Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-06-15
nnticn tn mani snhacrihers.
rwIDAy, JUNE rs, 1888.
a Republican County AssessOr's
Betrnyni OF the People.

betrayal of the People.
In Wednesdays issue Of the HERALD
appeared an article upon County Asses
sor Mason's betrayal OF the people OF
Los Angeles county through his unwar-
ranted, unjust and infamous doubling OF
the assessment of Los Angeles county.
We therein showed that this Republican
official had caused, during the past year,
the sending to the State Treasury at Sac
ramento of nearly half million OF dol
lars in excess OF any possible return to
our people from the State Treasury. In
other words, we showed that Los Angeles
county had contributed on last years
account to the State Of California,
through the action OF this Republican
county official, 1914, ,GS2.96, OF which
enormous sum we only received in return
1926, 900 for the School Fund.
Our reference to this great crime and
infamy was pertinent-it is always per-
tinent in a Los Angeles newspaper to
resist unjust tribute on its people-be-
cause the day before this article was
written, viz on Tuesday, the 10Th inst,
the County Treasurer had RENTED to
the State Treasurer at Sacramento the
large sum OF $71, 775.44, in addition to
the $l72, ,007.52 VIII ich had been so trans
mitted prior to and inclusive of the 1st
of January. Every suggestion Of pro-
priety and appro priateness called upon
us to comment on this last and most
grievous phase of this infamy, whose
effects will be lasting and far-reaching.
An esteemed morning contemporary,
the Times, after some irrelevant stuff
about gambling, as to which, and as to
every other publ question the position
OF the HERALD is perfect, says
The charge against Mr.. Mason is that
he assessed Los Angeles county property
to% high. This is charge which de-
pends upon recorded figures, and can be
easily proved or refuted. We deny it IN
toto. What Mr. Mason did was to come
a little nearer than any OF his predeces-
sors had done to performing his sworn
duty-the assessment OF property at its
actual value, as strictly required by the
plain mandate OF the Constitution. Would
the HERALD have the Assessor neglect
his duty and favor the rich, upon whom
the bulk of the property taxes fall, by as
sessing property at mere percentage OF
what it is worth? Can the HERALD men
ton a single piece OF property which, in
the present decidedly dull market, the
owner would be willing to sell at Mr.
Mason's valuation? Wild statements are
easily made, but figures prove facts. The
question is: Did Mr.. Mason do his duty,
or did he not? Does the HERALD main
tain that he did not? If SO, let it prove
the statement by producing figures. The
voters OF Los Angeles county will not be
influenced by such clap-trap rhodomon-
tade as that of the HERALD.
The old adage runs that any fool can
ask questions, but that it requires wise
man to answer them. The HERALD pro-
poses to prove its character for wisdom
by replying to the foregoing questions
very completely.
This journal would not have the Asses
sor neglect his duty. On the contrary, it
would have liked to have seen him attend
to his duty in responsible and con-
scientious manner. 1t was his failure to
do this which has ca used the HERALD to
animadvert upon his action. We dismiss
ourcontemporary's clap-trap about the
rich and poor, unless Mr.. Mason and his
newspaper champions would like to have
the issue narrowed down to this. If it
should so elect, this journal will furnish
some statistics about low assessments ol
the rich as to which intelligent readers
will doubtless form their own opinions.
That Mr.. Mason's assessment was in
defensibly high is shown by the fact that
the State Board Of Equalization, a body
really hostile to this county, reduced ii
ten per cent. Kindly put pin there.
"Can the HERALD mention a single
piece of property which, in the present
decidedly dull market the owner would
be willing to sell at Mr.. Mason's
valuation" To this we answer that we
could mention many such, but that it lie
beyond the question.
The law calls upon the County
Assessor to assess property at the figures
at which it would sell at a judicial sale.
If Mr.. Mason had properly appreciated his
duty under the law, he would probably
have assessed Los Angeles county at
$4,000, 900, and the State Board would
in all likelihood have raised his assess
ment ten per cent. instead OF being
obliged to reduce it by that amount.
In reply to our esteemed contemporary
we will give one instance OF Mr.. Mason's
infamous oyer-assessments, that of the
Alamitos ranch. After he had assessed
thisproperty Mr.. Bixby, one of its own
ers, died, and it became necessary to
make judicial appraisement of its value
in settlement of the estate. The court
appointed for that purpose the Messrs.
George Hinds, George Carson and George
Hayes, three gentlemen who are proba-
bly, better qualified than any other three
men in Los Angeles county to make
fair estimate Of the value
OF the Alamitos ranch. Their
appraisement was fifteen per cent.
below the figures at which Mr.. Mason