r
55T VOL. XVI.
Out-Inn Hirso llnnl Tlmot tho tcnucncj to re
trench la cry ttron ami cry proper. Let tho tanner
aik litimcU, bowcrr, II lio can nflorJ to dltpcmo
with tho only Journal In tho EUto that belong! to Mm
an J represent! his Intertill? Thirteen jean ajo o
purchMeJ thaWiLLMiKTB Tarmmi ittnl lncatcil In It
til our meant and tho bctt ) can ot tc cral h ca. Con
ttilcr, frltndj, whether It ll not more rcaionablo at thli
time, (when you know lion- InrJ tho timet inuit pinch
tho publlihcr of jour own Journal) to go out ami col
lect a tmalt club of now tttbicrlbcrt at tho low prlco
orfcrctl rather than think of "cconomUIn?" by doing
without tho icrtlcct of a friend of tuchloiu itandlnj.
4fyQrv$tmtUt$.
Mortgaso Tax Law Legislation.
Iitvi.vo, Or., Dec. .'10, 18S1.
Editor Wlllamotto Farmer:
Ah tlio meeting of tho Legislature is
near at hnnd niul it is generally behoved
that there- will bo a strong effort mado
to havo tho mortgago tax law repealed,
it ia proper Hint tho subject bo fully in
vestigated beforo action in taken in tho
premises. Previous to tho pntsngo of
tho law it was alleged thnt many notes
and other evidences of debt wore either
removed from tho Stnto or withhold from
tho assessor, ns shown by tho great dis
crepancy in tho offsets for debt nntl tho
amount given as notes and accounts.
Also that notes sccurod by mortgages in
rcmoto counties woro chiolly hold and
tnxod in Portland and other money con
tors to tho damago of tho rural districts.
Tho effect of tho law has boon to ma
terially rcduco tho discrepancy spoken
of abovo and tho collection of taxes on
property in tho county whoro locntod.
Theso results arc both just and cquitu
bio. It is claimed by a great many that
tho law is unfriendly to capital, by im
posing a doublo tax on money as com
pared with other property, especially real
estate. A careful examination of tho
law fails to warrant tho assortion or to
show that tho mortgago tax law has
anything whatever to do with tho rato
of nssossmont. Tho wrong, if one ex
ists, lies altogether with tho assessors.
Soctio;i 0 of tho law reads as follows :
No promisory note, or other instrument
of writing, which is ovidonco of a dobt
that is wholly or partly secured by land
or real cstato situated in no moro than
ono county in this Stato, shall bo taxed
for any purpose on tho Stato, but tho
dobt evidenced thereby and tho instru
ment by which it is secured, shall for tho
purposo of nsscssmont and taxation,
bo deemed and considered as laud or
real proporty and together bo ns.csscd
and taxed as horoinbeforo provided, that
is in tho county whoro it is recorded.
By this section wo sco tho law exompts
tho noto and tho mortgago where re
corded, and whilo it neither increases
or diminishes thoamouutit does prevent
thoso who might bo so disused from ro
moving tho notes from tho Stato or in
any mannor scrconing them from their
just sharo of taxaticn.
Having tried to show that tho present
mortgago tax law is not to blamo for any
inequality in tho assessment, I go still
further, and deny tho allegation that
land is not assessed at moro than half its
value. I will admit that an occasional
salo is mado at moro than tho assessed
value, but it would not bo fairor to
tako that for a basis for assessment than
it would bo to assess tho hundreds of
thousands of dollars worth of merchan
dise throughout tho Stato at its selling
price.
Tho truo valuo of money, land or any
other proporty should bo determined by
tho net return yielded when judiciously
handled during a term of years. I know
of no better or safer illustration of tho
comparative values of different properly
than furnished by tho census of 1880.
In 18G0 tho national wealth was
twenty-four thousand millions of dollars,
in 18S0 it was forty thousand millions,
of which farms ntid tho personal prop
erty incident thereto increased from
eight thousand millions to twelve thou
sand millions. In 1SG0 farming proper
ty amounted to one-third of tho nation's
SALEM, OREGON, FRIDAY, JANUARY , 1385.
wealth, whilo in 1SS0 it wns but threo
tcuths. Tho twenty-livo million farmers
nro worth but $180 each, whilo tho other
twonty-flvo million aro worth $1,128
To tho twenty years tho farmers gained
but $1G0 each, whilo tho other classes
gained .f CIO each.
I assort, without successful contradic
tion, that to tako tho farmers of tho
Stato and placo thorn under oath and
Ihe-y will testify thnt for tho past ten
years they havo not cleared six per cent,
on tho assessed valuation of their prop
orty. Lot tho mortgago tax law bo to
amended ns to meet tho want of unifor
mity, discovered in tho U. S. District
Court by tho microscopic oyo of Jiulgo
Deady, then enforced by tho olllcors and
courts of tho Stnto.
Como forward, brother farmers, if you
deem tho law just, and let us dofond it.
Respectfully, A. 0. Ji:.VNixa.
An Eiuorlouco In Ralilnc Corn In Southern
Orogon.
Wiuint, Oregon, Dec. . '10, 1881.
Editor YVillnmotto Farmer:
I eoa in your issuo of tho 20th inst.,
that you advocato tho growing of a corn
crop so as to rniso a variety ; also as a
preparation for wheat. I thought I
would drop you a lino and givo you my
cxpcricnco in raisiug corn. Two years
ago last May, I planted about eight acres
of corn on sido-hill land such laud as
would yiold about twenty bushels of
wheat to tho aero. I did not measure
tho corn so as to ascertain just how much
it produced to tho aero ,as I commenced
cutting and hauling it to my stock as
soon as it becamo a little too hard for
roasting ears. Rut I am satisfied that it
went further in feeding my stock con
sisting of cattle, shoop and swine than
any twolvo acros of wheat or oats on tho
place; and then it comes in just at tho
tinio when our grass is dried up and of
but littlo use, and carries tho stock along
until tho ruin falls and our pastures become-
green. And, beside?, I fattened a
cow on it that I killed just boforo Christ
mas, and wo had tho best of corn-fed
corned beef all winter. I havo planted
corn tho last two years with results sim
ilar to tho avovc, except that I havo not
fattened any beef tho two last years.
Last year, in addition to my field corn,
I planted about threo acres of sweet
corn, which I found to yield abundantly
and was well appreciated by tho cows,
shcop and swine. I did not feed it to
my horses, but if thoy could get whoro
tho cows or Bheop wcro fod thoy would
pick at it as long as there was anything
left.
If nothing intorfores, I expect to plant
moro largoly of corn tho coming spring
than over. I expect to plant about twenty
acres of swcot corn with a viow of turn
ing my sheep on it as soon ns it is too
hard for ronsting-cars, and lot them help
themselves.
It is true, ns you say, that tho cul
tivation of corn leaves tho ground in ex
cellent condition for wheat. Hut I am
not, and never havo been, an advocato of
raising bo much wheat and shipping off
tho fertility of our soil. My object in
raising tho sweet corn I speak of, is to
clean tho land by cultivating tho corn
and let tho sheep eat it on tho ground so
as to mako it moro fertile, and then sow-
it to grass. Rut if I think I do not get it
clean enough nnd rich enough, I will
plant it tho second year and turn tho
sheep on it again.
YVhcro I raisod my corn two years ago
I now havo in timothy ; I sowed it twb
years ago this fall, and havo tho best
stand I havo had in a number of years.
Tho ground on which I raised my corn
tho last two years, I expect to plant to
artichokes for tho purposo of wintering
my hogs, as I find they winter well on
them and itsave a great deal o( trouble.
I will givo you my experience with arti
chokes, if you desiro it, and also with n
littlo corn I brought from Marshall
county, Mo., in my next. A happy New
Year to you. Tuo-. Smith.
1'. S. Wo had just snow enough hero
on tho mornings of tho 11th, 22d, 2Sth
and 20th, so that you could sco it, but
not deep enough to monsuro, and a littlo
sleet on tho -'ltd and 21th, and it is now
clear and frosty. T. S.
Noto Any experience our esteemed
friend may havo will bo highly appreci
ated by tho proprietors of tho paper,
Correspondence on all farm topics is de
sired. Km
eiortsBRo Tax Talk.
Si'Kixorin.t), Or., Dec. 2!), 18SI.
IMitor Wlllamotto Former!
As tho tax question seems to bo a mat
ter of interest to tho people of Oregon
at present, nnd as you havo had oovcml
articles in your paper on thnt question,
I will, with your permission, say a fow
words, as I supposo it is right that all
should bo heard. December lilth you
say to tax money or not will bo a lending
question. Now, why should it bo? why
not tax money tho samo as any other
property? It has tho samo protection
as tho land. Generally monoy, notes,
accounts and mortgages take up a good
deal of time in tho courts for adjust
ment, thou why should thoy bo excluded
from taxation? You say, not to assess
monoy and crodits will greatly simplify
matters and mnko collection of rovouuo
much easior, whilo it will remove a cause
for dishonest returns by tax-pnyors;
then I supposo a law that is simple,
without any regard to its justness, is tho
best. Now, if I should soil my cattlo
land and horses and concludo to loan
tho monoy nnd livo oil of tho interest,
why should I bo exempt from taxation
bcauso my capital is in a different kind
of proporty. Is not a man as able to pay
tax on ten thousand dollars in monoy
as tho samo amount of othor property?
Yes, but you say when ho has money ho
wont givo it in, or there is n strong in
ducement for him to mako a false ro
turn. It socms there might bo a law
mado which could not bo evaded to any
great extent if proporly enforced. You
say, to tax all property in sight will
mako tho wholo tax question easy of
solution. That probably is so, but is it
tight for u portion of tho pcoplo to pay
all tho tax to carry on tho government
becnuso they happen to own n kind of
projwrty that is easily found, or is it not
bettor for overy ono to pay according to
what lib is worth, and havo no privileged
clas. Hut you say to not tax monoy
will mako interest low. Wo ton't know
that; but supposo it did, to got tho bono
fit that tho people would havo all to bo
iwrrowcrs, which they aro not. Proba
bly a majority of tho pcoplo aro not
much jntorosted whothor interest is
high or low, but thoy want overy man
to pay his portion of tax. While it
might bo well enough to encourago cap
ital to como into tho country it is not
best to do it at tho oxpenso of othor in
terests. Wo mako no fight against
monoy, nor wish to givo it any advan
tage over other proporty. Money is
plenty able to tako caro of itself. It
would bo fully as well for tho country
to encourago other intorcsts. It bccnis
to mo tho assessment laws aro well
enough if they aro properly curried out j
they may need sotno amendments to
mako them moro cfllcient, but no radical
change. Hoping if tho Lcgislaturo does
mnko any chnngo in tho assessment
laws it will Ito for tho best interest of nil
concerned. Si'Iiikufikm).
A Newsy Letter from Sclo.
Scio, Or.. Jan. !5, 188..
IMitor Willamette Farmer t
Wo aro still in tho snow kneo deep,
but as to health nnd plenty wo aro all
right, or nt least most of us, as wo havo
our fatock in good shotto anil plenty of
feed to enrry them through, though
there aro u few who havo no feed for
their stock and who nro too hido-bound
and penny-wiso to buy of thoso who havo
plenty to spare, and of courso thoy will
loso their stock. Wo don't pity such
men, but do thoir stock.
Thero havo been a good many bnrns
fallen in by tho weight of tho snow, and
n great deal of feed is oxposed to tho cle
ment and will spoil if wo havo our usual
amount of rain, as it is impossible to re
cover or build again as there is no ma
terial to bo had, us tho stato of tho roads
is such that tennis cannot tnwcl. Our
mall matter litis lccii very much out of
Bhnpo cinco tlio storm nnd wo know lit
tlo about tho outside world or how it is
with our fcllow-incn. llopo it. is better
with them than with us.
I think tho storm will somowhat dis
courage this year's immigrants, r.s they
havo heard so much about tho climate
and tho absence of snow, though I would
advise them to bo of good cheer ns this
kind of weather is not common for
Oregon, nnd it may never occur again,
at least I hopo not.
What is known ns tho Richardson
bridge, across Crabtreo creek, is gono;
cause, too much snow, which mashod in
tho roof ami broke tho stringers. Ono
old shed of our neighbor, Loo Morris,
fell in and caught his son under it, hut
strange it was, ho ennio out but littlo
hurt but badly scared.
Wo hear that a son of James Elliott,
of California, is here on business nnd
wishes to soil his father's old homestead,
which consists of one thousand acros of
fine laud.
Our friond S. W. Gaines, two miles
south of Scio, is in tho poultry business
up to his eyes, lfohasas lino poultry
ns can bo found on tho coast, and is stU
importing some handsomo birds. Wo
saw a trio which ho received last week
from Ohio, nnd to say thoy wcro hand
somo would bo only putting It mildly, as
thoy wero tho finest birds wo ovor had
tho pleasure of looking at. Such men
should bo encouraged in such enterprise,
nnd Sam is just tho man to make it pay
if work and pains can do it, as ho prides
himself on doing things in tho most im
proved stylo. Anyone wishing lino poul
try would do well to call on him, as ho
will bo able to furnish them with tho
very best nt ronsonnblo prices.
Our Grunge (Sautiam)is moving along
slowly, though wo hopo successfully; it
has boon a trying timo on yo Grangers,
as produce of all k'nds havo ruled very
low for tho past season, in fact below
cost to tho farmer, and when that is tho
case all sulfur alike, as it makes hard
times.
Wo hopo our Lcgislaturo will do some
thing to compel tho dllToreiit railroads to
givo us a reuhoimblo freight tarill', as
thoir rates aro too high and out of pro
portion to the need of tho public.
Thero is not ovor ouo-third as much
fall wheat as hut year In this part of old
Linn, as a good many farmers have con
cluded that ilax pays hotter than wheat
and vill try that tho coming ceason, and
a good many nro turning thoir attention
to grass and stock, which I think is a
good idea.
Scio is quito a business pluco ifnd her
citizens so"in to bo willing to livo, and
let live. Laud in this part of tho valley
is cheap and wo would advise thoso
wishing homes with good neighbors to
como this way and will never havo cause
to regret a look at this country, whether
they buy or not.
Hoping tho F.wt.Mi:it a prospcoous
year, with a full support of tlio farming
community, I am truly yours, O. K.
Done to Rest.
K.wr I'oktland, Or., Dec. 27, 1881.
Kditor Willametto Fanner:
Another pionoor has been called to
lila homo above. Mr. Christian Door
dorffcame to this Stato many years ago
and has lived most of his time in this
vicinity. Ho had reached tho advanced
ago of soventy-nino years, and was hon
ored and respected by all who know him.
Full well did wo know for many months
that his time was short and his depar
ture was near at hand, but that Is some
NO. 48
thing pretty hard to do, to prcparo our
selves to becomo reconciled to givo up a
friend, but now wo aro called upon to
deplore tho loss of tho dopartcd. He
leaves a wife who laments his loss, whe
bin loved and kindly cared for her for
over fifty years. Mr. Deordorff leaves
three sons, all prosperous farmers, two
having largo families.
Mr. DoordorlT was a Christian in overy
sense ; ho was dovoted to his church, n
kind and indulgent husband, an allcc
tiouato father and an observer of tlio
golden rule given us by our great
Teacher: "Do unto others as yo would
havo them do unto you."
Mas. R. J. 1.
Weather Roport for December, 1881.
Kola, Janunry 1, 1885.
IMitor Willametto Farmer:
During Jan., 1881, there woro 11 days
during which rain and snow foil, nntl
an aggregate of (1.00 inches of water,
fi clear, fi fair and 10 cloudy days other
than those on which rain fell.
Tho mean temperature for tho month
was :i0.7:i dog.
Highest daily mean temperature for
tho mouth, 12 dog. on the 2d.
Lowest daily mean temperature for tho
month, 11 deg. on the 17th.
Mean temperature for tho mouth nt
2 o'clock p. m., tfl.lfidog.
Highest temperature for tho month, -11)
at 2 p. M. on tho -1th.
Lowest teinj)crature for tho month, 8
deg. at 1) P. St. on tho 2:id.
Sixty inclios of snow, foil during tho
month, which settled down and molted
away until thero wns not at any timo it
greater dopth thanJIO to J)8 inches.
The prevailing winds for tho month
were from tho north during 211 days,
Hojmijjjijvygtjpjuji-wpst o days.
During Dec, 188!), there wero 10 rainy
days and fi.(KI inchos of water, (1 clear,
and If) cloudy days.
Mean temperature for tho month,
10.32 deg.
Highest dally mean tciiiomliiro for
tho mouth, fiO.02 deg., on tho 2ith. .
Lowest dally mean temperature for
tho month 20 deg. on .list.
T. l'laum:.
A Do Law Needed.
Wiiiti:aki:ii, Or., Jan. 2, 18S.r.
IMitor Wlllamotto Farmer:
Whilo thero is so much being, said
about tho mortgago tax question, I think
tho farmers overlook an important ques
tion. Why don't wo have a dog law?
Tho Indiana dog law for instance.
How much wo loso by tho ravages of
fhe.se pots. I think friond Hunt can
givo us home interesting joints on this
subject. Will you induce him to givo iih
tho extracts concerning such a law?
ClTIZI.'N,
Hiipi.yv Tlio columns of tho Faiimkic
are open to tho discussion of all such
questions. There is no doubt of the valuo
of such a law and while tho term of the
legislature is short it behooves thoso
interested to act promptly and to tho
point. Ki.
The Weather In Umpqua.
WiMiunTOr., Dec. 0, 1881.
IMitor Willainiitto Farmer:
I saw in last neck's FAitMint that there
had been heavy sleet hero. Thero was
a slcot storm near Oakland, but nouo
hero. There Is no snow in tho valloy
now, but some in sight on the hills.
II. M. Maiiti.v.
Ik you don't want tho Faiimku for
1885 droji us a postal card and say so.
Wo don't want to loso a single sub
scriber, but shall not force our paper on
anyone.
Additional earthquakes occurred in
Spain every day last wool:. Tho city of
Albania was thrown down hill ; 10,000
head of cattlo perished ; tho people aro
camped in tho fields. Showers of stouo
fell in homo places. Mnuy children's
bodies aro buried and cannot bo recov
ered. Many fissures in tho earth ap
peared. Oonuino cod aro caught in a pool
on tho beach at Ilwaco.