The San Francisco call., 1896-12-29
The Legislature May Enact
a Primary Election
Law.
A Non Partisan Board of Elec-
tion Commissioners Will
Be Demanded.
City Members to Ask for Action on
the Law on Collection of Personal
Property Taxes.

San Francisco will not be tagging be-
hind when the time comes for introducing
bills at the Legislature. Senators Bert,
Mahoney, Henderson and Toner ana As
semblymen Dibble, Bettman, Kelly and
others have had frequent conferences with
their constituents on the subject of needed
legislation. Senator Beard iof Alameda,
Senator Dickinson of Marin and Contra
Costa and Assem- mblyman Waymire of Ala
media are in close touch with San Fran
cisco affairs and hence have been consult
ed on various propositions.
The committee on political action OF
the Union League Club. sustained by
many prominent citizens outside OF that
institution, will petition the Legislature
to amend the election laws in order to
insure fair primaries and a proper man.
agement of general elections The pri-
mary election bill passed at the last ses-
sion of the Legislature will be introduced.
The provisions which the supreme Cour
held to be unconstitutional will not De
EN- bodied in the new measure. The law
was declared unconstitutional because ats
application was not general, but only to
certain cities. The objections raised by
the court can be obviated without eXClud-
ing the desirable features OF the bill. An
effort will be made in the Legislature to
secure the enactment of law providing
for the selection of a non-partlSan Board
of Election Commissioners.
Some bills relating to the management
of the Veterans Home at Yountvllie may
be introduced. The directors of the home
interchanged views yesterday and decided
not to obstruct any measures providing
for State control of the institution. Gov
ernor BudG has been advised that the di-
rectors desire the home to be governed
and managed as State institution. The
directors have resolved to meet the re-
quirements of the Governor and Attorney
General in all matters pertaining to the
control of the institution.
Members OF the San Francisco delega-
ton Will probably resist the proposed
scheme to refer bills to a committee be-
lore they have been printed. Under the
guise of economy this plan would permit
good bills to be smothered. The point is
raised tnat the constitution intended that
every bill should be be clearly printed, so
no mistake could be made as to what it
contained,
The introduction of bill has come to
be regarded as the modern method OF ad-
dressing petition to the Legislature. The
printed bill comes under the observation
of newspaper correspondents and others,
and the good and bad features of the
measure are soon recognized. The system
of sending bills to committee instead of
having them printed aud placed on file
might effect saving OF money, but would
open a way to defeat measures commended
by the public. Many mem bers will insist
on their right to Introduce bills and the
right to have the bills so introduced
printed for the benefit of their associates
in the Legislature and other constituents
at home.
Senator Eugene F. Bert will probably
introduce bill amendatory of the fee bill
OF 1895. The law as it now stands is
tumble. The proposed measure will
slightly increase and greatly equalize fees.
AS an example of the incom pIeteness of
the existing law the fact is cited that in
the Noe case, where the County Clerk was
compelled to issue 130 papers and index
$500 names many times over, 10 fees
could be collected by him, as the law did
not specify charges for dismissal of suits
or indexing of names. The bill which
Senator Bert will introduce applies to
every county in the State.
ASsemblyman Waymire will reintro-
duce his measure of last session providing
for the recognition of civil service primer
pies in municipal, county and State de-
partments.
Citizens of San Francisco have been
made to suffer great Inconvenience and
endure the loss OF time and money III
efforts TO obey the laws relating to the col
lection of personal property taxes, and es-
pecially on personal property unsecured
by real estate. The changes from the old
system have brought com plications in
stead of relief. The collection of taxes
seml-annually is not in the judgment of
the Assessor and Treasurer of this City an
improvement on the o.d plan of paving
taxes once a year. The poor taxpayers
who were expected to be benefited get no
benefits. The new system also adds to the
expense of collecting the revenue.
Great confusion and waste of public
money result from the law passed at the
last session of the Legislature, requiring
the Assessor to collect the taxes on per-
sonal property unsecured by real estate.
1t is surmised that the Supreme Court
will declare the law unconstitutional, but
the court has not decided that question
A case is pending and decision may be
handed down before the Legislature gets
to work amending the act.
The law actually compels the Assessor
to collect the tax before the levy has been
made. When a property holder is over
taxed the overcharge is returned to him.
When he is not taxed to the full amount
he is taxed again.
1t is estimated by Assessor Siebe that
the law has increased the annual expenses
of the Assessors office of San Francisco at
least $50, coo. In other departments there
has been corresponding annual increase
This law requires the Assessor to collect
the taxes on personal property unsecured
by real estate at the time of making the
assessment III March, April or May at the
tax rate OF the previous year. Last year