The record-union., 1896-09-03
SAN FRANCISCO'S ROLL.
The Merchants Association Did Not Come
Up Here,
But Put Upon Equalizer Chesebrough
the Difficult Task of
Doing So.

Although yesterday was the day on
winch the proper officials of San Fran
cisco City and County had been cited
70 appear before the State Board of
equalization to show cause why the
assessments recently levied should not
De increased, no one appeared.
instead, Chairman MOrehOuSe re-
celVed a letter from the headquarters
of the Merchants Association stating
that the defense of the present assess
ment would be submitted in writing
and presented to the board by Mr..
Chesebrough, the member from that
district, who would undertake to con-
duct the defense before the board for
the city and county.
With this understanding, action was
deferred on the matter until 8 o'clock
this morning, at which time it will be
Sifted to the bottom.
To use the expression of one of the
members of the board, San Francisco s
action looks guilty. 1t would seem
to be, he said, virtual admission that
there was no good cause why the as
sessmentS should not be raised, and
shows fear on the part of those inter-
ested to face an investigation.
The matter of defense has long ago
been turned over to the Merchants AS
sociation, which organization appears
TO be the only one in the city which OBJ
jects to an increase in the ASSESSOR $
figures, and, SO say a number of mem
bers of the board, even they do not dare
to stand before the board and make
affidavit that their assessments are high
enough compared with other cities and
counties in the State.
N nffiaiaJ hn cta Nd u; ;rh OF ho
Capitol recently visited Auditor Broder-
ick of San Francisco, and asked what
steps had been taken to propitiate the
BOARD of Equalization. To this Brod-
erick replied that the whole business
had long ago been turned over to the
Merchants Association, and he then
inquired whether the board was in pos
session Of the tax list showing the as
scssed property of the principal mer-
chants. When informed that the roll
was in the hands of the board, the
genial Auditor smiled broadly as he
said he would heartily like to be pres
ent when these same merchants were
making their defense.
AS a matter Of fact. at least two
members of the board have taken the
trouble to compare the assessed value
Of property of forty Of the principal
r-crchants of San Francisco with the
licenses paid for quarterly sales of stock
on hand and-if the assessed valuation
is correct-each and every one Of those
merchants sell every particle of their
stock in trade three and one third times
in three months. Figures. say these
nathematicians, are stern facts, and if
the assessed valuations are all right
the merchants Of San Francisco certain
ly have no ground to complain of hard
times.
The action of the Merchants Associa-
tiOn in attempting TO pile all the re-
SpOnSibility upon the shoulders of Mr..
Chesebrough will if that gentleman
undertakes a defense, place him in a
very awkward and peculiar position, as,
after the evidence is all IN, he will be
obliged to sit as a judge upon the case,
and it is thought he will do no more
than merely present the briefs in the
case, and if they prove unsatisfactory,
let the matter go by default and allow
the increase without opposition.