Oregon Hiritcriwtl Mnity
City Hull
VOL. 24.
HEPPNER, OREGON, THURSDAY.. MAY 7. 1908
NO. 1ISC
PRO
i , coin
Taxes Have Increased Un
der its Workings in
Two Years.'
Sheriff Shutt's Friend Gates Shoots
Wide of the Mark.
In its issue of April 30 the Times! understand why business men who
published an article from the pen I are not fanatics can favor licensed
of Hon. E. M. Shutt, present sheriff
of Morrow county and candidate
for re-election, anent the liquor
traffic, in which Mr. Shutt gives in
full a letter from Mr. L. J. Gates,
"representative of the Kent Mer
cantile Co., with Balfour, Guthrie
& Co.," etc.
Mr. Gates, representative of a
"great" mercantile establishment
in a city of less than half a hun
dred inhabitants, located in the ex
treme southern part of Sherman
county, in his letter, undertakes to
give some "facts" about the cpndi-
tiona that exist now in Sherman
and what existed in that county
prior to the election of two years
ago, when the liquor traffic was
voted out of thp county, and in do
ing eo he twists facts so uniherci
fully that one cannot but wonder
what kind of conscience the gen-
tlemau possesses.
In order to ascertain whether the
statements made by Mr. Gates were
true, the writer took occasion to
visit Sherman county recently,
search the records of the county
and of its three prinoipal towns.
One of Mr. Gates' erroneous
statements is that "two years ago
they told us if we put the saloons
out of business, our taxes would be
something dreadful; well our taxes
have been lowered each year since
the saloons went out of commis
sion." WHAT THE RECORDS SHOW.
The records in the court house
at Moro show Mr. Gates to be wide
of the truth in this statement
Here is the record: County and
state tax Sherman county 1905
(the year before the saloons were
"put out of commission''), 8 mills
on the dollar; 1906, 10 mills; 1907,
12 mills. City tax 1905 (the year
before the saloons were put out of
commission), Moro, 10 mills; Grass.
Valley, 3 mills; Wasco, nothing.
190G, Moro, 10 mills; Grass Valley,
12 mills; Wasco, 15 milk 1907,
Moro, 10 mills; Grass Valley, 12
mills; Wasco, 15 mills. Thus it
will be seen that in two years with
out saloons the county taxes have
increased 4 mill?; the city taxes of
Moro have remained the same,
those of Grass Valley have in
creased from 3 mills to twelve and
those of Wasco from nothing to 15
mills. And still Mr. Gates says
he "cannot understand how it is
possible that any good, live, sensi
ble business man can for a moment
stand for the saloon."
IT BITS nis roCKET.
Terhaya if Mr. Gates would
brighten up hia imagination a little
he would be able to see when a
sensible business man's pocket is
hurt he inquires the cause. iVhen
a business man finds his taxes in
creased from nothing to 15 mills
on the dollar, as those of the town
of Wasco, or from three mills to
12, as have those of Grass Valley,
to Bay nothing of the 4 mills in
crease in county taxes, he could
saloons.
BUILDINGS ARE VACANT.
And the loss from increased tax
ation is not the oply loss that the
business men of Sherman county
towns have sustained in the past
two years. In 1905 every business
house in Grass Valley was occu
pied and there was not a dwelling
to rent. Today there are some
splendid business houses with signs
"for rent" in the windows, while
30 per cent of the dwellings are
vacant. In Moro are also many
desirable business houses nnoccu.
pied, and not less than 10 per cent
of the dwellings are vacant
It is not the purpose of this ar
ticle to say that the suppression of
the saloons in Sherman connty is
responsible for this, but the
thonghtfal business man can draw
his own conclusion. However,
something has caused this falling
off in the population of these two
previously thriving places, notwith
standing that last year Sherman
county harvested a bumper crop
that was sold at top prices, which
under normal conditions should
have made general good times and
universal prosperity.
BUSINESS DRIVEN AWAY.
In conversation with Sherman
county business men it wae
stated that in the past two years
many ot tue farmers nad gone
either to Portland or The Dalles
to do their trading; they had ceased
to come to their local towns for
some reason, .(presumably because
they could not find diversity there)
but on the other hand had gone to
The Dalles or Portland, and while
there had bought the bulk of their
supplies. Another striking inci
dent they mentioned was that the
laborers who work on the farms,
who in the past came to the local
towns when paid off, and there
bought their clothing, etc., whereas
now as soon as they are paid for
their labor they board the train for
outside places, never even giving
the local towns a pleasant look.
Thus thousands of dollars are tak-
witbout the levy of any direct tax
and Moro with a tax of only three
mills but now with increased tax
ation tbey are running behind, and
the city warrants of Grpsa Valley
and Moro are offered at a discount.
With these facts staring them in
the face, is it any wonder that bus
iness men rb a rule are not rank
prohibitionists? Were Mr. Gates
ti view matters from a purely bus
iness standpoint, possibly he could
understand why others do not see
things as he does.
A DROWxixG MAX GKASTIXG AT
STRAWS.
Certainly if Mr. Shutt were as
confident of success us he pretends
he would confine himself to the
troth. In the article above refer
red to be says: "The above letter
speaks for itself. We have in our
possession several others of the
same kind."
Possibly he has, but of what val
ue are they if they are not true?
Anybody can make assertions, but
simple statements not backed up
by facts are valueless. Anybody
can say, as does Mr. Gates and re
iterated by Mr. Shutt, that the en
forcement of prohibition results in
lower taxation, but an examination
of the tax rolls of counties that
have eliminated the liquor traffic
usually reveals the fact that county
taxes have increased slightly and
city taxes have doubled or trebled,
as they have in Sherman county.
These figures can be easily obtained.
Since Mr. Sbutt has held up 8her
man county as an example of the
"splendid'' results of prohibition
from a financial standpoint, let him
prove his assertions by getting a
statement from Clerk McDaniels
as to the rate of taxation in that
county since prohibition has been
in vogue there and not rely upon
the simple statement of a merchant
in the obscure town of Kent.
DOUBLE
TRAGEDY
TWO KILLED AND ONE
WOUNDED.
Henry .Tlorriion Kills Girl, Wound
Iter Escort and Tqrna linn
on Himself.
I-OoK BEFORE YOU LEAP.
Let Properly Owners Learn Where
the Money Is to Come From He
fore They Cut off Public
Itevcnues.
en out of the county each year,
never to return to the channels
from which it was drawn.
TOWN'S LOSE REVENUE.
Prior to the electiou of 190G
there were two saloons ia Grass
Valley, two in Moro and three in
Wasco. Each cf these paid an an
nual license of $S00.0O, but now
these towns are deprived of this
revenue. Grass Valley and Moro
of $1000 a year each and Wasco of
$2400.00, notwithstanding people
by some means get all the intoxi
cating beverages they want by
some surreptitious means of which
tne puoiic Knows not the source,
though it is common repute that
liquors are sold and consumed in
the several towns in large quanti
ties. Before 1906 these towns were re
ceiving revenue sufficient to meet
their current expenses Wasco
A proposition ia to be submitted to
the voters of Morrow county at the com
ing general election to Buopresa tbe
liquor traffic throughout the county,
which is one that especially concerns
the property owners of incorporated
towns, since it is a direct thrust at the
revenue raisi g powers of every munici
pality, and before property owners de
ckle upon this step let them inquire
from what source the money for carry
ing on their several city governments is
to come from if the revenue from the
b loon licenses ia cut off, and let fhein
also consider what their taxes will be in
that event.
For the year 19 7 the city of Heppner
collected on a special city tax $2133.
Ihe revenue the city receives annually
from the nine saloon licenses, at $300 a
year, is $4300. Take away this and the
city would have to raise from direct tax
three times what is now collected, and
the levy would necessarily have to beat
least 21 mills. Taxpayers of lleppner,
are you ready to vote tbis burden upon
yoursflves?
In 1907 the town of Lexington levied
a 15 mill special tax and collected there
from 146. Its one ealoon paid a license
of $000. Allowing that the annual ex
penses of maintaining the city govern
ment are $1040 (which is the apparent
income the city had that year from taxes
and saloon license) and that a direct tax
of 15 mills created a fund of only $446.
in the event of the city being deprived
of the revenue arising from ealoon li
cense, a levy of approximately 35 mills
would be required. Can the property
of that place stand such a burden in ad
dition to tbe regular state and county
tax?
It may be argued that If tbe saloons
(Concluded on rage eight J
Henry Morrison, a brakeman on the
Heppner branch of the O. R. & N , last
Sunday afternoon, crazed with jealousy,
shot and instantly killed his former
sweetheart Miss Norah White, wounded
his rival Barney Ahalt, and a few
minutes later placed the muzzle of the
revolver against his own forehead and
shot himseif, dying from the effect of
the wound without regaining conscious
ness abont five hours later.
Morrison had been payin r attention
to Miss into for some time and it is
said that they were engaged to be mar
ried. Not long ago a rival appeared in
the person of Barney Ahalt.
Morrison took the fact of bis lo ing
favor to heart seriously and constantly
brooded over his trouble. On several
different occasions lately be was found
crying bitterly by his associates and be
said that he was in deep trouble.
. Everything goes to show that the
murder was carefully planned.
Coming from Heppner Junction Sat
urday evening on his regular run. he
did not take time to get Nhis supper in
this city. He went to Express Messen
ger Smith and borrowed a Colt revolver
of 41 calibre, stating to Mr. Smith that
a dog dowi. the track bad been annoy
ing him and he wanted to be prepared.
Taking a railroad speeder be went to
lone aud got his 6upper and had a lunch
put up wnioh be took with him to Cecil,
the home of Miss Wright.
Arriving at the little Btation nnob
served, he put the speeder out of sight
in a field and went to a warehouse
where he cut sageorush and grass and
Irnada a bed under the building, secret
ing himself, but being in a position to
get a good view of the Wright resi
dence.
He spent Saturday Bight and until
Sunday afternoon in his place of biding
until the appearance at a little before 2
o'clock ot Miss Wright and Mr. Ahalt
who had left the Wright residence for a
buggy ride. The young people left Ce
cil and started south toward Morgon,
when Morrison secured his speeder and
started up the tracts to head them off.
Being recognized by the people in the
busgy Morrison waved his hand in a
friendly manner and kept on up the
track. Up the track about two mile
from Morgan, Morrison was seen etand-
ng on an embankment at the side of
the wBgon road.
When Mies Wright and Ahalt catre
up to w here Morrison was standing, he
aked them to stop, aud with the words
"you had better say your prayers,"
commenced shooting.
Miss Wright was shot in the top of
the head and was instantly killed. Two
bul'ets went through Ahalt's clothing,
grazing his body and a third caused a
slight flesh wound in the shoulder.
Ahalt whipped the team into a run
and Mi.s Wright's lifeless body fell over
the front of the bugy, lodging on the
tongue and axle of the vehicle. After
getting out of range of the bullets,
Ahalt pulled the girl back into the
buggy and whipped into Morgan.
Morrison followed the flying team to
Morgan end when in speaking distance
of A. A. Morgan's residence asked if ne
could come in. When toIJ tnat be
could not, he asned if the girl was
dead. He was told that she waa and
he pulled a revolver from his pocket
and shot himself in the forehead. He
was carried to a warehouse where be
lived about five and one half hours.
LOCAL Oi'TION
AND BUSINESS
Ringing Testimonial from the
Leading Merchant and Busin
ess Man of Sherman County.
"Wasco, Oregon,
April 27th, lyfJS.
Mr. E. M. Shutt,
Heppner, Oregon.
Dear Sir and Friend:
vVe understand that your town
and county are going to vote on
Local Option next Jane, and we
hope that from a moral and busi
ness standpoint your good people
will do everything that is possible
to carry the day for better things.
Before and after Local Option in
our town and county we we-e en
gaged in the general merchandise,
banking and flour mill business.
We are glad to eay that there is a
marked improvement in cash re
ceipts and monthly collections in
all kinds of business, especially the
general merchandise business, 6iuce
Local Option carried. About one
year ago we sold our general store,
nd the present owner, with a stock
from $15,000 to $20,000, sold dur
ing last December goods to the
amount of $10,000, over $7000 be
ing cash. This was the largest sale
ever made during the month
December in the history of cur
town, not excepting aoy store with
three times the f-tock.
There is a marked increase in
attendance in our public school,
and many more families have moved
in town for school purposes.
Tbe law is not strictly enforced
here, but there is not tbe dissipa
tion by the vour-g men ard boys
that there was before the Ihw
effective.' While occasionally
meet npon the street an intoxicated
man, before Local Option ii ivss
impossible for a lady to wt)fis5Tjr
the street without meeting eeki-j-men
under the influence of liquor
and hearing very bad language.
' For twelve months prior t He
new law there was paid in fines t
this city $211, and for tbe eam
length of time following the aew
law there was not a dollar paid ia
fines to tbe city.
Sincerely your Friend,
W. M. Barastt.
OCAL OPTION
MEETING
ulon service of Churches anal Big:
mass Meeting on may 17.
On Sunday, May 17, three mon
strous mass meetings of the citi
zens or lleppner and Morrow
CDunty will be held in the Com
mercial building, at which prom
inent speakers from abroad, as well
as local talent, will discuss the is
sues of local option. Basin ess men
and atl others are invited to coins
out to these meetings and learn all
about the financial phszes oi this
important question. AH advoeate
of local option in Morrow comity
are urged to,advertise these meet
ings and see that monstrous crowds
are in attendance. Kemember tie
date, Sunda3 May 17th.
Hood River feels sure of gettii
the new county.
for chlldrem safe, turm. Jfo eplatm
Entirely Under Local Control and Management
Bank of Heppner
Capital $50,000
r;ully Paid
(Concluded on page .)
Officers
W. O. MINOR, President
J. II. McilALEY, Vice-President
W. S. WHARTON, Cashier
VAWTEK CHAW FORD,
Asst. Cashier
Directors
W. O. MINOR
C. E. WOODSON
W. G. SCOTT
J H. McHALEY
W. S. WHARTON
Loans Made at Eight Per
Cerr
Fflaa PEH GEHT IHTEBEiT FaiD OH TIPIE EEPOBIT
WE ARE GROWING
Gain in Deposits, month of January SHlT'-VvS
" ' " February ,".!:.'. I
" ' " March io.;v
Total gain for first three months,
NOT BAD FOR THE DULL SEASON.
?;?s.i;
Ideal Gentleman's Resort
BILLIARD AND POOL ROOMS
We take special pride in keeping our Tobacco and
Cigars in excellent condition. Forty different brands
ot high grade cig'rs constantly in Hock. Try one o
our Havanas. Cigars wholesale add Retail.
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