The herald., 1896-12-18
A Paradise for Slummcrs-Un-
controlled Vice
WRESTLING WITH A BAD LAW
Grand Jury Tackling the Assessment
System
Tax Reform Legislators Preparing for
the Fray-Prospereous Los Ange-
lenos in the Metropolis.

Especial Correspondence to The Herald.)
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 16.-I see by
The Herald that the suicide season in
Los Angeles continues without abate-
ment. In the matter of suicides and
homiciides, however, it is not at all
likely that the Angel city will excel, if
indeed it should equal, San Francisco.
1t is regrettable that there should be
even an apparent rivalry between the
two principal cities of the coast as to
which shall be the wickedest
A PARADISE FOR SUMMERS.
At the present date this city is proba-
bly, considerably ahead of it's southern
rival. I will take the liberty to suggest
that if the Mclean Summing committee
should find more uphill work in Los
Angeles. and continue to run against
perplexing snags and insurmountable
obstacles in their self-sacrificing efforts
to convert the heather, abolish sin and
assume full control of municipal af-
fairs, they had better abandon that field
TO its fate and try San Francisco They
will-if they come here-find this wide
open metropolis a veritable paradise
x. II
eral thousand saloons, of various grades,
that are run without legal restriction,
except That they are required to pay
license fees They are open seven days
and nights in the week. and their ag-
gregate business is simply enormous.
Ihere are also uncounted Chinese dives
white peoples baWdy houses dens of
infamy and schools of crime demorali-
cation and Wretche dness for which no
appropriate commercial names have
ever been discovered. And though the
city contains a fair quota of churches,
Sunday schools and other religious or
ganizations, it is notorious that Sunday
is usually the liveliest gala day of the
week On that day horse races. balloon
ascensions, ball games, swimming con-
tests, prize fights, and other go-easy
sports attract immense crowds compris-
ing both sexes. Last Sunday nearly fif-
teen thousand people gathered in the
Sutro bath house and seemed to keenly
enjoy. among other attractions, a live
ly boxing match between the Honorable
Tom Sharkey and another high-toned
gentleman equally handy with his fists.
SO, all things considered, here is
splendid field for such ambitious Los
Angeles ministers as are itching to in
veGtiEate affairs behind the scenes"
and become authorized to act as special
policemen in the interests of public Dl-
rity. If those gentlemen fail to reform
Los Angeles, or succeed in reforming
1t and then find themselves "sighing for
other worlds to conquer" they should
come to the greater metropolis. where
they can easily achieve additional fame,
besides having lots of fun.
WRESTLING WITH A BAD LAW
The grand jury of this county is Just
now wrestling with very absurd, ex-
pensive and annoying tax law. The
heads of the various departments of the
city government are also consulting with
the jury and trying to devise some plan
to do away with the present system of
assessing and collecting taxes on ba-
sis of guesswork. Under existing laws
personal taxes unsecured by real estate
are collected by the assessor when the
assessments are made, which always
occurs before the tax levy has been
liked. 1t is understood each year that if
the rate when fixed is lower or higher
than the rate for the previous wear the
cifference will be adjusted This year
the assessor collected the personal prop
erty tax at last years rate, but the su-
pervisors subsequently fixed the rate at
80 cents less on each 800 than last years
rate, and the tax collector is bound to
refund the difference, though it entails
double work upon him. The total excess
collected this year was S172 732. 20 which
nine months. Furthermore, it is shown
that this ridiculous scheme---it hardly
ought to be dignitied by being called a
law-adds fully $50, 600 to the expenses of
the assessors office alone every year.
The officials have about decided to pre-
pare bill for presentation to the legis-
lature by the San Francisco delegation
for the purpose of securing such amend
ments to this system of legalized finan-
cial idiocy as will save the bleeding tax
payers from further loss and annoyance
in this particular direction.
If the proposed change is made, how
ever, it will come a little hard on a GER
tain class of collectors and alleged at
torneys who are always ready to take
advantage of persons on whom the acts
of lcgaized injustice has fallen or is
about TO fall A business firm that has
oVerpaid its taxes this year has handed
me a circular letter received from one of
these collection sharks, which reads as
follows:
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 9 1896
81 wish to remind you that you are
entitled to a rebate on the taxes paid by
you last spring. and to call your attention
now to the fact that the payment of this
rebate by the city has been again post
poned.
"A legal squabble is certainly in pros
pect, and payment may be Indefinitely
postponed unless some concerted action
is taken to enforce it's payment. With
this end in view. / desire to combine
into my own hands a number of such
claims as yours, in order that proper
proceedings may be taken to force the
city to meet its just obligation.
IF you will bring your 1896 receipt to
my office l will pay you cash in full for
your claim. deductng as my compensa-
ton for risk, interest, trouble, expense,
commission, etc, the nominal sum of 10
per cent to 20 per cent. according to the
nature and size of your claim, which, con-
sderinG the extremely uncertain date
slider not unreasonable. Or, if you have
placed the matter in the hands of some
attorney or collection agency, it may still
be to your advantage to obtain cash for
your claim. and l will treat with you
on reasonable terms.
"In any event, in accepting my prop
osition you will save interest Oh your
money, avoid the troubles and worries
of it's collection anx be certain of your
cash now.
Il am ready to pay cash for your
claim now. There will be no delay, no
waiting for months and in the end stand
ing in line for hours with $4,000 other
claimants, if you bring your 1896 re-
ceipt to this office and get cash from
me at once"
Marriage may not be a failure, but
municipal government is-at least in
most cases.
UBIQUITOUS SALOON QUESTION