. OUKflON CITY KNTKKl'lUSE,
DECKMRKH
Oregon City Enterprise
cm im rot my uitiii.il imitk.
Published Evn-y IYiday.
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One rear W
Six months 1 W
Trial subscription, two months .'"
A discount of "0 cents on all subscriptions for one
Tear, 2" cents for six months, if paid in advance.
APVKKTISINO KATKS OS AITIUAT10N.
L. . - - -
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on their papers following their name. If this is not
changed within two weeks after a payment kindly no
tify us and the matter will receive our attention.
Entered at the postoflice at Oregon City, Oregon, as
second clajis matter.
THAT JOHNSON k ANDREWS' WARRANT.
The Courier last week by insinuation, if not by di
rect statement, said that County Judge Ryan had im
properly gotten away with about 1 100 belonging to
Johnson A Andrews, the contractors, who built the
Tault at the court house last iummer. The records
show that the bids for this contract were asked for to
be paid for in cash, the contract waa let to be paid in
cash and at the especial request of the contractors to
whom the contract was let, the payments were to be
made upon the certificates of the architect, and in or
der to get the advantage of their bid, the court made
arrangements whereby Judge Ryan was to pay the
contractors upon presentation of certificates and at
the meeting of the court warrants were drawn in pay
ment of amounts paid out; these warrants by agree
ment of all members of the county court were sold for
2 per cent premium, the whole amount of premium
amounting to t3 to be deducted from warrant drawn
in final settlement of contract, thereby giving Claeka
mas county the lenefit of two per ctnt premium upon
this contract. In this matter Judge Ryan simply
carried out the wishes of the county court the mem
bers of which thought it would be all right to make
$6S on a transaction of this kind for the benefit of the
county. At the time the transaction here referred to
was made, county warrants of the most desirable
character were only selling at one per cent premium '(j,.r f,.,..!,;).
whereas it was only through the arrangement had
with Judge Ryan that the sale of the warrants on a
two rer cent premium basis and the saving to the
erty were assessed in the same manner. I hat they,
desire to bear their just proportion of the public ex
penses, but, under the present practice, if they listed
their property fairly, they would Ih compelled to pay
more than their just share. That w hile they are will
ing to do their part toward the- payment of taxed, yet
they are determined to do no more, We find the jho
pie unanimous in the desire for good government, and
that they are willing to pay their just proportion for
its uiaiutet a nee.
"This notorious usungeof "tax dodging" has U'come
a virulent ulcer upon our body olitic. An Oregon
tax roll is the eighth great wonder of the world. Its
study proves to one that conscience has often Ihmmi
discarded, and that many must surely trust that their
Maker on that final dav of judgment in casting up the
final account of their deeds done on thin earth will
forget to scan these tax rolls. The reckless manner j
in which the properties owned are forgotten by many i
when the assessorcalls on them is remarkable. While J
it i true that people know quite generally that ;
there is a habitual evasion of the assessment laws to
a certain degree, yet few have but a faint conception
of the extent to which this practice is carried, unless
they personally examine the tax rolls. ;
''Our state has a law requiring publicity in the al
lowance of bills against counties. This law waa en
acted in 1 Sil, and requires that all bill presented to.
or allowed by a county, excepting where tho charges
are fixed by law, lobe published in a leading newspa
per of such county. We have observed the practical
effect of this law with considerable interest. This
law saves every year many thousands of dol
lars to each county of the state.
"Exorbitant bills, such bills as political plums for
favorites, and bills for other questionable private mo
tives are now scarcely ever presented or allowed. The
people keep posted upon the business of the county,
and if they discover a bill allowed against the county
which they deem to be wrong they institute proceed
ings to stop its payment. County courts are made
more careful in examining and paying bills. A jmt
sou is made more cautious about the presentation of
exorbitant or questionable bills, because he dcs not
like to have it appear in print that he has attempted
to defraud the county. Iut it appears to us that this
law does not go far enough, and that it would !e more
eflicient if it required the publication of all bills al
lowed by a county. The people should know every
thing for which their money is expended. The ex
ception in this law, that bills in which the items are
based ujion charges fixed by law need not be ptil
lished, would seem to include all bills presented tui-
The fee-bill sy.-tetn in the past has been
a :
WIS AIRES MERES
. - .
T SKILL SHDS $
,S:
xVJ
4. '-
.'.VCj
And wc arc anxious to dispose of our .stock, that's why wc
arc .selling durinjj this overstock sale everything at prices
that amazes the naked eye. Our prices arc so low that
people who don't know us may suspect us of Mealing the
goods. Wc don't want your money unless wc can give you
perfect satisfaction. Wc believe wc can please you if you
give us a chance. It will cost you nothing if you arc not
suited. Our stock comprises all the latest creations in
CLOTHING, GENTS' FURNISHINGS, SHOES, HATS,
CAPS, SMOKING JACKETS, ETC., Make your holiday
purchases here and you will enjoy your Christmas dinner
much better thinking of that nice sum you saved by taking
advantage of our great offer.
yi,
''0
1-4
h
When You Soo It in Our ml Its So.
J. M. PRICE
Clothier ami Haberdasher
Cor. 6th and Alain Sts Oregon City, Ore.
regarded as a source of the greatest drain upon the
public treasuries. Without the publication of such
bills it allows the officer's construction of the law and
county of fJS was accomplished. It may bo the style'tjie an,ount of his bill to uo urouesti-ned by the
in Kentucky to mis-state things ana try ana make
the public believe any political story that will tend to
help the Democrats out of the hole but the Courier
will find that this kind of politics will hurt much more
than helD the cause of the minority part v. What the
people want are the facts and if Judge Ryan has saved
the county any money in this or any other contract,
the Courier ought to be willing to so state it and not
try to make the people believe that there was a graft
going on. The Democrats must be reduced to des
perate straits in their endeavor to gain control of
Clackamas county affairs if they must mis-construe
as a graft a transaction by which the county really
profitted. This is on a par with a number of other
Etories that our esteemed Kentucky Colonel has been
giving circulation around town and some of them con
cern the Enterprise.
PUBLICATION OF ASSESSMENT ROLL.
In a recent issue the Oregon Law School Journal,
published at Salem, advocated the publication of the
assessment roll of each county prior to the time it is
considered by the county board of equalization. The
publicity that would attend this course, argues the
editor of the publication, would prove an effectual
remedy for "tax dodging." The Journal supports its
position by the following editorial on the subject:
'We have for several years studied the subject of
assessment and taxation and have observed the effect
of many laws enacted by our legislatures for the pur
poEe of bringing about a fair listing of all property
eubject to assessment and taxation in this state. A
great many taxpayers, in nearly all stations of life,
have talked with u.s abtut the prevailing practice f
evading assessment and the consequences that fol
low. They generally consider that the present habit
of prevarication in listing assessable properties is a
mischief that most seriously retards our advance
ment, and that it more than overcomes all our efforts
made at the public expense and by private enterprise
to induce immigration to our state. That our tax
rolls show scarcely a tenth of the real value of our
property, and as it is upon the amount of this low
valuation of property, as shown on the assessment
rolls that our tax rates are levied, our tax rates ap
pear to be hi gh and exorbitant to people coming to
the Pacific coast; and as a consequence many are de
terred from locating in our .tate.
"If all property were assessed and listed at its true
ca-h value it would not require anyone to pay a great
er sum than he now pays; but.on account of new prop
people who pay the taxes to meet their payment.
Nearly every county court of this state now jaunt
with pride to the reduction of public expenses. Our
county courts are almost without exception oonipo-ed
of very ciirujietent men hut we cannot say that they
are in any way more cometeiit thnn their predeces
sors in ollice. We are therefore forced to t;;e conclu
sion that the publicity required by this law in the pre
sentation and allowance of bills has Wen the great
factor that has brought iilxjut the present economy in
public affairs.
"In conclusion we will say that the newspapers of
our state have always shown a public , spirit, and
gladly furnished the news to their readers. The leg
is'ature can place proper safeguards ujxjn this law
which we propose niraiust the evasion of the assess
ment law, by prescribing prices for publication, so
that but little exjenso will be entailed in its operation."
Merry Christmas !
THE
Drills
Watf
CANBY
PHARMACY
Mcdiriiu', Clu'inicals
los, Clocks, Spectacle
l'irt CIjm i-iriii!
All tiiKiii mi I Wurk Vimn!nl
E. I. SIAS
Cetitful IIoiiih 'lVli'lii!ie
CAN I! Y, OUK'iON
jMir COMMKKCMl. HA. Mi
of oKK.iioN i:n y
Iiun.u
'muni i niNoti. ntxiiau rtlt
i ohii mln. Hllli 'lltrii'ltitcl. MakN '.)'
TMtiTii. II u t til it'll. eifh.Mrv n all point,
n '.he I'ullf"! Statr., Kumi iel limit Knn
tl".K rr)lf"! .lllijrrt to I'hex't ll.lik
(h-ii from li.a.mlr i.
' :. LATOfKETTK, Pr-M-nt
F. J. MK VFH .
If some of the leading Republicans of this county
would spend a little more of their energy in trying to
build up the party and help the Enterprise instead of
continually finding fault, holding the Enterprise re
Boonsible for all of the pie dreams our friend the
Courier has, more headway would be made against
the common enemy. If the Republicans, desire to
have the support of a paper, they should evince a
spirit of reciprocity and not be so willing to accept an
infallible truths the reflections on this paper that may
emanate from the Jesse Moore inflamed brain of the
Courier editor while the same persons are equally
prompt in denying as unreliable any editorial utter
ances from the same source, reflecting on their re
spective administration of county affairs.
According to the Courier's ethics, an officer must
not be permitted to leave the court house at all
must have his meals brought to him. In a recent
issue the Democratic paper had a epasrn because of
the fact that Judge Ryan absented himself from his
office for a short time last Fall. Instead of properly
stating the facts in the case, the Courier asserts that
Judge Ryan was gone from his office to the neglect of
county business for the time, of two months. Such is
false. The records at the court house show that Judge
i: i. Green
PIONEER
tagfef- and Epf
Freight and parcels delivered
to all parts of the city.
RATES - R E A SO NA OLE
JOHN YOUNGER,
Near Huntley'H Drug Store,
FORTY YHAKS LXl'KKIhXCE IN
'.Jreat Hritain and America.
HBLLOI
tfl!iri telephot.t tin J
Oregon, WiiKliii)jttnt.,Cili
forma ninl Idaho D"t to
oM-nitinii by th IV;f:c
Mutton Telephon Com
pany, covering
towns.
Quick, nrrurat, chp
AH the sti lis faction of I
In-rsonnl communication.
Motaneti no effect to I
rleitr understanding.
knin nnd San Frnwc
as iisily heard FjA f
L.,.1
Oregon City office t
Harding's Druir Store
his department at the court house. While absent
Judge Ryan also did ome good work in advertising
the resources of Clackamas county throughout the
states through which he passed.
"" "
Tiik Morning Astorian and the Daily News, of As
toria, have been consolidated und are now being issued
as an eight-page evening daily.
Men who can write the Lord's prayer on a postage
stamp and tho Declaration of I nrlr jxrude rico on
a jMistal card apear from time to time, but nobody
has ever succeeeded as yet in writing a president's
message on one sheet of foolscap.
A San Fkawisco woman, who is now suing for a
divorce from a millionaire to whom she was married
only a few months ago, advises young girls not to
marry rich men. Hero is only another instanco of
the fact that all the riches in Christendom will not
insure happiness.
W. II. DowMMi, of Sublimity, and Frank Lee, of
Portland, have been anooirited bv Governor (!h:iriilier.
lain as members of the state board of agriculture, to. tin's iitrency tho voimir neonle of the Oregon City '"f
succeed Hon. W. H. Wehrung, of Ilillsboro, and J. II jschool nre alforded an opportunity for acquaint'"?
Tiik Christmas senson 1ms arrived, and the Ento.
prise desiren to In sjM'ak for each of its n aderi i n
happy Christmas. At this tiinf of the year tlie sj-irii
of 'more blessed tn give than to receive," find'1"
pression in the making of gilt throughout ("hristct
doiu. With the abundant crops of all kind tU
were harvested this year nnd prosM rous conditio
generally, thn peoplo of thin state are perliajn nio"
happy and contented than in years before.
Coim ii man Kki.i.v says the F.ntespriso lit tlie nap
on the head last week when it attacked tho PP0''
tion to establish several public fountains inthccitj
for advertising purposes. TIn venerable aldermen
from the First ward declares that the promised to"11
tains would iirovo a nuisance. Mr. Kcllv is rigM,'"1
tho council will lieiit servo the city's intercuts M j
promptly dismissing the proposition from it coniw
cration.
Rev. J. II. Heaven, pastor of the local flap"-4
church, is rendering n good service to the young pw
pie of this community through the congress heK-
centlv onriini i ll m.,1 id iw.w CfiMibll'tilll'. 1
Settlemier, of Woodburn. In the reorganization of
Ryan held court in September and again in October the board for the ensuing year, lion. George Chain!
ler, of Raker county, was elected president, and W. A.
Moored, of Hal em, secretary.
and that but ''A days elapsed from the time he left
the city until he was again seated at his office. No
I body's interests suffered because of the temporary ab-
erties which would be added to the roll, which nowlsence of Judge Ryan nor do we believe that any other an unsuccessui auempi iasi wcck to roi the hank of
escape taxation, many would not be compelled to payip-r.-on than the editor o"the Courier has found fault! Rrownsvillo is additional evidence that there is within
as much taxes as they do now, Many frankly admit j with the situation. At the same time the Courier ed- J this state an organized bund of bank robbers. The
tW thf-v Mnteh their conscience somewhat in jriviniritor fails to make a note of the fact that for several i daring of the lawbreakers was shown at two previous
J ..I....... . . .. - ... C ...I .1 i ... . .... .'. .
. i;tf ,.f ,.r,.,.i.rtr to tho ns-e-sor. and that 'weeks nnor to his hastem trio as well as tor some attempts, one m nun. u n.is Huecessnu, nun tlie on v practical k nowledt'e that is L'uiiiei
111 0. - - ' - "1 , J . . . . " "
thev aim to omit from their list as mnch property as tim
their neighbor, according to custom, will omit from : hou
J.Ja naea--riiei.t. That thev woi.ld cheerful! v list alL ness
----- ... . 1 1 1 j i j tti
their property at its true cas.h value H all other prop-; the vacation without lnteriering wun me nusiness ol win receive o.i.... tai nuum vtcicomo. tion indicates.
tliemselves with tlie general government of affair"1
the United States and the other countries of llieworldi
niiiiin.riMiin ....!..l. ......rn.in pltizen kD""
' nun il tun t ,
none too much. At iU recent joint
sion the juvenile legislators discussed
Clilnnu.. ..I,., i;.... ...i ii... r.. I'll inn ol
viiiii. rv 'jiii mum, mill uiii i' " , 1 U
country to RushJii, Kngland and Manchuria. A
...... i... ..n I...lviee.l Ctdom
At IIU'l-LillJ fcllU tll'r('lll IIMl'l'llIJ n "
ICS-
the
that
bin and Panama, involving international ,""' ,u
lie the subject for debate.
in a ii""
of the count"
io following his return, Judge Ryan worked many ' way to deal with such individuals is to employ simi- I t,,,; tf"m al"' their governmentH, the young 1 !
urs over time in giving bis attention o the Urn- j lar tactics. P-y making an example of some of these I H'f ".i'10' "of' tho m cSyeonff
iM of the county and made possible the taking of lawbreakers, when caught, wholesale wrongdoing Imjih iMiiirrrroV.'roii.i' it propitious inuugui
; vacation without interfering with the business of will receive a setback that would be welcome. tion indicates. :-