Editorial Page of The Capital Journal
.MONDAY K K.Vl.Mi
CHARLES H. FISHER
Editor and Manager
V
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miTriTH r iiirilllllll
that might or might not have reached him ! delinquent list
And who, besides the Portland Journal, wants the sun- - ;TZ7.7 ..:., ,
light of publicity discarded for the dark and devious ti,'.. ,.,ea mm.. ,.,frm i., th.
methods that are suceested bv that Daoei ? The court i"'''-atiou f ti. delinquent tax um
house gang ol tax hen speculators, warrant scalpers and
FOBXJBHCD i: Kj;v BVBNINQ K. KI'T 8DXPAY, SALLM, ORKOON', BY
Capital Journal Ptg. Co., Inc.
BAliN l.s.
President.
II A.-
ii ra
Vice
IIKR,
Lrt-ident.
OORA
ANPRKHEN,
Sec. and Troas.
BUB8CBIPTION BATES
Daily by carrier, or year $"1.00 J'or month
IXiily by ninil, per year XOU l'er month
Kl'LL I.i:asi:d wikk TBLBOBAPH RKPOKT
eastern rbpbrbk . tati v es
?w York, V. I). Waul, Tribune Tiuililing.
Ckieofo, w. H. Maakwell, I
ople's Oas Huilding.
The
I'nrch.
jcipcr to ;
i i-ily way
at ructions,
by special
i api
If l
I Journal carrier boys are instructed to put the papers on the
carrier docs not do this, misses vou, or neglects getting the
im mi time, kindly phone the circulation manager, as this is the
,vo can determine whether or not the carriers are following in
i'hone .Main SI before 7:30 o'clock and a paper will be sent you
messenger It the carrier has missed vou.
THE DELINQUENT TAX LIST
bill fc
Itinc ittibli
itlt
it. -,l
The CO
v., mid Im a
ctuill t ies.
Is it not
unable to pay
cause thev an
vould be'ter
If a delin
taxes it is t
a portion of
bill of ..'100
ihliug
'Hspa
new
Tli.i .
of delinquent
M ult iiomali V'
tax mi
illlltv v
matcly
1 until
ur
-a i
112,000,
rat ions
other
is to Bat before the public the fact that
1 1 1 1 1 ...... ..it . ... I . -1 . i ,
t- i i j.1 i . " , . , is lor inwc. m
nangers on. rossioiv me aDSiract companies wtucnj watfca stj airfc aaMaatg tht
thrive on tangled titles-and all of these worthies ZXJZZZZZ?
would take advantage of the hard-pressed, ignorant or advertise the sale paWbty would .
perhaps careless property owner. You will find one JTmrl
these tin horn county court house speculators hiding be-lor he monopolization 0f the having
hind every county judge, clerk or sheriff who wants to 2 ?tZf S&TiE
discontinue the advertising of the delinquent tax list. p delinquent property, nts id not;
Business efficiency, honesty and fair play demand the w&r2g2 Z
advertising of the delinquent tax list in the most open gi"tJoB of the eiiui tax list !
..-A U 1 ..J it i ii. . .1 j that -would not be nerved bv the use of
aim auove-ouaru maimer uii uugii me newspaper ana postal cards is that any who are
the Portland Journal knows it. Its solicitude lor the
uoor and down-trodden taxpayer would, if heeded by the
legislators, turn him over in every county, to the tender
mercy of a gang of tax certificate speculators, who would
never neglect to extort the last farthing of penalty and
interest.
unit
ttii
tlmt ill.
tuxes I
lown, jiihl a
iswcr rvrrv
out ' bout
i Inn. i K of
jMihliral inn
llld UllSWl'l
l-li
lir
ill the piiinl'ul jiositiim "f In
mi pt'it upon a nil jni'vt'il n pi mi
ilcil upon tlii'ju 'when n $900
RKGARDING THE NEW BRIDGE
III ll
I
il her property is
i 's 'mil iimuiiitv t
of $I2,QOO when a portion ol'
y purpose. lortlnnd Journal.
1.1 ft
the
si a I
The Salem bridge situation is anything but satisfac
tory. The railroad company gives no indication of what
its final decision in the matter of planking its bridge will
be and is taking its usual good time before giving any
The publisher of the Portland Journal is the prince of, answer at all. In the meantime all other plans to relieve
the situation are held in abeyance.
Plans for a new bridge have been submitted by the
state engineer's office, but Polk county officials will prob-
in the Polk county towns think they can force farmers to
trade with them if they cannot come to Sale
interests seem to control their county court. It is a nar
row view to ake since many residents of Polk county
have interests that are seriously impaired by inability to
cross the river, and especially during the fruit season i M approve a
will the loss of the bridge be felt. The Salem bridge is fight. UBut there
in fact so important that the entire central part of theUhtyn
i ,i i i i.-i i. e ii i fortaestal
vaney ieeis tne loss ana inconvenience wnicn nas iouowea
its condemnation, and county officials ought to recognize j
demagogues in Oregon. His paper, the self appointed
guardian of the poor and oppressed, was founded and
backed by the money of the richest men of Portland the
men who have fattened upon special privilege. Always
loudly tn t! ' side of the "plain people" it has never so
far forgotten its obligation to its wealthy backers as to
.specifically attack a public service corporation, or special
interest in the city of Portland in which these men are
interested, no matter how flagrant their- disregard of
public rights or the larger interests of the community
might have been. It is outspoken against graft as long
as it does not strike too close to home.
The Journal's course in this matter of the publication
of the delinquent tax list is typical of its entire career.
It charges that there has been graft in the publication
of the list in Multnomah county, and since almost every
thing In that county is tainted with graft, we are not
disposed to challenge its statement. Yet it was one of
the newspapers to participate in graft even soliciting
the count y court for it, and there is no evidence on record I along with no delay that is not dictated by good business
that it has returned a dollar of this graft money to the iudgment.
public treasury or the down-trodden delinquent taxpayer
for whom it sorrows so deeply. Undoubtedly, however,
in keeping with its reputation for hypocricy and decep
tion, the grand-stand play of turning state's evidence at
this late day and confessing the sins of its past is con
sidered of greater value than the tainted money it would
receive from a continuance of the graft.
But outside of Multnomah county the publication of
the delinquent tax list is not, never has been, a graft.
The price paid is only commensurate with the service
rendered, and the service is one of the most important in
the conduct of county affairs in a business-like way.
The county expenses are made up in budget form and
a tax levy is made to cover them if the taxes assessed are
paid. If they are not paid the property of the delinquent
must be sold to realize the money necessary to meet the
county budget. There is only one way this can honestly
and effectively be done: by advertising thoroughly, with a
full and correct description, all the property delinquent
and the date upon which it will be sold if the taxes are
not settled before that date. The burden falls not upon
the man who has paid his taxes but where it should fall,
upon the property owner who has not paid. It is proper
ly not an expense upon the general- treasury, and the
present method ol advertising tins delinquent .list and
charging the cost against the delinquents recognizes this
fact.
But the delinquent has rights
One of these rights is full notict
through publication in its fullest
by the percarious, uncertain and
Of postal cards through the mail,
man who has already paid his taxes, would have to bear.
Assessments are made a full year, or even more, before
taxes become delinquent. -and a large amount of property
changes hands between the time of making the assess
ment and the levying of the taxes, so that a large per
centage of these postal cards would go astray. Many
!ei. sens would find then' property bought out from under
them when they had supposed the former owner had paid
the taxes, and many non-resident taxpayers who had in
the meantime changed their postoffice addresses would
never receive the postal card notice.
And to think of a great champion of the poor and op
pressed like the Portland Journal advocating'the sale of
a delinquent taxpayer's home upon no other notice to
himself or the public than that contained on a postal card
te-
linqnent hasten to pay before their de- I
linquencies are made public through i
publication. Thus a large amount of I
money i, put into the county treasury
and the cost of publication saved.
The law requiring the publication of
the delinquent tax list was repealed
some years ago but was again put on '
the statute books through the protest j
of taxpayers whose property had been 1
sold without their knowledge, so the ;
post cant system was not effective even
to the extent of reaching those win !
were delinquent.
r.VUt . .Ii . .6 . .11 wfts
rgiven .
WHAT THIS EDITOR THINKS
n says the
1 single veto !
approprial iaas is 1111
(Jefferson Review.)
Attorney General Brown
amendment providing for
i,v rne governor
vii.-ii mi. it ...gummy used, tins is one
of the best amendments ever passed.
Heretofore the governor had to approve
all Or mine ull na. ;,n-..K-...l :.. ,1...
ably haggle over them and object to the type of bridge general appropriation wii. if he vetoed
recommended, delaying progress at every turn. This is TuJJ: Z t
due to the fact that certain narrow-minded businessmen interest would be greater than the
amount involved 111 the fool appropria
tions. Now lie can imi nut
trade with them if they cannot come to Salem, and these ?d not efted the bin as a whole:
""" ueiieves inni wov. uitliv
combe will use this great power wiselv
011 all unnecessary appropriations that
(In not apply to the O. A. 0. That in
stitution is his pet, and we believe be
$100,0011 aiioropriutioii
O. A. ('. fo hold a dot-
But there are manv worse faults
ing to act all the aid nossilde
ite's leadine1 educational insti.
tution, with which the governor was
connected for many vears. The governor
1.. n 1......I 1 .1J ' .1 .
this regardless of their personal interests. Anything pended upon .to exercise jtood .iudgment
that can be done until a new bridge is built can be at bestjj" an emergency that effects' the taX-
ULU a maKesniii; anu uie new sirucuue snoiuu ue iiurrieu
Every
N,gkt
Disastrous fires, burglars and sneak
toll of valuable property, some-
Has its dangers,
thieves take their
where, nightly.
Q Today the victims of last night's mishaps are la
menting the lack of foresight which deterred them from
having sate deposit protection.
Q Is it beyond the range of
possibility that your turn may
come next?
Q A little investment in a
safe deposit box in this Bank's
fire and burglar proof vaults
may save you a considerable
loss, and will give you a sense
of security well worth the cost.
UNITED STATES NATIONAL BANK
Salem, Oregon
Member Federal Reserve Bank
FOR THE TAXPAYER'S ATTENTION
las of record for some time, and so no-1
jtificntions by mail would go to the!
I wrong person. This weald be certain to
cause much confusion and needless ex
peaae, all of which is avoided under the1
j present plan of publishing all delin-!
j quest property.
j Another point of interest to the tax
payers i9 the undoubted fact that publi
cation of the delinquent list results in
j bringing in delinquent monev more
I promptly. It is to the country's interest
I to get in all tax money as soon as it can,
and publication undoubtedly aids in this
j direction.
Doing away with publishing the de
linquent list is directly in the interest
lot' tax title scalpers and always results
A few days ago the government opened certain lands
to settlement under the 640 acre homestead law, and al
ready complaints are pouring into the department at
Washington, that the big stockmen of Eastern Oregon
are locating these lands through the use of dummies, just
as the timber lands were located. It seems the stockmen
are not afraid of Uncle Samuel's long arm., for having
watched the land fraud trials they know that the bundle
of red tape in the judicial department is warranted to un
wind for years without reaching the end, and that the
average violator of such laws as govern the location of
lands will be gathered to his fathers and be only a mem
ory before that ball of precedent and red tape is all unwound.
(Eugene Daily Register.)
The proposal to abolish publication of
the delinquent tax list is put forth as
an economy measure, but it is nothing
01 me sort, un the contrary, it
scheme to put upon the taxnavei
in increased cost to many delinquents
j-i is an easy matter ror mail notices to tiou the newspaper is an
go astray purposely or otherwise and party, for it receives sonce
portnnitie they can. So they want pub
lication of the delinquent list done away
a ith.
Others are interested in abolishing
publication because every time the
taxes on a piece of property become de
linquent a cloud is cast on the title, and
removing- this cloud costs money and
creates business. To sum it all up, pub
lication of the delinquent list costs the
prompt taxpayer nothing, whereas un
der the mail notification plan the tax
payers must pay the cost of postage,
stationery and clerk hire. Moreover,
abolishing publication creates oppor
tunities for scalpers and results in much
confusion,
''Of course, in discussing this situa-
mtercsted
rates for
the
in this matter also,
of his delinquency,
possible sense, and not
unbusinesslike method
an expense which, the
The ways of woman are past all understanding'.
Recently Miss Gertrude Lester, of New York, returning
from a shopping tour, found her home in flames. She
had considerable jewelry and fine clothes at stake and so
she plunged heroically into the blazing building and re
turned blackened and choking with her skirt held under
her chin and half a dozen spaniel pups safe in its folds.
She explained that the pups were thoroughbreds and
worth $1,400.
It is a good thing the legislature got that memorial to
congress asking the boys be returned from the border
through last week, or the soldiers would have been home
before it reached Washington. Anyway it permitted the
legislators to relieve themselves of a few tears and oodles
of sentiment.
stead of the delinquents themselve
cost of notifying property owners who
have failed to pay their taxes.
The plan that is proposed contem
plates abolishing publication in the
newspapers and notifying delinquents
by mail instead, ruder the present law
the cost of notification is. borne by the
delinquents, bill under the plan proposed
to the legislature the cost would be
borne by the taxpayers. Tims the man
who pays his taxes promptly would be
compelled to pay for the shortcomings
of the one who does not.
Last year publishing the delinquent
tax list in two newspapers cost approxi mately
$900 and this cost was borne by
the delinquents. There are probablv
2.011(1 pieces of delinquent property iii
this county, and at two cents each al-
lowtng nothing for clerk hii
tionery --this W
alone, and the .40ll wood be oaid 1
the taxpayers not by the delinquents.
Thus it is evident ' that the scheme
would mean an increase in taxes instead
of decrease; and besides it is not right
or just to compel those who pay their
taxes promptly to put up for those who
do not.
Nor must it be forgotten that the man
who actually pays the tuxes and tl
w hose naiiii
always the
th,
wnen this happens there are opportuni- publishing the delinquent list; but it
ties for investment in delinquent cert if i- gives lull value for every cent, it re
i nto with alwnlnt.t nomi.qm'n t.t IK mIimb ;Df .... ii a.. i.... L.
. ....... . mil v -IV ICl vti.v.T JIIOI Ik L,-n 11111 VillUe HII IHt
CAJMtt 1111 1-liii nimuMi ;nim....l .. l, , L : i n... i
. 1 """n,' WTTOieuoiKI Mllll it 11" I no i m it tft-fltfS 1 Of OHIC! illlVr IllSltlg
ite assurance ot .15 nor cent on the
money invested and . Fifteen percent
guaranteed loans are scarce, and natur
ally all who deal in delinquent certifi
cates are anxious to create all the op-
Thc interest of the prompt taxnaver lies
in the direction of full publicity for the
delinquent list, and there ought to be a
protest against the scheme to substitute
secrecy for publicity.
KC
Biscuit
For light,
wholesome cakes,
biscuits and pastry, use
and sta-
$40(1 for postage
ap;
new ownet
taxes am! the one
irs on the rolls are not
When property is sold I
name does not appear
K C BAKING POWDER
Always safe and reliable. If it
isn 't all we claim your grocer
will refund your money.
JAQUES MFG. CO., CHICAGO
ftippliitgRhuiRQ
- I .V .ii: '-W ,
Uarttfei
THE BANKER
LADD & BUSH. Bankers
Established 1868
CAPITAL $500,000.00
Transact a General Banking Business
Safety Deposit Boxes
.SAVINGS DEPARTMENT
To blow in wealth I sometimes hanker, on
projects labeled "Get rich quick," but ere I
blow I see the banker, who hits those pro
jects with a brick. I am an easy mark, I
know it : gold bricks to me appear all right,
and men with bait come up and show it,
and strongly urge that I shall bite. But
long ago I made some pledges ; I vowed I'd
never pay the price of josses, wooden hams
or wedges, without the banker's sane ad
vice. Thus I've escaped a thousand dang
ers, and ills too dark for tongue to tell; I've
j baftied scores of oily strangers who had pink polar bears
to sell. I buy no gold mines in Nebraska, 90 odds how
hard the agent tries ; I buy no orchards in Alaska, be
' cause the banker puts me wise. He is my refuge and my
I anchor, when I'm inclined to make mistakesthe good old
i cautious village banker, who sizes uv the snares and
W HUSBAND AND
MILDRED KEEPS HER PROMISE
-CH.VPTKK CXXVII. an older person has upon life, and al! coldness with which Clifford had treat
Brawl nan scan-en icri ine n. Tore i , rnat goes to muKe up tne marriage rela
regvotted the promise 1 had made her.jtion. To them life should be one long
What should I say to Leonard when; sweet song, the refrain being a paeon
next I saw him; what answer to makelof love When they find instead it is
to his queBtiou which I knew would often out of kay. a minor refrain, thew
be repaired! , have neither the noise or the patience
My storv is I suppose the old fa- i or the stabilitv of character to wait
miliar one of tin
ing her trust,
hands of a man
giving all of self, and receiving
suppose the tdd fa-
woman blindly plnc
her happiness hi the
who soon tires. Of
noth
ing. I hat is nothing that appeals to
her love, her emotions and every
woman is conscious of wishing to be
approached through these two chan
nels. I realize perfectly that there are
mauy women who are satisfied with
the material support their husbands can
fakes.
ii I ? I ft i Ai
until time, or their own endeavors can
i linage things.
I saw Leonard often, and notwith
standing the many times he begged and
implored me to tell him that 1 caied
for him loved him us he did me. I
kept my promise to Muriel. Altho 1
atlinit that at times it was hard.
"You U low me. don't you?'' was
his constant urging, and I only could
n v-
I can't tffll, Leonard."
He thought of course that I meant
that I was not yet entirely sure of mv J
feeling toward him: whereas I infer !
red that I must keep my promise to
Muriel. Thu of course. I could not
allow him to even suspect mv mean-.
repi
evidently no intention to forgive me for
evidently no intention to forfive me for
what I had said aneut Mabel Hor
ton's trip to Chicago at the time father
die.l.
From the night when he had flung
out in a rage declaring that he would
spend the evening with .Mabel Horton;
and slammed the door for emphasis,
Clifford had not spoken to me sare
about the most trivial matters. In fact
he had, as far as he could, ignored me
altogether, and I was beginning to feel
the strain nervously. Muriel had been
to see me several times, but only ojice
had she even mentioned the topic which
so filled both our minds. Then she
......... -- "WW t.ou,oe .nat i mean i i-ee nere Mildred, her ton put me
long as they haye three meals a day that 1 was not yet entirely sure of my on my guard, so caressing was it "jou
and a comfortable place to live, and reeling toward him; whereas I infei ! must not be childish. You must use the
elothes to wear they are content. I n-ired that I must keep my promise to poise ami the weapon of the woman
fortunately I was not one of these. , Muriel Thu of course. I could not j of the world in this situation; not the
There had been so much ol tender-. allow him to even suspect my mean-j way of an unsophisticated girl. Yon
ness toward . my mother, such perfect ,ng. are proud, sensitive, inetiperien.ed in
devotion had dad given her. that I was, Bonis Mayson Again. the wavs of this wicked worid-oh jeg
ill fitted to make excuses for a man; At the end of two weeks it was be-lyoa are, vou needn't shake your head
who failed in each and everv part., u-1 coming almost impossible for me to And you cannot afford to play into Ma
lar to make good ns dad had made 'resist his pleading. So I was delighted j hel Horton s hand as vou are do-
K"ou. . v. nen muns Jiav.-on noain uhvuta
re- "Tell me what to do then, "I replied
ily wearily.
11 mcr
iwuui uuvuuiyruiuLMug. M.ieiHtate. I n u!d at least h-ive a re- "
.onc are so uncoiupromising as the! spite while he was in town,
young. T.ither ftiev do not or cannot a Tespite from Leonard's in
understand the more mature outlook but from the settled displeasure and the!
(Tomorrow A Weapon at Hand.)