Los Angeles herald., 1892-12-12
PLANS OF THE REFORMERS.
Proceedings at the Meeting
Held Last Night.
The Features Of the Report of the
General Committee.
The Meeting at Turner Hall Last Night.
The Addresses Made - Objects
of the Association-The
General Report.

Aho narn ulfciiuS VI INC tdA pdeci ir,
held in Turnverein hall last night, was
not as well attended as the movement
deserves.
The meeting was called to order by A.
d. Ctildress, who stated that owing to
the absence OF Hon. l.. J. Rose in San
Francisco, a temporary chairman would
be elected. He nominated I. d. Slim
son, who was unanimously chosen
Mr.. Stimson, in few remarks, said
that it was unnecessary for him to state
for what the meeting had been called.
He said that the previous meeting in
Armory hall had appointed an execu-
tive committee, which was to report as
to the best means OF economizing in
county and city governments. and to
decide the best way Of proceeding with
other objects for which the movement
had been called. This committee had
appointed subcommittee on organiza-
tion and law, who had made reports to
it, and it was to hear these reports, en-
bodied in the report of the executive
committee, that the meeting had been
called.
Judge Silent, chairman of the execu-
tive committee, was introduced, and
proceeded to read the various reports.
During the reading, he compared the
expenses OF running the governments OF
Los Angeles and Alameda counties for
the past year.
In Alameda the assessor received
$4,000, the clerk $13 1000, the sheriff
$4,000 and the tax collector $4,000. In
this county it was much larger. He
then read the report, from which the
appended synopsis is taken:
The report starts out by saying that
excessive and burdeneome taxes have
attracted the attention of the progress.
sive citizens of Los Angeles to the char
acter and condition of their city and
county government, and have forced
upon all the necessity of reform.
Speaking of the increase in bonded
indebtedness, continued and costly
changes in public works, the clumsy
and antiquated basis of the conduct OF
the public business, and inadequate
returns for the $l,5SS, ,72l 50 taxes, as
the reason for organization, the report
says:
SIN pursuance of the order OF the
mass meeting of taxpayers the follow
ing organization is proposed:
''The organization ehall be known as
the Citizens Non-P Partisan Reform asso-
citation.
''The officers shall be q president and
forty vice. presidents, treasurer and
secretary"
After defining the duties of the officers
at length, the report thus gives the OBJ
jects of the association:
''To reduce the cost of our government
and increase lts efficiency, and finally to
work olt a solid foundation Of principle
upon which to construct city and
county government, and to work for
such a government as will do away with
the political machine, cabal and boss,
and place our local affairs in touch with
the people,"
The report then recommended the fol-
lowing officers for the first year, and
the recommendation was adopted by
the general committees:
President, T. D. Stimson; secretary,
Holdridge o. Collins; treasurer, I. W..
Brotherton; vice-presidents, Dan Free
man, 1. N. Van Nuys, VIM. Lacy, J. M.
Griffith, VIM. Banning, j. d. Bicknell,
w. G.. Kerckhoff, Kaspare Cohn, II. w.
Hellman, ]. S. Slauson, ]. A. Muir, w.
A. Spalding, j. M. Elliott, E. j. Vawter,
Charles Silent, P. M. Green, John G.
Downey, ]. d. Lynch, R. S. Daker, ]. E.
McComae, lothian Bixby, Louis Phil
lips, III. A. Unruh, j. P Widney, Wal.
ter S. Newhall, A. f. Mackey, II. q.
Otis, A. D. Chiidress, Geo. j. Ainsworth,
w. E. Cullen, l.. A. Sheldon, Fl. q. Os-
borne, w. R. Rowland, A. 7. Currier, j..
W. Marshall, A. M. Stephens, John
Burns, R. E. Wirsching, j. L. Murphy,
7. M. Elliott, w. H. Workman, J. E..
Platter, G. w. Lawrence, j. P. Lukins,
Geo. w. Knox, w. U. Masters, w. F..
Bosbyshell, M. l.. Graf, j. M. G. Mar
BILE, Geo. H. Stewart.
REPORT OF LAW COMMITTEE.
The report gives the report of the
law committee, consisting of ]. L. Muir
ply, G. w. Knox and H. O. Collins,
which was adopted by the general COM
mittee, the salient features of which are
as follows:
After referring to the feasibility OF
consolidation of some of the county and
city offices, and holding that all that it
ia now desired to undertake can be Sc
cured by general law, to be followed
by such changes in the state constitu.
tion as may be necessary to cheaper and
simplify the methods OF collecting the
public revenues, the committee says:
"We do not believe it wise at the
present time to entirely abolish the office
of city treasurer, but believe that the
offices of city assessor and tax collector
can be entirely dispensed with. We
recommend that general law be framed
and submitted to the next legislature
for adoption, providing that any city or
town within the state may, by vote OF
its people or by vote OF its corporate
council or trustees, avail itself of the
provisions of the act; and when 80
availed of, it shall become the duty OF
the county assessor, in assessing the
property of the county, to assess 1t for
both city and county purposes Except
ing assessments for street improve-
ments), and the property situated within
the limits of city or town to be listed
in separate books with appropriate
headings, 30 as to permit the adding Of
the local municipal taxes. That all
taxes be equalized by the county board
of equalization, and that the local
municipalities affected by the assess
ments be heard in the equalization
thereof. That the taxes for city or local
purposes be levied by the respective
local authorities, and the county auditor
be required to carry out the local taxes
in appropriate columns.
ssThat the Office OF county tax collector
be abolished, and that all taxes be col
lected bv the county treasurer, and that