouse and he had
stopped it, not deeming It advisable
to start such a proposition at this time.
No Bar to Slurs
What do you think of that state
ment that the Sisters Hospital would
be turned over to tbe county, because
It could not be made to pay? Old you
ever hear of a Catholic institution be
ing turned over to a city or county?
The Catholic conduct many Institu
tions that do not show a profit and the
Vale people are certainly stooping
very low to spring anything like that.
Nothing to Debate
The Ontario people have tried re
peatedly to have a debate with tbe Vale
speakers on the county seat question,
but the Vale speakers claim they are
merely speakers, not debaters. They
have no arguments and nothing to de
bate. Vale Not Interested
Vale has never done one single thing
to advertise the agricultural and fruit
industries of the county, or promote
those Industries, but have always
worked against them and the fair
which fosters and develops them.
Just Sentiment
Have you heard a single business
reason advanced why the county seat
should be kept at Vale? Some sent
lment and sympathy stuff, that is all.
Not Your Ground
The ground on which the present
court house stands does not belong
to tbe county, except while it is being
used for a court house. That was a
douatiou with a string to it.
Diamonds and Rags
The people are hard to please. Thar
Nyssa ladies did not like the diamond
and silks of the Vale ladles and the
Westfall people resented their old
ragged and dirty dresses. The peo
ple appreciate honesty In dress, sama
as In other lines of life
Make Bond to Suit);
The Vale speakers and writers say
they do not like the bond given by
no wnwtiio i.uniiu.nn men KuaiBiiiee-
:
lng tbe construction of the new court
house to be built at Vale, that It Is
not legal. The Vale commercial club
can employ any lawyer, or set of law
yers to draw up a bond and have it
passed on by the Circuit Judge, guar
anteeing the building of the court
house and the work of moving the
equipment to Ontario without cost to
the county tax payers and the Ontario
business men will sign It Just as read
ily as they did the bond printed on
another page. They know the money
is In the hank to pay all the expenses
of the grounds, building and moving
and Is available for the purpose with
out any Ifs or and
Warrants Still Good
That story about the warrants of
the county not being good for the
bridge that the Harper people wanted
Is certainly rank. Less than a year
ago the county was In debt severer
thousand dollars and still her war
rants were taken at any of the banks
at par and If the court had been per
mitted to build that bridge the war
rants to pay for It could have been
cashed at any bank In the county, be
cause they knew that six per cent
warrants are a good Investment.
All Foreign Labor
Mr. Worklngman do you remember
that the water works In Vale ve
constructed by foreign labor? Do
you know that the work of building
the dully Creek reservoir, which the
Vale people claim to be paying for Is
being done by foreign labor exclusi
vely? Do you remember how the
home men and others of tbe county did
the work on the Ontario sewers last
year? You know that the proposed
water system for Ontsrio will he con
structed by American labor. You
know that all the building that has
been done In Ontario was done by
American labor and that the large
number of new houses and store
buildings that will be necessary In
in, tun,, will all be constructed by
white labor. Do you favor a commun
ity that employs white labor or one
that caters to the foreign element be
cause they will work cheaper and
staud for more hardships?
Ontario Roads
The road taxes collected from th
property In Ontario Is all used on
roads outside of Ontario. Half of It
goes Into the general fund and the
other is used for permanently im
proving the roads leading into the
country. The Boulevard has been
gravelled for several miles toward
Nyssa and Vale and other roads will
be taken up and tested the same way
until all the roads In the valley are
gravelled. What does Vale do with her
road money? Is there a rod of good
road near Vale?
Get out of Slough
Is It not about time for this county
to have a court house on ground that
Is out of the path of every spring
freshet You remember how all the
streets of Vale were flooded here a
short time ago and the sidewalks
washed away. With the dam in below
Vale this will occur more frequently
because there is less chance for the
floods to escape.
Add $200,000 to taxes
Figure up what your taxes are now
and then try to get an Idea of what
vou will have to pay toward the build
ing of a $200,000 court house at Vale,
In case the new court house at On
tario Is not accepted by the voters on
Tuesday next. You know how hard It
Is to get money euougbt to pay the
present taxes.
Why it Was Done
It is now seen why Vale made the
charges that the ballot boxes at Cairo
was stuffed and that Judge Brown,
John Weaver, Adodph G ramus and J.
P. Houseman were parties to a fraud
It Is seen In the hundreds of men
held In Vale for the election, many
of them not even citizens.
In union there Is strength and in
co-operation there is profit.