Jtwrftift
cttrtim
UBUIBHI PULL AOOIATiO "
OOVIRS THK MORNING MILD ON THB LOWIft OOLUMBIAil
VOLUME LXIU NO. 30
ASTORIA, OREGON, SUNDAY. FEBRUARY 10,
PRICE FIVE CENTS
TAX BILL
IS
Makes Large Change From
Present System.
EXCLPT10NS LIBERAL
Property Same as Pri
vate Persons.
Law FIM Method of Asaeismtnt
Real Estate Owned by Banks Will
Be Rated 8me That of
Individual.
SALEM, Ore., Feb, 9. The House
today passed two of tha bllla backed
by the Bute Tax Commission, and
practically docldcd to pass another,
consideration of thla measure In the
committee of tha whole bolng Inter,
ruplod by the adjournment In the af
ternoon. House bllte IS and ware
pinned, these loylng tha foundation
for tha other four lax bllla and ma
terially chanting the present eyatem
of atate taxation.
House bill 99 prescribes what prop
erty shall be taxed In Oregon, aa wotl
aa what la exempt. The following ex
emptions are provided: All real and
personal property of the United State
or atate; all public or corporate prop
erty of cltlca, town, school district
and vlllagea; personal property of all
literary, benevolent, charitable and
aclenttno Institutions and real catate
occupied for the purposes for which
tha aocletlea were Incorporated; nil
chiirchea, burial ground and build
ing thereon, not exceeding 30 acrea
In on piece; all public llbrarlea.
property of Indiana who have not sev
ered their tribal relatione; personal
property of Indlgenta; 1300 worm of
household gooJa for each family.
The law Is more liberal In He ex
ceptlona than many of the legislators
hoped, the provisions for the exemp
tion of all fraternal property and fur
nishings and especially for the ex
emption of private cemetery and cre
matory associations, that are organis
ed for profit alone, being considered
somewhat liberal.
The bill provides for the assessment
of estates, for tho place of assessment
of persons owning proporty In various
counties, and for the taxation of cor
porate property. Suction 13. which
treats of corporation taxation, eay:
"The personal proporty of every pri
vate corporation Is liable to taxation
In the snmo tnnnnor as tho personal
proporty of a natural person, and
shall bo assessed in the name of such
corporation In the county where the
principal place of business of such
corporation 1h locatod, unless other
wise spoclally provided by law; but If
such corporation Is engaged in the
business of navigation, then the
steamboats or other water craft of
such corporation shall be assessed In
the county and state where the home
port of such water' craft' may be."
The form of the assessment roll Is
provided, personal proporty Is to be
placed at Its cash value' 'by the as
sessor; time oj! 'assessment and meth
od of giving notice of same are fixed,
and generally the basis of the new
taxation system' recommended by the
commission Is laid. , .
House bill 85, that was passed yes
terday, provides for the assessment of
bank stock and shares. Under the bill
all trust, loan and exchange com
panies are considered banks and their
shares of stock are made liable to as
sessment. Accounting offloers of luch
PASSED
Institutions are required to furnish a
statement of the number and value of
shares for the guidance of the asses
sor. Real estate owned by the banks Is
asMussed us other real estate, and not,
as at present, according to the val
ue of tho property as shown by the
book of the band, In 1'ortlund large
block of real estate have been escap
ing their share of taxation because
tha assessor took lheo tracts ut the
valuation shown by the bunk's book
which was alwuys was the bank had
paid for thla proporty and not what
the presunt salo price was.
Shares of bank stock not situated In
tho state are not to be asscssrd. That
is, Oregon holders of stock in foreign
banks do not have to puy taxes on
such stock.
Share of stock In national banks
shall be assosed to the Individual
shareholders at the place where the
bunk Is located. Bhares of stock In
other bnnka 4 Interest In banking
capital, b' , and loan association
and tr .unpanles shall be assessed
to banks or companies or their
owtu.s and stockholders at the place
where such Institutions are located.
FOR CHEAP ALCOHOL.
Oenaturlzad Product May Be Manu
factured Without Red Tap.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 9.-Senator
Hansbrough, of North Dakota, aeom
to have won the fight he has made so
vigorously for the purpose of enabling
the t-rihors of the great northwest
to manufacture denaturltcd alcohol,
without all tho red tape and rigid reg
ulation which accompany the manu
facture of thl article In the great dis
tilleries. The first fruits of this legis
lation were heralded aa of Incalcula
ble benefit to the farmer, but It was
Boon aeen that under tho law dena
tured alcohol would easily be controlled
by the trusts, which own all the dis
tilleries. Then It was that Senator Hans
brough set about having the law
amended and the House Committee on
Ways and Mean, whore all revenue
measure must originate, has risen to
the occasion and ordered a favorable
report on a composite bill that In
cludes the best points of several meas
ures that have been Introduced. The
proposed law also has the approval of
treasury officials and will be passed
before this session adjourns. Without
going Into the legal verbiage of the
proposed act, It moy be said that It
will enable the farmera to work up
their waste products Into denatured
alcohol, without all the expensive par
aphernalia and red tape necessary In
dealing with the big distilling houses.
GIFT HAS FLAW.
Rockefeller's Donation Will Not Reach
Most Worthy Colleges.
CHICAGO, Feb. 9. President A. W.
Harris, of Northwestern University
lust night In commenting on the do
nation of John. D. Rockefeller to the
general Education Board, for the pur
pone of promoting the cause of edu
cation throughout the country found
one serious objection to the system of
tho board In handing out tho money.
"Tho colleges that need the money
most cannot afford to have it because
of tho condition which must be com
plied with to get It." said President
Harris. "For Instance, Belolt was of
fered $200,000 by the board as one third
of an endowment on condition thut
the collego would raise tho other two
thirds, $400,000. This Belolt found im
possible and consequently could ob
tain only $50,000 of the amount, The
college that can raise two thirds of
such an endowment is not the college
that noeds the money most."
TELEPHONE MERGER.
CHICAGO, Feb, 9. The Incorpora
tion of a number of telephone com
panies " which 'will furnish' long dis
tance connection with the Independent
Telephone lines' was announced yes
terday. The iomprbmlse whlcl) will
enter the merger are the Chicago, Mil
waukee and Northern Long1 Distance
Company, the Chicago, Indiana and
Eastern Telephone Company, and the
Chicago, St. Louis and Western Long
Distance Telephone Company. The
general offices will be located In Chi
CALLS IT
INJUSTICE
GovernorllitsMeasurePro
posed by Congress.
WOULD HURT OREGON
Law to Keep Timber Lands and
Sell Timber Would Check
State's Growth.
MESSAGE TO LEGISLATURE
Special Missive 8nt by Chamberlain
Calling Attention of Law Makers
to Dangers Lurking in Bill
Before Congress.
SALEM, Ore.. Feb. 9. In a special
message to the legislature late yester
day, Governor Chamberlain pointed
out the bad effects that would be ex
perienced by Oregon If the congres
sional proposal to retain title to tim
ber lands and sell only the timber
were carried out. The message fol
lows: "Gentlemen of the Senate and
House of Reoresentatles I note In
the dispatches of yesterday that the
Senate committee on public lands In
the Congress of the United States re
ported favorably on the 6th Inst., a
bill repealing the timber and stone act
and providing that In the future the
government shall retain title to Its
timber lands and sell only the timber
at not less than its appraised value.
The committee have Incorporated an
amendment, proposed by Senator Ful
ton, that 25 per cent of the money de
rived from the sale of public lands
shall be paid to the counties In which
the soles are made. If my under
standing of the committee's report Is
correct, the government Intends to re
tain title to all the timber lands In the
state, whether they be situated within
the federal reserves or not, and that
the concession to the counties In
which the lands are situated of 25
per cent of the money derlveJ from
the sale of the timber Is Intended to
reimburse sold counties for taxes
which they might ultimately collect
should this timber land pass into pri
vate ownership, as under the bill re
ported the titlo to all timber land
remains In the government, and hence
the land Itself cannot bo taxed.
"Already 11,569,848 acres of land
have been practically withdrawn from
settlement and cultivation by being
placed within federal reserves; this
covers at least one-fifth In area of
tho territory of the state. It is im
possible to tell how much more of
the state's territory Is to be withdrawn
from settlement, sale and cultivation
by this proposed now law, In case it
Is enacted by congress. It may be
equal, if not greater In acreage than Is
,now Included In federal reserves.
Without questioning the advisability
of repealing or amending the timber
and stone act, but leaving this ques
tion entirely to the discretion and
judgment of the Congress of the Unit
ed States, I deem It my duty to call
your attention to the great Injustice
that is being done to Oregon and its
advancement commercially and In
dustrially by this proposed legisla
tion, super-added to the arbitrary
course of the federal authorities In
placing millions of acres within fed
eral reserves.
"It Is impossible to tell what great
injustice may be done the state by
this new act, and I suggest that a
ringing protest be made by your dis
tinguished body against the passage
of any act by Congress which will re.
tain In the government title to the
timber lands of the state, not already
Included within forest reserves. What
ever is done In the premises ought to
bo done promptly, and Oregon ought
not to submit longer to having the
most valuable of its resources place 1
In such condition as not only to re
tard but absolutely to prevent the de
velopment of the state. If it be nee.
cssary to uiwiid or repeal the timber
and stone act, to prevent fraud, cer
tainly some means can bo adopted to
give our people, acting In good faith,
title to land situated within the state
and subject to Its Jurisdiction. Re
specfully submitted,
"GEO E. CHAMBERLAIN,
"Governor."
In accordance with the message he
sent Into tho two branches of the leg
islature yesterday afternoon, request
ing that a Joint memorial be addressed
to the federal government and con
gress, protecting against the repeal or
tho timber and stone act, Governor
Chamberlain last night sent a dis
patch to Congress, In which he sounds
a vigorous protest against such action
on the ground that it would be ruin
ous to Oregon's Interests, In view ot
the fact that there are now available
over 60,000 acres of base lands upon
which to make Indemnity selections,
and asks Instead that the act be
amended so as to prevent frauds. Th
full text of the governor's dispatch to
congress follows:
"Withdrawal of timber lands from
sale and sale of timber by government
ruinous to Oregon. Amend stone and
timber act so as to prevent frauds,
but I protest against withdrawal of
lands from sale and selling timber by
government. Cost to state as follows:
First, denuded land worthless; secona,
75 per cent of proceeds timber goes to
reclamation projects outside of state;
third, Oregon has 60,000 acres base for
Indemnity selection selling at $7.50
per acre. Will be worthless If timber
lands withdrawn from sale. Fourth,
retards settlement and development"
READS LIKE NOVEL.
Romantio History of Mysterious Her
mit Onoa a German Officer.
CHICAGO, Feb. 9. The remarkable
history of Henry Scholkes Helwig,
mysterious hermit of Hammond, Ind.,
was revealed In part yesterday at the
Inquest over his body, which was
found frozen stark Thursday night In
his little hut.
Helwig was 60 years old, wealthy
and reported to be of aristocratic Ger
man lineage.
It developed) at the inquest that
Helwiar, when he was an officer In the
France-Prussian war. was charged
with a breach of discipline In taking
the command of a column from asu
perlor officer during an engagement in
which the Pruslan had been routed.
Later they rallied under his command,
but he was court martlaled and sen
tenced to be shot. While Imprisoned
In a fortress he was pardoned by King
Frederick.
Broken hearted, he fled to South
America and became a soldier of for
tune in several revolutions. He left
Brazil fifteen years ago and came to
New Orleans, later settling In Ham
mond, Ind., where he refused to talk
to anyone save a crony called Holtz.
He had plenty of money and corre
sponded regularly with his relatives In
Germany, but he refused to return
there.
ELIMINATE DANGEROUS MAN.
Insanity Does Not Save California
Murderer from Gallows.
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 9. That a
man can be adjudged insane and still
be held responsible for his acts was
the ruling made by the state Supreme
Court yesterday in the cose of the peo
ple against Frank Wlllard, who was
found guilty of murder In the first de
gree for having killed J. H. Smith,
sheriff of Mendocino county, Decem
ber 22, 1905. When the Judge was
signing the committment of Wlllard
to the Insane asylum, the latter
jumped Uy his feet and declared an
grily that he was not Insane. He
started to run from the courtroom
and the sheriff started after him. Wlll
ard turned around deliberately and
shot the official dead. As a result of
the decision of the Supreme ' Court
Wlllard must be sentenced, to death.
DEFENSE
IN DOUBT
Counsel for Thaw Will
Probably Enter Will.
JEROME WILL DECIDE
Course of Defense Depends Up
on Actions of Prosecut
ing Attorney.
MRS. THAW WILL LEAVE STAND
Objection Raised by Prosecuting At
torney Jerome Change Plan Laid
Down By Counsel for Thaw
and Next Move Undecided.
NEW YORK, Feb. 9. Doubt and
speculation exist tonight as to what
course the defense will take In the
case of Harry Thaw when the trial la
resumed Monday. When ths court ad
journed Friday It was the Intention
of Delmas again to have Mrs. Thaw
continue the narration of the story
upon which the prisoner's life may de
pend. Jerome had dramatically protested
against any further "defamation ot
the dead" Just before the Friday ad
journment was taken and had been
upheld by Judge Fitzgerald In the
contention for a "broader foundation"
for the insanity plea should be laid
before more "loose tattle of the Ten
derloin" should be placed upon the
records.
The district attorney's reference wa
to a question Delmas put to " Mrs.
Thaw, as to whether she and her hus
band had discussed together the "fate
of other girls at the hands of Stan
ford White."
The court's ruling that the Insanity
of the defendant Is not yet sufficiently
established to admit ot bringing hi
further details of his wife's testimony
may result In a temporary change in
the line of evidence.
The course to be pursued Monday
depends greatly upon the attitude of
Jerome who declared he could hav
offered legitimate objection to Mr.
Thaw's testimony at the very outsev
on the ground that the alleged insan
ity of the defendant had not been es
tablished, but had refrained from so
doing because of the fact that he knew
the testimony as to her revelations
to Harry Thaw must come sometime
If Jerome persists Monday In his
objections to the line of examlnatioi.
Indicated by Delmas' question as to
the stories concerning young women
other than the wife of the defendant,
the prosecuting officer may he asked
temporarily to excuse Mrs. Thaw to
permit the Introduction of evidence
in accordance with Justice Fitzger
ald's ruling.
As Mr. Jerome will probably be glad
of a delay, before he takes up the
difficult task of cross examining the
young wife, he Is expected to consent
to the plan.
In that event, Delmas' first attempt
will be to get In as evidence Harry
Thaw's will, which was ruled out Fri
day because of many Interlineations,
which had not been sufficiently proven.
Justice Fitzgerald held that the will
must be shown to have been In its
present condition when it was signed.
Delmas Is very anxious to have the
will go In evidence," believing It will
go' further than any other documen
tary proof he can produce to show the
effect of Evelyn Nesblt's story of her
treatment at the hands of Stanford
White, on the mind of the defendant.
Although the counsel deny that the
Information is altogether accurate, ll
leaked out today that one of the pro
visions In Harry Thaw's will Is the
setting aside of the sum of $50,000 for
the prosecution of all persons whs
may be concerned, In case of the deatk
of the testator by violence. Thu
probable Investigator of this antici
pated act of violence Is said to be re
vealed in the provision. Another par
agraph, It Is reported, made provision
for the benefit of a young woman
who, the will declared, had suffered :
111 treatment at the hands of the deaa
man, similar to that of Thaw's wife.
Reports even go so far as to say that
the names of White's alleged victims
are Included In the clause of the will
relating to this subject
Thaw's will also made provision for
Howard Nesblt, Evelyn's brother, who,
It has been reported, would take tha
stand In opposition to his sister.
Young Nesblt Is in constant attend
ance at the trial In company with
Stanford White's secretary, but has
never gone near the group of ThaWs
relatives. The rest of Thaw's prop
erty was to go to bis wife.
Delmas, it Is said, may call to the
stand Monday, an attorney from Pitts
burg who will be asked as to tho
interlineations made In the will and It
Is expected to prove that they wero
put there at the time the testament
was signed.
Falling to show that each one of
the interlineations can be remembered
by the witness, Delmas will offer a
codicil to the will which is in the
defendant's own hand writing without
interlineations. It Is not definitely
known whether all the references to
Stanford White are In the codicil, but
is known that some of them are.
Evelyn Thaw also signed the will on
the night of their wedding and It ta
believed in It she carried out her pre
vious stipulation that none of her rel
atives save her brother should have
any of his money. Several of Thaw's
unusual and disconnected letters, In
troduced In the evidence, have fre
quently referred to his determination
that Evelyn's mother should not have'
any share In his property whatsoever.
In the event of his wife's death the
property should revert to the William
Thaw estate. If finally admitted In
evidence, Delmas then may ask to re
call Mrs, Thaw to finish her narra
tive. Thaw's counsel does not like
the idea of the interruption to her
story continuing; over any consider-'
able duration of time. Should Jer
ome again protest, several alienist
employed by the defense, other than'
Wiley, will be placed on the ' stanG.v
They will be shown Thaw's letters to
his lawyer and his wife, and then be
confronted' by a hypothetical question
embracing the wife's story of her ex-
periences with Stanford White ami
other details surrounding the case, and
ultimately, the' shooting of White on
Madison Square Garden roof. Attor
neys for the defense will have a
broader foundation for a hypothetical
question when Its next alienist is put
on the stand, and do not anticipate
a repetition of the disaster of the first
day.
It was said tonight that District At
torney Jerome's cross examination of
Mrs. Thaw will be brief. The district
attorney, being barred by the rules ot
evidence from attempting to contro
vert any of the things Mrs. Thaw says
she told her husband, will confine
himself to finding out If she tol
Harry Thaw all the story she repeated
on the witness stand.
MURDERER BECOMES RICH.
Italian Flees to America and Accumu
lates Fortune.
LONDON, Feb. 9. A dispatch to the
Telegraph from Milan says that the
authorities" revealed the whereabouts
of the Florentine whose name Is not
given, but who was ' sentenced soma
years ago to penal servitude for life
for the murder of two soldiers. : The'
men escaped and could not be eraced.
His name now appears In a list of those
Injured In the San Francisco disaster.
It Is said that he has lived in San
Francisco for' some time and has ac
cumulated' "a fortune. His extradi
tion will be asked.