THE , OREGON DAILY, JOURNAL, PORTLAND, FRIDAY, JUNE, 1, 1917.
TAX AMENDMENT FOR -WORE
EQUITABLE LAW
,4
STRONGLY
INDORSED
Measure Submitted to People
y.by Legislature Will Make
Mor More Modern System.
BALLOT NUMBER IS 308
.lWifl Amendment Would SttM
8tt to Soh Property Hot
Vow Paying Taxos.
. I Oregon taKea front rank amontf
" tl" atatea ot the Union in nearly
all - rovernmental affairs. An excep
tion i Ita method of taxation, which
hkrks back to the general property
'tlx' aytetn adopted for Oregon be
f fire t waa even admitted to tha
j. Union.
" i At tha special election to be held
rtsxt Monday the votera of the state
Will hav opportunity to approve a
nUtutional amendment which will
n a- foundation upon which modern
Methods of taxation may be adopted
through the enactment of laws.
I Xaafllng Van tTrge Amesdaaat
I This proposed constitutional amend
ment, which is designated as the
'XJalform Tax Classification Amenfl-
itent" and has ballot numbers S08
" yea, o, was referred to the peo
jije by the' legislature. It is being
- alipported by the state tax commis
sion, Henry E. Reed, assessor of
ultnornah county; former Governor
est, and many others who are au-
orlty on taxation questions.
An affirmative argument on the
r6ea.su re ' -In the voters pamphlet.
"fhleh closes with this appear, "Voto
Sj8 yes. Put Oregon- in the column
1 jjf 'atates whose tax laws are sane,
fund and modern," is signed bytthe
HowUjg men: Fred W. Mulkey,
Hortlanrt- A. 1,. Yeasle. Portland:
diehard "W. Montague, Portland; Wil
liam L. Brewster, Portland; Robert
If. Strong, Portland; Henry E. Reed,
Portland; Charles V. Galloway. Salem,
s X .B. Eaton, Salem; C. L. Hawley,
McCoy: Sam LauKhlin. Yamhill: B. L..
Eddy, Roseburg; John IL Carkin. Med
ibrd; W. W7 Calkins. Liugene; Oeorgs
j Keuner Jr., Itosnburg; F. O. Young,
JSUgene; penton G. Burdick. Redmond
Oswald West, Portland; Claude C
t McColloeh, Portland; Walter M. Pierce,
a Urande.
, Modern System Offered
The amendment itself will make no
ange in the tax laws of the state
'merely offers opportunity for a
modern system of taxation, to meet
, tjie complex business situation of to
' day, to be adopted through futunj
i legislation. This legislation will hav
Q be enacted by the legislature or
-Try. the people through the initiative.
I It will be imposlhle for any tax
w to be passed and be put Into ep
ilation without the consent of the
people, because under other provisions
t . f the constitution the legislature ti
ronlblted from attaching the emerg-
cy clause to any fax measure.
If the amendment is adopted laws
German Spy Taken
Many Papers
Mapa ui Srawlngv of Saa Praclaoo's
rortlfloatloMa and Bay, Public
' Woxka of City Sacorarad.
Baa Francisco, June l. (P. ; N. S.)
-Loaded down with., maps and draw
ings of San Francisco's fortifications;
tha bay. the public works of the city
and Its largest buildings; maps of
Southern Pacific tunnels and tae like.
Deputy United States Marshal Thomas
Mulhall returned to this city Thurs
day with Hugo Weber, arrested In
Woodland several days ago as
German 8py
Weber was lodged m Fort Win
field Scott, where he will pa held
for -trial as a spy.
When arrested, Weber freely ad
mitted he waa in this country for the
purpose of obtaining information,
pictures and data to transmit to the
German government. He said 'he con
sidered President Wilson the greatest
enemy of the German people.
Worry Leads Woman
- To Commit Suicide
San Francisco, June 1. (I. N. S.)
After penning notes to a local news
paper and to the coroner, Mrs. R. W.
Howe, wife of a salesman, with3 a sis
ter residing in, Portland, Or., commit
ted suicide Thursday by inhaling gas
in her home in Geary street. .
. Tha notes explained that aha was
prompted by worry to take her life.
Mrs. Howe charged her mother-in-law,
Mrs. Lois Howe, with poisoning
her son's mind against her. She wrote
that her husband recently was given
an automobile by his mother,' and that
Increased her sorrow. She was 35 years
old. The couple were married about
five years ago. '- .
may "be passed providing for uniform
classification of property for taxa
tion. As an Illustration, this' means
that a classification may be provided
for stocks and bonds and other in
tangible property which will bring
that clasa of property from hiding
when the assessor calls and enable
that official to put it on the tax
rolls, bringing In a much greater
revenue than it is now possible to
obtain. Everybody knows that this
class of property, under the old gen
eral property tax system, to a very
large extent evades the assessor en
tirely. Sana System Provided
Here is what the 19 men who
signed tha affirmative argument on
the amendment say:
"There are many reasons why Ore
gon should vote 308 yes, and adopt
the proposed amendments. First and
foremost, Oregon will be given the
foundation for a sane system of tax
ation, which will bs attractive both
to the investor and the homeseeker.
Second, the amendments, with' tha
laws that must be enacted In accord
with them, will put an end to the
agitations in regard to taxation which
have disturbed Oregon for . many
years and tended to discourage the
introduction of capital. From the
standpoint of the public revenue, the
laws that will be based upon the
amendments will bring more money
into the treasury than now reaches
it, and distribute In an equitable man
ner the burden of taxation."
FRE USE OF CITY'S
SIRES OPPOSED BY
P.R.,UP.
COMPANY
Patrons Urged to Vote Down
Amendment Which Is
Backed by Jitney Interests,
CONDITIONS ARE REVIEWED
Oompaay Xolda Amendment If Passed
Would Deprive Council and People
of Sight of Regulation.
Calling attention to the fact that
the" proposed ''free use of streets"
amendment to the charter to be voted
on Monday, -deprives the people and
the city council ' of all right to reg
ulate the use of the streets except
for railway purposes, the Portland
Railway, Light & Power company has
sent a letter to Its patrons urging
them to vote down the measure.
The letter calls attention to the fact
that the company Is operating many
of Its lines without profit and a con
siderable number of them at an actual
loss and that if some form of fair
regulation is not imposed on the com
peting Jitneys, the whole system will
be imperilled financially.
Regulation Xs Askod
The appeal states that the company
has never asked that the operation of
Jitneys in Portland be prohibited, but
only that there be imposed regulation
which shall be comparable with that
demanded of the street car company.
The company declares that this
"free streets" amendment proposes to
amend the charter in such a way as
"no such principle of government has
ever been adopted In any city."
The letter Is as follows:
We address you as a resident of
Portland and a patron of the service
ot this company. Street railways in
all American cities operate on the
basis of a single fare regardless of
the distance a passenger i3 trans
ported. In Portland there are more
than 80 distinct railway lines, all con
nected, however, by a transfer system
By reason of the length of haul more
than two-thirds of these lines are so
expensive to operate that thy furnish
no net return and quite a few of them
operate at a very material '.oss.
Earnings Are Discussed
In any system of street railway
transportation the long and unprofit
able lines of railway can be main
tained and supported only by the bet
ter earnings or tne snorter lines run
ning through the more populous sec
tions of the city, and if the shorter
lines of street railway are unable to
support themselves and also the long
unprofitable lines, the system, as a
whole, must fail. That condition is
now facing us.
Jitneys in Portland compete with
the street railway only for the short
haul business. No competition is
offered on the long haul unprofitable
business. Jitneys In Portland are
operating without any regulation
worthy of tha name and, to prevent
any possible future regulation, the
Jitney Interests have caused to be
placed upon the ballot to be voted on
next Monday a measure known as the
"Free Use of Streets Amendment to
the City Charter." The purpose of this
amendment is to amend the charter so
that neither the council nor the peo-
Portuguese Commits
Suicide Over IJralt
Anxiety to Berre Country, Them Dread
and Xiore Affair Cause Kim to Jump
Off Boot Of BoUdlug.
Sah Diego. CaL. June 1. (P. N,.
8.) Flt anxious to serve his country
as a member of the United States
marine corps and then fearful that he
would be one of those selected for
service In the new army, Joe Panosch,
a Portuguese, 24 years of age, Thurs
day lumoed from the roof of the Ca-
brillo club building, five stories to j
a passageway in the rear of the struc-
lure, aeain dcid iusianuuimu,
Panosch about two week ago
visited the local recruiting office of
tha marine corps, and at that time
filled out preliminary papers for en
listment. Later, however, he asked for
the withdrawal of his papers.
A love affair Is believed also to have
played a part in the suicide.
Tong Murderer Is
Sentenced to Hang
Ban Francisco, June 1. (P. N. S.V
For the first time in the history of
tong wars in San Francisco, a Chinese,
Wong Hlng, was' sentenced Thursday
to hang for & murder committed as a
tong gunman. Wong will be executed
in San Quentin. The date will be set
later. He was convicted of shooting
Ng You, a Chinese undertaker. Wong
was gunning for You's uncle and shot
him by mistake.
pie, bv ordinances, ' may impose any
regulations, upon Jitney transportation,
Bao-alatlon Main Issue
The amendment goes further in that !
it would deprive tne council or me
power to regulate the use of streets
for any business other than the opera
tion of streetcars. No such principle
of government has ever been adopted
in any city.
We have never asked that the opera
tion of Jitneys in Portland be prohi
bited. We do ask that tha operation
of Jitneys be regulated in a manner, as
to the regulations of service, respon
sibility and compensation to tha city
comparable to thereerulation and bur
dens imposed upon street railways. In j
other words, that the competition be j
placed on a fair and equitable basis, i
Tne adoption or tne free use of streets
amendment would absolutely prevent
such or any regulation of the Jitneys.
As one interested in the welfare of
Portland and in the maintenance of
good transportation service, as well
as in the principles of the square deal,
we urge vou to vote against the adop
tion of this free use of streets amend
ment. To do so you should mark
your ballot 107 X No.
Very truly yours,
PORTLAND RAILWAY. LIGHT A
POWER CO.
mHHH!TmiHHHIIIHmWi
TIME TELLS
Mr. COffee Drinker
WHY
"Tter&aReascaT
for
POSTUM
Tkae Etoe!
Serges, flannels, mixtures true blue, all
of them. They don't have to be blue in color
to be true blue; they have to be tastefully
styled, thoroughly tailored; they have to be
reliable in every thread and seam, so ;that
they'll not disappoint you in wear and in val
ue. That's what we mean by "true blue."
Kuppenheimer Clothes
are just that sort. They embody correct style,
finest materials and conscientious tailoring
They are the best values obtainable at
$20 to $40
They Are Ready! Summer Models!
1
Teach the boyssi
the stvings possible by shopping for their
needs In this New Way Specialty Store.
-A cloth hat
Morrison at Fourth Street
Gus Kuhn, Pres.
Tho Kuppenheimer House in Portland
Horo'c o naw rtno
aawav suuvu vuv m ade from
straw, $2. Fine for the car and outings.
See it In the big hat festival now on for
tha season.
Summer underwear is ready when you and
hot weather say you naad it.
Red Cross contributions may be Increased
by using S. & H. Stamps.
IE
Life
Accident
Health
Liability
Property
Damage
Collision
Steam
Boiler
Burglary
Plate
Glass
Moral
Insure in the
Travelers
Announces the enlargement of its organization on the Pacific Coast and now offers Protection in
LIABILITY AND INDEMNITY LINES
Including AUTOMOBILE, PROPERTY DAMAGE, and COLLISION, STEAM BOILER
BURGLARY and PLATE GLASS
Encouraged by the generous patronage of trie people of Oregon in the lines written for many years, The Travelers Insurance Company, the leading accident
and liability company of the world and the principal exponent of guaranteed low-cost life insurance, has decided to increase the number of its lines here and
to introduce its subsidiary. '
Travelers ledemeity Company '
From this date it will offer these additional forms of insurance through its ' established and extensive agency system. Arrangements have been made to
provide TRAVELERS SERVICE in the new lines through adjusters and inspectors at appropriate places.
The Company believes that its many friends and others whom it is anxious to count among its friends will find this announcement welcome news. It in
vites the public to become acquainted with its representatives, everywhere.
Wilcox Building
PETTIS-GROSSMAYER CO., Gen'l Agents
PORTLAND
Telephone Main 702
Assets $115,095,273
Assets $31,574,256
THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY
LOUIS F. BUTLER, President ' HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT
Capital and Surplus 14,956,982 Reserves and Liabilities $i 0013 8, 291
THE TRAVELERS INDEMNITY COMPANY
Capital and Surplus $1,696,414
Reserves and Liabilities Sl',877,842i
- - .