14 FRAUD IMPLIED IN II .1 I SINGLE 'TAX FILING Canvass of Alleged Petition Signers Brings Horde of Indignant Denials. MANY SIGN BY MISTAKE Hundreds Whose Names Are Listed Can't Be 1'ound, Others Say They Were Misinformed, and Ma j; Jority Declare Opposition. Is your name on the so-called peo ple's land and loan petition? Maybe you think, it Isn't, but It may be there all the same. The mere fact that 'you didn't Blgn the petition doesn't mean, necessarily, that your name isn't there. liecent investigations conducted by a committee of the Portlan d Realty Hoard and by other business men indi cates that most of the people whose names appear on the "land and loan" petitions didn't sign them at all, signed under misapprehension or signed with out realizing what they were doing. In fact, the investigation disclosed pome astonishing peculiarities about the petitions, the manner in which they were circulated and the methods of those who circulated them. Yet the bill, with the requisite pro portion of signatures, was filed at the Secretary of State's office, and the measure will be printed on the official ballot to be voted upon at the election one week from next Tuesday. Official Title Imposing. On the official ballot it has the high- Bounding title of "Full Rental Value Land Tax and Homeseekers" Loan Fund Amendment." That attractive caption may prove misleading, for the measure is a sinele tax bill, and nothing more. It carries No. 306 and No, 307 on the ballot. If you are opposed to single tax vou will vote 307 -X. Wo. It is apparent that the sponsors for the measure had little regard for the way they got the names, Just so as thev cot them.. In conducting the recent investiga tion for the Realty Board's committee Paul A. Cowgill, secretary of the organ ization selected 9000 names from the Multnomah Countv petitions at random. He wrote a personal letter to each man or woman of the 9000, explaining the nrovisions of the bill and soliciting a reply as to the circumstances under which the petition was signed. He in closed a self-addressed, stamped postal card for the reply. Ud to noon yesterday he had re ceived 630 answers and only 66 of those who answered, a little more than 10 per cent, said that they would vote for the bill. Fraud Is Implied. But hero Is something even more significant: An aggregate of 812 letters were re turned to the writer. The postoffice department had been unable to make delivery. The names or the addresses, or both WPre fictitious! Think of it! Nine per cent of the people whose signatures appeared on the petitions could not be located Dy the letter carriers" Apparently those people don't exist. An examination of the replies that were received by Mr. Cowgill prove equally illuminating. The replies have been classified, according to the nature of their contents and divided as follows. l:oturnd lpttnrx fflrtltloua names and Hddrenses) 812 Al-;oIuiely sure they ma not sign it imply forgery 1"9 KiKned through misrepresentation 9S ro not remember signing, are against it Sinned thinking it the "rural credits bill- Will vote "No" give no explanation of their signature Did not understand It; are against the bill May have signed It, but are now against it .. Xo not know of ever signing such a thinit f-'itfned it hurriedly, without thought... Ln not think they signed it; will vote "No" Signed it to help out the petitioner..... Signed it to get it on the ballot Signed it. but tiavu cnanged mind liJ not realize what they were doing. . Always sign every petition ............ 6t 5.- 28 Total. To? it . . i.:7-, fin Total 1.442 Various Reasons Given. Here are some of the typical an swers. I'When I signed the petition I did not fully realize what it meant." "I was not aware, when I signed, that It was nothing more or less than single tax." "If I signed that land measure bill I did not so understand It and will not vote for It." "I signed without a proper knowl edge of its purport." "I will have to admit that I signed without full information." "I signed the petiion through a mis understanding." "I signed the petition while waiting for a car and did not understand it." "I misunderstood and shall vote against it." t A large number of those who an swered explain that they signed under the misapprehension that they were signing the rural credits bill. "I am very much surprised to learn or my signature on the petition for sin gle tax. as the one I signed, I under stood, was for rural credits. I am very sorry this has happened, as I am very much opposed to the single-tax bill,1 says one man In explanation of his mistake. Many Signers Are Opponents. A small proportion of people say that they signed the petition in entire good faith, knowing fully what it was and intending to vote against it, but on the theory that the petitioners have the right to get their proposal before the people on the ballot. "I signed to help out the canvasser, is a typical explanation of another group, who declare that they will vote against it. "I was in a hurry and it was misrep resented to me at the time," is typical of another class of replies. Here are some of the replies from those who insist that they did not sign the petitions at all: "Will say that there is a mistake. I am not a petition signer." "I am positive that I never signed this petition, as I have signed no pe tition at alL" "Never signed It." "I am opposed to the single-tax Tieasure and never signed the peti tion." MR. HUGHES WINS EASILY Straw Vote at Estacada Gives Him 8 7 to 52 for Wilson. ESTACADA, Or., Oct, 28. (Special.) In a three-day straw vote here In one of the drug stores, Hughes walked away as the favorite, as follows: Hushes 87. Wilson 62 and Benson 4. PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE INDICATING BIG FRAUD IN INITIATIVE PETITION TO HAVE "FULL RENTAL VALUE LAND TAX AST) I , ' - ' .- . IS - if- -J 5 . , - i Of , i '. ' , . i ' A ' -'w--l III I II it , T. ' i t j. Above Herbert Gordon and Paul Cowgill, of Realty Board, Cooing hronsh Stack of Retoncd Letter, CMcli Aerrer Reached Supposed Signers of Petition, and Replies From Some Who Were Reached by Queries. Center One or Many Returned Letters Proving That Addresses Given by Supposed Signers Were Either Ps.m or Ficti tious. Below Kmphatle Denial of One Putative Signer That He Indorsed the Single-Tax Petition at All. DR. MARGELLUS IS BACK GUARD MEDICAL OFFICER TO BE MUSTERED OUT OF SERVICE. Duties as City Health Officer Will Be Resumed Oregon Troop and Bat- tery Left In Fine Shape. Dr. M. B. Marcellus, city health of ficer, returned yesterday from Calexico, Cal., where he has been detailed with Oregon Troop A and Battery A for two months past. He has returned In ac cordance with orders from the War De partment to report here to be mustered out. He will again take charge of the health bureau of Portland next Wednesday, relieving Dr. Louis Wolf, who has held the position since Ma jor Marcellus was called out with the Oregon Natkmal Guard in June. "I left two very fine military or ganizations," said Dr. Marcellus yester day. "Troop A and Battery A have made wonderful showing and are now classed as thoroughly efficient parts of the volunteer organizations on the bor der. Battery A nas 175 men, and is the largest battery in the United States. Troop A has 108 men. "The men are all well and contented. although the most of them are ready to come home. There is no discontent. but the fact that there is nothing hap pening on the. border now has made some of the men anxious to get back. They have no Idea when a call will come for them to return, and no one else seems to know, although it is being whispered about that the order to mus ter out may come at any time. "The health of the men is excellent, there being virtually no disease. The strenuous Army life has made them all physically hard and strong. The sanitary conditions are excellent where the Oregon contingents are in camp. Dr. Marcellus, who headed the med ical detachment of the Third Oregon Regiment, went to San Diego with the Third Infantry and the battery and troop when they first were called out. When the regiment returned he came with them to Camp Withycombe. and shortly before the men were mustered out he was ordered to return to the battery and troop at Calexico. SALESMEN HEAR ISSUES THIRTY; CANDIDATES MAKE ONE- MINUTE SPEECHES. Club Members Snap-Shot Judgments of Aspirants for Office at Bi weekly Dinner. Rapid-fire discussion of candidacies was the diversion of the Salesmen's Club, holding its bi-weekly dinner Frl day night at the Hotel Oregon. Besides the reeular membership or trie ciuo the dinner was attended by about 30 candidates, each of whom was given one minute to answer to rollcall and make a brief exposition of his or her Platform. Many issues were brought before the club in this manner, for although the speeches were brief the club was able to make snap-shot judgments from faces and personalities. Most of the salesmen expressed satis faction with the scheme that allowed them to see the candidate and iden tify his appearance with his name. The principles of salesmanship fur nished the topic. William G. Harring ton, formerly professor of English and public speaking at Pacific University made one of the leading speeches be fore the club. A. C Clark, president of the club. TIIE SUNDAY OREGOXIAX, rORTLAXD, HOMEMAKERS' LOAN FUND AMF,miEr PITT ON BALLOT. POSTLA RKAx.XVBOik.RI. ftv ... f zoo-ioa Hior iuiloim 3. " , t '-' Zf-&7fi V pomuiia Oregon'- OCT "15x1 'Xj J OCT 1 7 Ret ftwe,? : NpTSfcT' 2410- 47t5l th fle rayr. Sk? 7? """be, , '" I s' .o4 -&t. I . . introduced the chairman of the even ing, who was A. M. Work. The Neapolitan Quartet furnished musical selections. HUGHES MONEY NOT TAKEN 1 Republicans Offer Wagers on Nomi nee, but Democrats Hesitate. PENDLETON, Or.. Oct. 28. (Special.) Although this was Wilson day in Pen dleton Hughes money is plentiful here. Up to a late hour there were no callers for the three bets totaling $1250 on Hughes which were placed at a local cigar store by Pendleton Republicans today. The report that there is no Hughes money in Pendleton has brought a number of Hughes men who are willing to take the Republican candidate as the favorite either in Pendleton, Uma tilla County, the state or Nation. Hearing that there was $3000 on Wil son offered at a cigar store a promi nent Republican came forward last night to take the bet, but by this time the Wilson man was willing to wager only J700. SINGLE TAX TO BE DEBATED Advocate and Opponent Are to Sleet at Oregon City. OREGON CITY, Or., Oct. 27. (Spe cial.) E. J. Stack, secretary of the Portland Central Labor Council and the Oregon State Federation of Labor, and Arthur Brock, of Portland, will debate the affirmative side of the land and loan (single tax) bill against C. Schue bel, ex-legislator and City Attorney, at the Woodman Hall in this city next Thursday night. Master Artisan Bowes, of the Artisan Lodge, completed ar rangements for the debate today. The meeting is open to the general public Mr. Schuebel has made a deep study of the measure and denounces it as the "most vicious on the ballot." He has conducted a county campaign against the bill. Mr. Stack and Mr. Brook as sisted in the drafting of the measure. "The Ballot" Will Be Topic. "The Ballot" will be discussed at an open meeting at Clinton-Kelly Method ist Episcopal Church, Fortieth and Powell road, Wednesday evening, un der the auspices of the women of the church. Well-informed local speakers will be present and explain details of the coming election and affairs that pertain to the ballot. The meeting will be oonsectarian and nonpartisan and is open to all who wish to attend. Lillian Romalne, One of the Com edy Singers nt Strand Today. I, f '& M ' ' - t I ' s q t i " ' n MERCHANTS FOR HUGHES GREATER PORTLAND ASSOCIATION STRAW VOTE 08 TO 4. Similar Ballots Taken on Alberta Streetcars and Vancouver Ferry Show Republican Lead. Indications of a strong Hughes sen tlment among Portland merchants were emphatically voiced by a straw vote of the Greater Portland Associa tion taken during their meeting Thurs day night at the Multnomah Hotel. nen ine poll was counted it was found that 98 had cast their votes for Hughes and only four had voted for Wilson. The identity of the Wilson backers was not discovered, for ex pressions of political sentiment that were heard on the floor of the meet lng were received with apparent unanimity of approval. Another straw vote -of particular significance was that taken by Charles hite . on six trips on an Alberta streetcar. There were 257 votes cast, of which Hughes got 198 and Wilson 61. These votes were largely among the laboring men and women. A similar preponderance of senti ment for Mr. Hughes among the masses may be seen in a straw vote taken on the Vancouver ferry. This showed 49 votes for Hughes and 20 for-Wilson. Mr. White told friends yesterday that in taking his straw vote on the Alberta streetcar he took the votes on his trip into and out from the city each or three successive days, getting a dif ferent crowd each day. SiGNS SHOW AT NIGHT WARNINGS ON COUNTY ROADS IN CREASED BV O.-W. R. A X. Dancer Signals In Blarlc and White Designed to Be Readable In Dark. Statistics Korebodlng. To reduce to the minimum accl dents in which automobiles and. rail road trains are the principals, th O.-W. R. & N. Company has erected at some places along Its lines signal posts. They are placed on county roads 300 feet from the crossing and the company intends to place the sig nals at all dangerous crossings all along the entire system. The signals are circular, bearing th black words "Railroad Crossing. Dan ger," on a white background. They are designed so that they may be seen at night with ease. The railroad company seeks to elim inate accidents, and the adoption of the signals is another step in what they consider the proper direction. As It has been necessary to get the permission of County Commissioners the company has been some time in erecting the few signs that so far have been put up. Statistics show that 1086 person were killed in train-automobile accl dents in 1915, and the increase thi year In the number of automobiles will, if the best precautionary meas ures are not taken, result in greater fatalities this year. Service to Be Held Today. The second vesper service of th Greater Portland University will be held in the lecture room of the univer sity building, at Seventeenth and Love joy streets, at 4 P. M. today. Ed Garl Crawford, president of the university, will deliver an address on "Motive Im pulses of Prehistoric Migration." Mis Rita Fowler, vocalist, and J. Wehoffen, violinist, will jprovido music. OCTOBER 29, 191G. DANGERS OF SINGLE TAX BILL EXPOSED R. R. Duniway Says Measure Uses Meaningless Words in Many Instances. PROMISES ARE DENIED Proposed Amendment Would Abol ish Taxes, but Would Not lrovldo Sufficient Funds for Govern- -ment, Says Attorney. Some of the dangers of the so-called "full rental value land tax and home makers' . loan law" amendment to the constitution of Oregon, to be voted on November 7. were pointed out yester day by R. R. Duniway, well-known lawyer. He declared that the passage of the measure would be nothing short of dis astrous to the walfare of the state. He warned that, even should It be held unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of the United States, which would take at least one and one-half to two years to determine, it would so upset condi tions that panic and untold damage would result. "If the people once understood the measure there would be no likelihood of its adoption." said Mr. Duniway. "The danger lies in the misrepresentations and false promises made by Its advo cates, who are endeavoring to corral votes by concealing its real signifi cance and painting rosy but wholly untrue and misleading pictures 'of Its purported benefits. Measure Declared Single Tax. "It is essential that all our people understand what constitutional amend ment No. 306 Yes, 307 No. really means. It is a single-tax constitutional amend ment disguised under a long, mislead ing ballot title. It is quite commonly called people's land and loan amend ment. Its disastrous meaning will appear right after the election if the amend ment should be adopted. 'It Is not stated In the ballot title that this is a single-tax measure. It hould first be realized that It is a dis guised single-tax measure and should be voted on as such and as nothing lse. This proposed constitutional amendment undertakes to make a rev olutionary change in our constitution. Our citizens should realize that when they are amending a constitu tion they are exercising the highest power of sovereignty, and it Is im portant they should vote No, unless they understand fully why they should ote Yes. Danger Shows on Face. "All ReDublicans. all Democrats, all Progressives, everybody except Social ists, anarchists and single taxers. hould vote No 307 on this consti tutional amendment because it is sim ply a socialistic anarchistic and Bingle- tax measure ana notning eise. Of course the Socialists, the an- rchists and single taxers should vote 06 Yes. To demonstrate how dangerous. amaging and indefensible this con- titutlonal amendment is. It Is only ecessarr to read it. When we read it we find that It undertakes to use words without any regard to their meaning. t attemDts to commingle ansoiuteiy different thlncs which will not Inter mingle. It would not make a workable constitutional amendment. The amendment attempts to collect full rental value of land without re gard to the Improvements upon it, such as clearing the land, cultivating the land, fencing It, putting orchards upon it, putting buildings, etc., upon it. I nlnivrovrd Land Worth Little. The amendment provides that land r,nt hall be collected simply for the unimproved land. There is no land rent, and there would be no land rent for unimproved land unless the land in Its unimnroved condition is capaoie of being used, without the expenditure for improvements. "Gracing land lias a small rental val ue for pasturage purposes. Prairie land, or land that requires little effort in clearing and which would proauce crops without expensive improvement has a small rental value. Vacant land situated in the city upon which cheap shacks can be erected, or tents can be erected at slight cost, nas a small rental value. The land rent produced in sucn a way would be trifling and would not raise sufficient funds to run our state, county, city, municipal and other gov ernmental charges. The assertion that the state could collect Large rental vai- e under this amendment is incorrect. tnr th vrv eood and sufficient rea son that there is no way that the land can be separated from the improve ments upon it in determining rental value. State Would Be Crippled. What would the owner of the build- Ing-s if city property or me owner of the labor that went into the clear ing of farm land, fencing farm land, cultivating it. putting orchards upon It and buildings upon It. pay ior ine land rent of the land, when there Is no provision made in the amendment for dispossessing the present owner and occutant of the improvements on ine land. In tavor of an outside bidder? In other words, the proposed amena- ment would give the present owner a monopoly in bidding what is the land rent for the ground. There is no pro vision whereby a competitor could, bid more land rent than the owner and get possession of the buildings, the improvements which are Inseparable from the land, and which the amend ment still keeps in the owner of the land and the owner of the improve ments. The amendment would result in no one paying any large amount of land rent to the state, nor would there be any large amount of taxes to be paid to the state, and the result woura do no money to carry on the state, county and city governments. Controversy Would Result. "There would be endless controversy and confusion as to what should be col lected. 'The proponents of this constitution al amendment aim to answer this by saying that under the taxing power, public officials would tax the land and call it land rent, but there is no rela tion between land rent and taxes. The amendment abolishes taxes. Taxes and land rent cannot be used as synonyms. "The proposed amendment is so con tradictory as to be meaningless. The only effect there could be would be to attempt to destroy our system of land titles, our system of taxation, and place nothing effective in its place. It would merely result in the value of land and mortgages being destroyed by means of confusion and do no one any good." POBTLANDER DIES ON BOAT Whisky Is Chlrl Baggage of Dean Bishop, Found Iead on Kilburn. EUREKA. Cal.. Oct. 28. (Special.) Dean Bishop, identified by members of th crew of atleaoier F. A. iLUourn a Hyacinths, ( Roses Shrubs Trees and Peren nial Plants should be ordered Now With the tj Free K 1 f 7 1 3 For the convenience of our patrons, a daily delivery service in the city, with special arrangements for suburban districts, will be maintained. V COMPAKT !S!13 PORTLAND. OREGON volViPAJi- S. E. CORNER FRONT AND YAMHILL STREETS. TELEPHONE: MAIN 4040, A 6013. Lovegrove Brannock Case (OREGON JOURNAL, AUGUST 25, 1911.) Two and a half years ago R. t. LoveKrove deserted his wife and four chil dren In a California town and eloped wuh Mn. Urannoik. wife of "W. Bran nock, taking with them the two Brannock boy, asd ." and 7 years. Two and a half yean Mr. Brannock searched for the pair and his children. Mrs. Loe Krove and four children In California were left destitute, and often during th two and a half years have tolled in the llelds as a means of livelihood. The lone quest for Loveurove and Mrs. Brannock ended In Portland. Br th circumstance of officers of the Juvenile Court the pair were apprehended in Clackamas County. Tjife affords few eass of greater depravity thnn that of Lovegxovo snd" Mrs. Brannock. The California wife and her four children, tinc.ired for and unsupported, am a terrible indictment of the man. They are scarcely less of an Indictment against Mrs. Brannock. Yet for this crime against th American home and this crimo avalnst society there is no punishment, according to the Portland Municipal Court. tl.ovegTOTO and Mrs. Brannock admitted their (tuilt to officers. They were, defended by Attorney Haddock, then law partner of Tazweli, and were dis charged by Tax well. J (OREGOXIAX, AUGUST 23, 1911.) Indignation is exprepaed by many over the recent- action of Municipal Judge. Tnzwell in liberating under most unusual circumsianct-s H. I. LoTegrove and Mrs V. !rannock. who were arrested after a two-year quest, and who were held on statutory charges. A plan is said to ho on foot to rearrest the pair and return them here for a new trial. Extradition may be reported to if nec essary. 'The affair is a pure and simple case of miscarried justice." declared Juvenile Officer White, who arrested the couple. "1 have been associated with courts in Portland for seven years, and I have not wen anything to compare with the performance. It fairly staggered me. 1 did not know which way to turu. Both the prisoners had told m they were guilty. All they hoped for was light sentences. Both expressed their fear of the stripes." THE MBRIDE CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE, 1:. K. bmith. sst'crelary. (I'a Id Advertisement.) hetna- . nhotozranher from Portland, I LwtLS round dead In his berth aboard the steamer Kilburn at 6 o ciock mis morn ing. Two hours before he had called the steward saying he was ill. A lini meit for external application was given him. An Inquest Is to be held to determine whether death was due to natural causes or to his drinking the liniment, as is suspected. Members of the Kilburn's crew say that Bishop came aboard at San Fran cisco and presented two tickets which entitled htm to occupy a. room alone. They say he was under the Influence of liquor at the time. When the au thorities here searched Bishop's bag gage they found it to consist of a suit case and two small wooden kegs of whisky; which evidently he was taking Into dry Oregon. Bishop had only 15 cents in money. CARD Of TUAXKS. Wo wish to express our grateful appreciation of the many expressions of sympathy and beautiful floral trib utes tendered by our friends in this time of our great sorrow. John Betz. Frederick Ftetz, Kenneth Peiz. Adv. Campbell Hotel TWEXTV-THIRD AND 1IOYT STS. Phone Marshall 881. Sunday Dinner October 2!Hh. 4i3t to SO I. M. Caaabas. Mock Turtle Soup. Sliced Tomatoes. Rip Olives. Fried Spring Chickens. Country Gravy. Mashed Potatoes. Evergreen Corn on the Cob. Queen Fritters. Spiced Cherries. Baked Peaches and Whipping Cream. Tutti Fruttl Ice Cream. - Cake. Crackers. Cheese. Coffee. Stolen Ford TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS REWARD 117 TOURING CAR Engine number. 1.391.622: O r e g o'n license, 32,649: new-style large radiator and hood, crown fenders, large hub caps, electric headlights, oil side and tall lights and license on bracket; Goodyear moulded tread tires, rear: Goodyear smooth In front. Stolen after 7 P. M.. October 13th from Broadway and Yamhill streets. Notify Old Colony Insurance Company, Fields. Dove & Co- Agents. 410 Board of Trade. Phone lLa.ui 3914. I Tulips, Narcissi, rocus, Snowdrops and other Hardy Spring-blooming Bulbs should be planted now for earliest flowers. Darwin Tulips Our list of these famous large flowering tulips includes the most popular and best varie ties. Be sure to make your se lections while stocks are com plete. Lawn Grass first Fall rain s all lawn work should be hastened. Our DIAMOND LAWN MIXTURE and FERTILIZER will give quick and perma nent results, producing a dark green velvety turf. ( Our Autumn Catalogue (4 pages, listing Bulbs, Roses, Fruit and Orna mental Trees, Shrubs, Berries, Vines, Ferns and House Plants a safe guide to your purchases. ASK FOR CATALOGUE No. 361. Delivery Service Our New Store Hi; VIY FOR VOIR lXSPKtTIO.X. NEW MODELS IN Foxes, Hudson Seal and Mole Scarfs and Muffs Hudson Bay Fur Co. M. I. GUMBERT, Mgr. j 47 Hroadway. Between Mor rison and Alder. HOTEL 1(11 SAN FRANCESCO Gaary Street. Hist off Union Square European Plan $1.50 a day op Breakfast 60c Lunch 50c Dinner SI. 00 Most Famous Msals in the United States New steel and concrete tincture. Center of theater, cafe and retail district. On carlines transferring all over city. Tska Mnnlcloal car line direct to door. JJotor Bos meets trains and steamers 4 Seattl s amoms Hotel I Fine central location. Ever M modem appointment. ui J one ol hoest on tne woevc RATES mt dav od with one of bank ft! pel djr aud uff wmh private bdfe 1 r f7"77" a i taw a u fc3aae4v