Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-21
TELLS WHY S.P.
IS IN POLITICS
BELLS RUNNING MATE GIVES
ADDRESS AT BIGGS
ToIand Says That Railroad Would
Keep Down Assessments and
Maintain Passenger and
Freight Rates

B1GGS, Butte county, Oct. 2O-Thos.
A. Toland, Democratic nominee for lieu
tenant governor of California, addressed
large audience Of people at an open
air meeting held at Biggs and received
an enthusiastic reception.
Previous to the meeting Mr.. Toland
was escorted around town and intro
duced to the business men and citizens
generally, and 1t is safe to say that at
least six of every ten Republicans who
greeted him during the afternoon as
sured him that Bell and Toland would
receive their votes at the coming
election.
Mr.. Toland referred to the use the
Southern Pacific had made In the past
of the state board of equalization. of
which he was elected q member from
the Fourth district of California (com-
prising the twenty-three southern coun-
ties of the state), where he was elected
by majority of $500, although the Re-
publican majority. of the district was
fully 10000 against him.
The Southern Pacific
He said that when he went upon the
board of equalization in 1899 the re-
ports of the great railroads, which are
assessed by that board, showed them to
d
was shown under the rigid examination
to which he subjected them that in the
last year Of his term the Southern
Pacific Railway company was making
net earning, after deducting every
expenditure and charge which the in
genuity of its officers and agents could
conceive, equal to per cent on a valua-
tion of $65000 per mile for every mile of
Its whole system Of more than 1000 miles
III this state, but that notwithstanding
this immense earning it had been as
sessed for many years at the very in
adequate sum of $4,000 per mile.
He declared however that as the
result of his efforts, aided by publicity
and public opinion and fear of going
before the people for reelection in view
of the farcical valuation which had so
lcng obtained, he was able in the last
year of his term to secure an assess
ment of $4,000 per mile on this system,
and that as general result he secured
a raise in the assessment of railroad
property in California from less than
$4,000, 900 to more than $65000, 900, and
that as the result of this raise the rail-
road properties have paid each year
since he went out of office at least $780,
900 per year as taxes which had for
many years been paid and otherwise
would still be paid by the common tax
payers of this state.
Still Much Too Low
He said, however, that even the pres
ent assessment of these properties is
entirely inadequate in view of the valu-
atoms assessed against the property of
the common taxpayers and that no one
knows this fact better than the railroad
people themselves.
He also pointed out with considerable
detail the exorbitant rates of freights
and fares which the railroads are al
lowed to charge in this state, saying
that the Southern Pacific company is
now permitted to earn per cent per
annum on valuation of at least $SO,00O
per mile for every mile Of it's whole
system in this state. He pointed out the
great evils resulting from its system of
rebates and Determinations in favor of
the Standard Oil company and other
powerful corporations whereby small
shippers and business men are crushed
to the wall and driven out of business.
He said that the control of the state
board of equalization, the railroad COM
mission, the office of the chief executive
of the state and the attorney general is
the explanation of the interest of Mr..
Hartman and his political bosses and
lieutenants in California in the Santa
Cruz convention, and that the purpose
and object Of their control of that con-
vention and Of the officers which they
are endeavoring to elect this fall under
the name of Republicans is to continue
to shift the burden of taxation from
themselves to the common people, to
maintain and continue the exorbitant
freights and fares which have so long
obtained, to keep control of every de-
partment of the government of the
state which ought to be exercised in
their regulation and to maintain them
selves intrenched in control, not only
of the state government but of trans
portation in this state, as they have
been for so many years.