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About Malheur enterprise. (Vale, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 21, 1916)
Thirty Thousand Aires of Bottom Land tinder The Warmsprings Project; Twenty-Five Thousand Acres of Fruit Land Undei the Willow-Alder District; Ten Thousand Acres of Bottom Land Under -Obi 'Cummunit? District and Two.IIundred Thousand Acres of Nitrate Land Being Developed With Vale. in the Center Means That Malheur County Leads in Oregon and Oregon Leads the World. VOLUME VII, NO. 47. VALE, OREGON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1916. SUBSCRIPTION, $2.00 PER YEAR FOR AND AGAINST The Enterprise is in leccipt of a letter from the Oregon State Feder ation of Labor attested by E. J. Stack, which closes as follows: " give this question your unprejudiced and serious consideration which, if given, we know will contribute immeasurably to the proper solution of the problem and to the happiness of Oregon citizens." Further, they have requested the publication of the following argument, published to the left, with our com ments on the right: The measure NUMBER 306 on the ballot "FULL RENTAL VALUE LAND TAX AND HOMEMAKERS' LOAN FUND" amendment contem plates placing the burden of taxation on land values and removing taxation from labor' and industry by taxing :land at its rental value exclusive of its' improvement. This is single tax. It is confessed single tax. It is misleading in that it draws a conclusion unwarranted from any knowledge or experience, either present or past It will put a stop to land monopoly and land speculation. It will not con fiscate private, property. The securi ty of title and possession of land' will be just the same under the proposed constitutional amendment as it is It will undoubtedly put a stop to land speculation or land monopoly as now carried on except by the state and "government. It is absolutely false that it will not confiscate pri vate property. That is the intention of the law, and is so argued and stat ed. The security of title will not be the same as now, for at present title is secure and under this proposed law it is intended to tax it out of the hands of owners into the hands of the state. The full rental valuo will be strictly in accordance with location as to populous centers and no farmer will be permitted to profit from his labor, for the law expressly states that full rental value of each individ ual piece will be taken by the state. The state will bo authorized to bid on delinquent taxes to the amount of the taxes and no more. The cry of confiscation comes rrom those who have already confiscated the peoples' rights in natural resources. This amendment will restore those rights. It is there for restitution and not con fiscation. It is not "rfeak" legisla tion because overy other civilized country is dealing with the land prob lem in much the saints manner. This is again stating a conclusion as to possible results and didactical ly disclaiming confiscation which is the avowed object of the law. The latter statement of the paragraph is untrue. Every other civilized coun try is not dealing with the land prob lenl in much the same manner and no proof has been, nor can be, adduced to support that rash statement Colorado is leasing its state lands on e::nctly the same basis as this bill provides for the leasing of the state lands. Washington is leasing its school lands. In England the prob lem is being handled in the same way. In Letchworth Village, 40 miles from London, the crown lands are being leased and the title does not pass away from the Government. Den mark is doing the same thing. Ger many is meeting the problem by leas ing its land and taking the land in crement for governmental expenses. Of course Colorado is leasing her land for what they can get. So will any other state .that leases at all. England is not handling her lands in the way proposed nor is Denmark nor Germany. Crown lands, are lands owned by the ruler of England, aw' are doubtless leased to the best ad vantage to derive the greatest income from them. So as to Denmark and Germany or to any other country, not excepting the United States which leases grazing land. None of these states or nations are connscatlng pri vate land nor are they contemplat ing any such nonsense. The -loan feature of the bill is in the interest of all the working people of the state, whether they be profes sional men, business men, farmers, or day laborers, because it provides for the use of the peoples' credit by the people. It will relieve unemployment by opening the lands to the people for use, doing away with the congestion in industrial centers and consequent suffering where there are more men than jobs. The loan feature of the bill does not provide for the use of the peo ple's credit by the people. On the contrary it proposes to tax the land for money to loan to those who have neither money nor land. One-third of the full rental fund taken from the land is to be loaned in small amounts for improvement of land by those who know nothing about either work or 'Vmnsr lands are now open to millions of people who do not tako THE SINGLE TAX them at far less than full rental val ue. Wherein there is more induce ment for a man to go on a piece of land and give all but a bare exis tence to the state rather than to go on a piece of land wherein for less lhan the full rental value he may hope to own a home, is not explained. There are more lands now than farm ers and the state an", government are making every endeavor to educate men for farmers and preparo land for them. What further inducement increased taxation can give Jthem is yet unexplained. Under this amendment, industry will go forward and will automatical ly create markets by employing men, and men steadily and profitably em ployed are real markets. Under this proposition Dy starting some industry and employing men; the men employed will create a mar ket; Excellent doctrine if included therewith a demand can be artificial ly created to utilize the excess pro duct of the established industry. It is thus that poor old Oregon must bear the tremendous burden fasten ed, Sinbad like, on its figurative shoulders. Freak laws by freak law makers. Attempts boldly to sieze that which has been gained by labor and thrift and hand it over to the lazy and shiftless. Great must be the overflow of prosperity indeed be fore Oregon can secure any of it. It will be necessary for our state to have a housecleaning and1 outsweep ing of U'Rens, Cridges, Littles and that ilk before we may expect devel opment of land, of water power, of flax, of anything whitti employs la bor unless we furnish the funds and that is as unlikely as impossible. What bloodthirsty monarch was it that wished "his enemies nad but one neck that he might sever it at one blow?" Oregon, unfortunately, can not so bury her freaks by one great and solid blow with the ballot but that, like the proverbial cat ''They kem back." BETTER METHODS SHOULD BE FOLLOWED BY CORN GROWERS Experience is a hard school, but a profitable school if attention is paid to its teachings. Many corn grow ers have had a hard lesson brought to them by an unfavorable, and short season. The cold season and the ear ly frost caught many of the corn fields immature, but there are a few fields that were mature far ahead of the frost, showing that by the right methods corn can be produced here even ,in the most unfavorable sea sons. The question Is how did they do it? Corn is a lover of warm moist soil, and we must practice such methods as will produce these conditions so as to make early planting possible. The corn ground should be plowed in the fall or early spring, and worked down so as to form a mulch to retain the moisture. This mulch wil also re tain much of the heat that otherwise would go for the purpose or evaporat ing the much needed moisture. This mulch can be retained and many weeds killed by harrowing a few times before planting time. It will take approximately 120 days to mature corn in this section, and as there is danger of frost after the first of September, corn should be planted aboiit the first of May. It will bo necessary to fpllow the above method of "warming up" the soil, in order to plant by May first or earli er. The method too often followed is to let the corn ground go unplowed until' all other spring work is out of the way. The ground ,js then hard and dry, and must be irrigated before plowing or after plowing before the corn is planted. Some have been ob served to plant their corn in the dry soil and then after getting a small germination, try to "irrigate" it up. These are poor methods, for the ground is either in poor condition or the adding of the water cools the soil and wets it unevenly, resulting in a this uneven stand. It is perhaps better to irrigate the land before plowing than after, -in case the land has been let go until it has become too dry to plow good, for it will require less work to get it in condition for planting, and it will be easier to irrigate than after plow ing. Where there is not some un usual type of soil, there should be enough water in the soil at planting time to carry the corn until ft starts tasseling, then it should be irrigat ed and kept moist until the corn is well formed. The corn should be T. W. HALLIDAY FINDS REST Was an Honored Citizen of County Had Held Im portant Offices. Sunday morning about 6 o'clock Tom Halliday passed to his final rest. For some years Mr. Halliday had been troubled with spells of heart leakage culminatingMn a fatal attack Sunday. While not feeling well for a week past Mr. Halliday did not give up and take to his couch until Friday. The entire town of Vale is in mourn ing for one of its best .and best known citizens. In Many Enterprises. Interested in both banks and num berless other enterprises, owning a fine home in Vale and a splendid farm on the Malheur six miles be low Vale; one of the pioneers of the county? holding public offices of trust for many years in both town and county; it is not surprising that the communities of the county should join in sorrow at his departure from their midst and pay earnest tribute to his worthy and honest efforts to advance the interests of the county. Has Confidence of All, No citizen of any county or state was ever honored with more com plete trust and confidence of his fel low citizents than Tom Halliday. His charity" was limited not at alHand his generosity bounded only by his ability to perform. If Tom Halliday had an enomy among the people with whom he has mingled for 35 years no one can point him out Gains and honors were received without affecting his geniality; loss es were met with equinamity. Biographical. T. W. Halliday was born at Page ville, Ohio, Aug. 19, 1857, being 05 years old at the time of his passing. Mr. Halliday was" one or eight child ren of whom Dr. J. S. Halliday, of Muskogee, Ohio, and' 11. u. Halliday, of Rupert, Idaho, survive. Mr. Halliday was one of the early pioneers of the west Tramping across the plains to Arizona when 17 years of age, he was three times wounded by Indians. After leaving Arizona he went into Nevada where he met and later was married to Miss Emma Ferguson, Sept 15, 1880. In the spring of 1882 the Hallidays mov ed into Malheur county where they have since resided.. Having no issue or their own, Mr. and Mrs. Halliday adopted and raised Wilbur A. Halliday, now in business at Baker, Ore., and Pearl Halliday, now Mrs. Horace Burbidge, of Nys sa. Mr. Halliday has been sheriff of the county and treasurer or both Mal heur county and the city of Vale. Burial services were by the Masonic Fraternity at the homo in Vale. In terment was in the Ontario cemetery where the mother of Mr. Halliday rests. Vale attended the funeral services en masse and at Ontario an unusual concourse attended the interment B. L. Milligan came rrom Walla Walla for purpose of preaching the funeral sermon. H. ESPIE TO RETURN Henry Espie, who has a homestead on Littlo Willow creek near Jamie son will go to Bozeman on business, returning later to taKe up his resi dence in Malheur county, the climate being better suited to him than that of Montana. WATER PERMITS Antonio Bermiosolo, of Jordan Val ley, for the irrigation of 100 acres, diverting water from Mud Flat reser voir in Sec. 4, T. 33 S., R. 45 E. F. V. Maher, of Jordan Valley, for supplemental supply of lands already having a water right. Herbert Steven, of Watson, for the development of 50 horsepower, di verting water from Owyhee River in Sec. 22, T. 25 S., R. 44 E. With all due regard for Mr. Burns, Old Nick Carter and Sherlock Holmes the ablest' detective probably is a woman. watched, however, and whenever the com leaves begin curling afly in the day they should be irrigated. Too much irrigating promotes suckers, and prolongs maturity. This method of irrigation will of necessity require cultivation at about ten day inter vals to hold the moisture. W. W. HOWARD, County Agricultural Agent. LOW VALUE HIGHRATE Recommendation or Sugges tion Should Be Made 'To Create Discussion and To Cause Thought on Subject The report of the citizens commit tee appointed by the chairman of the taxpayers meeting held in Vale, Oct. G, appears on this page. As stated by the chairman of that committee, the report is incomplete, both as to quotation of numberless inequalities, inaccuracies and incongruities ap pearing on that anomalous creation called the Malheur County Tax Roll. A peculiar circumstance, or co-incidence is, that on the day the En terprise received this repoft for pub lication, inquiry came for substantia tion of a statement mado by the writ er that one piece of property under the Nyssa-Arcadia Drainage district was worth more than the $64,000 ask ed for by that district The request was for the assessed valuation of the Idanha Orchards. Examination of the roll disclosed the facfrthat a pro perty which has changed hands twice within three or four years' at a price of not less than $100,000 was valued for the purposes of taxation at less than five thousand dollars. Method. Faulty. The method which forces property into a condition worse than bankrupt cy should be changed. If the entire country is bankrupt we are not hurt more than others, if we too are broke. But the enire commonweatlh is in a condition of unbounded prosperity and this county alone shows values shrinking with a rapidity which would be alarming if we did not know it to be false. Investor Takes Advantage. But canwe convince thrnvestor of its falsity without .giving him our mess of pottage. Every known me thod to depreciate values and secure loans on favorable terms to the in vestor is used by them and opportuni ties greedily seized upon to make the farmer, the merchant, the banker pay a high interest rate. From a foreign investor comes these two questions, which one seek ing loans mus answer, and must tell Jhe truth, for the truth is of record and public: What is the assessed val uation of your property and how much taxes did you pay last year? Also they will ask: How much CUL TIVATED LAND HAVE YOU? Un cultivated land assesses the same as cultivated is a dead loan ana not con sidered good security. What in 1917, shall a man on Dead Ox say? "I paid taxes last year on a forty mill rate (not far from the mark this sea son) I have 100 acres and of that 90 acres is assessed at $15 and 70 acres at $1.25. Of the 90 acres I have GO cultivated." How much money can he borrow? Unused Land A Dead Load. Some of our radical economists say: "Good! We ought not to be able to borrow anyway." To this ar gument there is no reply. If a form er has a piece of raw land on which he must pay taxes as though culti vated and has improved to the ex tent of .his capital ana ability and don't care to borrow, or cannot bor row, he can deed his raw land to the state or his friends or punish an enemy by giving it to him the soon er he gets rid of it the better. One thing sure ho cannot sell it with a tax rate of forty mills and a valua tion of $15. It is noted and to be regretted that' the committee made no recommenda tion aS to how to remeay the unfor tunao condition we have reached in our financial matters; how to stem the tide of depreciation and get in to the band-wagon of prosperity; en able ourselves to get some of that munition money at a low rate of in terest The ch.airman of the reporting committee said: "We have no re commendation to make as there was nothing in the order creating the committee asking for recommenda tions." Committees Proposed. The Enterprise feels that there should be some kind of recommenda tion or suggestion made in order to create discussion and cause some thought to be put on mis important subject. It is to be noted that in 1913 the recommendations of. the powerful committee were put into ef fect. It may be noted that the re commendations of the Taxpayers meeting of Oct 6 were heeded. It is therefore to be supposed that if there were powerful and represen- ( Continued on page G.) REPUBLICANS HAVERALLY U. S. Senator Fires Deadly Facts at Administration and its Policies. The Republican rally at the Rex Theatre in Vale Wednesday night was well attended and the opening gun of the Republican campaign was fir ed by Senator C. W. Fulton in a pow erful indictment of the policies of the Democratic administration and of President Wilson. The Senator's remarks and telling periods were received with loud and enthusiastic applause. The Senator was somowhat hoarse from his arduous work of the past month, having spoken in Pendleton the night before. His excuse for hoarseness, however, was that ho rode from Heppner'to Pendleton the day before and suffered from "Demo cratic campaign material hot air and dust" "The effect gf this," continued the Senator, "is not la&itng, mainly ' af fecting the throat and lungs." The Tariff, The Senator dwelt seriously on the Tariff and said: "Our only way of judging the future is by the past Every time the Democrats have been in power they have passed a free trade tariff act " Every time it has been succeeded by desolation and mil lions have walked the streets in hun ger. Every 'time the Republicans have had control with their protective policy, there have Teen prosperous times and a growth and prosperity in the United States never before known in the world. "Wo have prosperous times now caused by 20,000,000 laborer in Eu rope ceasing tho work of production of cxchangeble commodities and go ing into the business of destruction of property and killing one another. If our prosperity must come through drenching of tho eartn with rivers of human blood; through destitution and starvation of children; through tho weeping and wailing of widows; God grant that we never see such pros perity again. The prosperity offered by tho Republican party comes through peace and tho activities of peaceful interchange 'of products. Through construction rather than de struction; through friendly inter course and united effort; through pro tection of labor and the products of labor. When War atops. "What will we do when this war ceases, as it will soon 7 Europe is a trained camp of industry. Men, women and children have been taught rigid economy and intense application. Women have taken tho place of men in almost all avocations of production. When the war ceases we have but two ways to meet this crisis, for crisis it is. Wo must come down to their rigid economy, and intense effort, not only for foreign markets but to preserve our own for ourselves, or wo must have protection of our Industry and of. our labor. If you elect the Demo crats you are certain of a continuance of free trade,, you have endorsed free trade, which has wrecked us every time it has been tried; if you elect Hughes you will have a moderate protective tariff scientifically applied. Which do you wish?" "Silly Slogan." The Senator proceeaed to attack the "Silliest of all slogans; 'he kept us out of war. Why, tho President could not get us into war with anyone but Mexico and we have been in open war with Mexico ever since Wilson has been in control and are in open war with Mexico today, If Invasion of a nation, killing their citizens and oc cupying their territory is war. It would certainlly have been war if we had invaded an English port, killed 101 Englishmen and wounded 300 others, besides having 10 of our own soldiers killed and GO wounded." Refugees on Foreign Ships. The Senator attacked the treatment of the 1300 American refugees at Tampico, who were taken out of Tam ico by English and German men of war and placed on American vessels. "When a comjnitteo called on Jose phus Daniels to protest against their treatment he told hem that 'if they wero in Mexico to create property, to better their condition, the United States would neither protect their property nor their lives. You are lucky to get out alive.' " Senator Futon Is an excellent and logical speaker and the large atten dance indicated interest in political matters. There were 100 visitors from On tario. The meeting was presided over by ''has. M. Crandal. Music by tho Vale imud and mule quartette, PEOPLE COMMITTEE MAKES REPORT ONTARIO, Oreg. To the Taxpay ers of Malheur County: Your com mitteo appointed at the meeting of the Malheur county taxpayers to re port on the inequalities of tho assess ment roll and classification of land throughout tho county, beg leave to state as follows: The limited time given us for ex amination of the roll ana Impossibil ity of doing anything to relieve tho situation, believed to exist, on ac count of closing up the affairs of the Equalization Board at an early date, prevent our report from being as full as it should be in order to do justice to everjjono concerned. There certainly exists a very large number of inequitable assessments, a few of which illustrative of tho gen eral condition, wo will make note herein. Laying tho 'foundation for a brief resume of the roll, we wish to first call attention to the varied classifica tion of land within the county: Owy hee lands are classified at $40 per acre making the supposed cash value on a forty per eent valuation, $100. Shoestring Ditch lands are classified at' $15 per acre, making a cash val uation of $37.50 er acre. Dead px lands, under the I'ayotte-Oregon Slope system, are ..classified at $15 per acre, making a cash valuation of $37.50 er acre. Lower Malheur lands under the Nevada Ditch, are classified at $30 per acre, making a cash val uation of $75 per acre. Lands under tho Mill Ditch and on the Upper Mal heur, between Vale and the Canyon, are classified at $20, making a cash valuation of $50 er acre. Lands on WiHow river, in and around Brogan and Jamieson, are classified at $20 per acre, making a cash valuation of $50. Cultivated and uncultivated lands nre supposed to be assessed at the samo rate, similarly situated; Dry farming lands generally aro suppos ed to be assessed at $3.00. Non-till-ablo land in nil localities at a $1.25 per acre. While your committee can not concur in a classification which makes lands that will readily chango hands for $100 per acre and upward pay taxes on a valuation of $15 per ncro or about 16 per cent of tho ac knowledged cash value, tho inequality thereby established would not be so glaringly apparent, should all land similarly situated bo assessed exactly as classified. Town Properly. Again, real estate in towns and cities, paying on a forty per cent val uation, as against a sixteen per cent valuation elsewhere would not bo so glaringly unequal, were property sim ilarly situated under similar classifi cation be equally assessed, which is not tho case as may be seen by some few comparisons herein. Also personal property, stocks of goods, etc., assessed at 25 per cont of their supposed value, as against a sixteen per cent valuation of lands, seem to bo over valued, but if Owy heo lands are taken as a basis, are fairly valued. Mortgage. Taxation. Tho question of Mortgago Taxa tion, arising before your meeting; the committee investigated the matter, and have concluded that as long as other western states fail to assess mortgages the result in Oregon would bo certain to drive capital clscwhcro and compel borrowers to pay double taxes. Of tho Board of Equalization, two members object to mortgage tax ation at present, and one member fa vors such taxation. If classification is made and then examination and assessment made as to producing ability; cost of manipu lation 'and cultivation, making tho classified price the maximum of a certain district, wo see no way In which equality can be secured. In the opinion of your committee, if lands of a district are to bo classifi ed, such classification should be ad hered to. Cultivated land U cultivat ed land and uncultivated land similar ly situated is, In the classification of tho district, and should havo the samo assessed valuation. If a certain piece WATER FILINGS SHOWN State Engineer John II. Lewis, is sued 144 permits for the appropria tion of water, including 9 for the con struction of reservoirs, during the quarter ending September 30th, 1910. According to theso permits it is pro posed to irrigato 8,354 acres of land, storo 4,129 acre feet of water and develop 702 horsepower. The following permits wore Issued In Malheur county: E. W. Turner, of Riversldo, for do mestic supply, diverting water from springs in Sec. 21, T. 25 S., R. 38'E. L. J, Mustard, of Westfall, storage of 3 acre feet for stock use, divert ing water from springs and Jerry of land is below these standards It should be so classified on the rolls and assessed in accordance with the classification. Orchards Undertaxed. Orchards came under the classifi cation of cultivated land. There is no classification of oimaras as such. Now note where this leads us on the' roll: Joseph Conselmo, on the 116 acres constituting the Idanha Or chards, which havo changed hands at $100,000 is assessed at $4,640, which, places a acsh valuation on this great property of $11,600. This property changed hands at $100,000 prior to construction of their great dryer which they claim to be the largest and most complete in Oregon and which is assessed as improvements at $4,000. Comparisons. Compare this assessment with Dead Ox lands at $15 or Owyhee al falfa lands at $40 per acre. The Famous Willis orchard at Brogan is assessed at $560 and we find, a nota tion on the rolls of cultivated land of this orchard of $1B per acre. Oth er lands in the district are assessed at $20 per acre. Of tho Road lands: Section 17 In 18-45, of the-O. W. C. Co., is assess ed at $20 per acre whilo that of the E. O. L. Co., two miles distant in 17 44 is assessed at $3 per acre. These lands are similar In every respect, one classified as dry which it is; the other as- cultivated, and irrigated, which it is not No discrimination appears between Section 17 and Section 8 in 18-45 but Sec. 8 is exactly similar to that of tho E. O. L. Co. in 17-44, two miles, distant Both Sections 17 and8 wero raised over the 1915 assessment from $3 in 1915 to $20 in 1916 with no change in tho condition of the land., In fact one piece was assessed at $40 per acre' or more than double any oth er land in that district. In the Jnmieson section we find tho celebrated Fotheringham hog ranch is nearly all assessed t $1.25 per acre being classified as non-tillable, while other lands of similar character, but of less value, adjoining are assessed at $20 per acre. 1 Wo compare the WSE of Sec G-18-47, owned by Knhout and Nel son, assessed in 1915 at $2400 or $80 per acre while in 1916 at $240 or $8 per acre. Lena surrounding this pro perty is assessed at from $30 to $40 per aero under similar classification. C. S. Hnndcock In Lot 1-17-47 Is assessed in 1916 for 38 acres at $4 per acre while In 1915 nearly six times as much. This is on the Snake river on Dead Ox. Androw Jensen, on Sec. 32 In 18-44, was classified in 1915 and in the past ot $3 and $1.25 land, or a total val uation for 320 acres of $727. There is and can be no water for this proper ty,' tho classification nppeau'ng fair. In 1016 the same land w.j raised to i total valuation of $6200 while land lower and adjoining raising largo Tops of hay is assessed at $20 per acre. Dave Dunbar on the NWVi of Sec. 16-18-46 is classified as nun-tillable mid assessed at $300 fir the 160 acres. ''Lit property changed hands some time sinco at $0400. Wrong Classification. Your committee is of the opinion that tho present classification is cre ative of unsatisfactory conditions; giving neighbors ideas of Inequality and creates a difficulty in cstimatinjr values by outside investors and pre vents Malheur county f..rmrs from making satisfactory loans. Dry Land Discriminated Against Homesteaders are discriminated against by having their lands assess ed ct a rat much closer to the real cash valuo than are other lands In the county, for $3 per acre more nearly represents tho cash value of dry land homesteads than does $15 represent the cash value of alfalfn land on Dead Ox and under the Slioestrlnjj Ditch. B. B. VOOD, Chairman. creek In Sec. 4, T. 18 S., R. 87 E. L. J. Mustard, of Westfall, for stock use, diverting water from springs in Sec. 4, T. 18 S., R. 37 E. R. J. Prcwett, of Vale, for Irriga tion of 195 acres, diverting: water from Sagebrush and Darkoy Rock Gulch, in Sec 27, T. 21, S., R. 44 E. S. W. Prcwett, of Vale, for the ir rigation of 5 acres, diverting water from Sand Hollow In Sec. 28, TTty S., R. 44 E. L. C. Marsters, of Fangollano, for domestic sup , ""-.-r,. iU from springs in Sec. 10 T 5 &. 40 E. . 4 Mrs. Ida Glascock, of Brogan, for storage of 40 acre feet, in Sec 4T. (Continued from page B)