The San Francisco call., 1899-09-22

SCISSOR WASHINGTON DODGE,
realizing that figures do not lie, is
trying the next best thing. He ia
endeavoring to get behind the re-
turns His first effort was made
yesterday, after reading the article
in The Call IN which his stuffed assess
1uent roll was rtddled with facts and fig
Jres until it was the sorr1est looking lot
of shreds and patches that ever came out
of an Assessors office. AS has been his
won't he lapsed into figures; and. as has
been his luck, the figures are against him.
In q letter to the editor Of this paper he
states:
It is further stated In the article in yes
terday@s Cmeaning Thursdays) issue that
the assessment roll for this year is not
materially increased. after deducuns those
sums representing property on which the
collection OF taxes IS doubtful. This is an
error.
Over S25, 100000 remains on
the roll In excess Of last years
roll. on which it is certain that
taxes WILL BE COLLECTED.
So. according to Dodge,s own statement,
made in his own defense, the excess over
last years roll which he only claims now
ls more than S25 100000, IS not represented
by taxes collected in the treasury. At
least he sags-confdently at that-taxes
on this SIS 900 WILL BE collected.
Notice that WILL BE
$25 900 900 excess, he has done no better,
except on poll tax, taken mostly from the
poor, for the reason that they greatly
exceed the well-to-do, than his prede-
cessoT.
If that is not an outright confession on
the part of 'Juggler' Dodge that his roll
was stuffed, what is it? Name It, and
you can have It.
Another dip into Dodge's letter of de-
Tense does not help him any It shows
writer as some people thought ne was
with chalk on a blackboard before they
tried him in office. In another paragraph
he says:
The large amount Of personal property,
which apparently remains delinquent on
the tax rolls at this time is the direct
result of my attempt to assess that class
OF property which has heretofore always
escaped taxation. The law holds me per
sonaily liable for nv failure to collect these
taxes no matter how strenuOusly should
tcv,Dt "a collect taxes on this class OF
property. such as bank stock and fran
chises with the full knowledge OF my per.
soual liability under the law should fall
erty contribute toward bearing its share
OF the expenses Of this municipality
Remember, Assessor Dodge is now do
ing his celebrated juggling act. Keep
Your eyes on the figures, for he has Whis
kers to deceive YOU He continues that
''of the $9000.000 of property which is de-
linquent $7.3S0,l3T is composed of national
Remember also that the nine millions
he speaks of are the millions for which
he is responsible to the city IN the sum
OF $I22. .9S2 o., for which demand has been
made upon him. Watch him close now,
for he's trying TO fool you. He adds:
There is also delinquent, and forming
part Of the whole delinquency of S9,000,-
COO, the sum of $1.25O 900 for franchises as
sessed TO the Oakland and Contra Costa
Water companies
That's the way he explains the state
of affairs shown up yesterday in The
Call. The explanation is as near right
as is the assumption that he is holier,
barring the poll tax, than his predeces-
sors.
Look at the figures furnished less than
a week ago by Dodge himself and see
how they fit his statements that he has
attempted TO collect taxes on bank stocks
and franchises, and that these stocks and
franchises will total just the nine mil
lions the taxes for which he is shy at
the city treasury. In his supplement TO