Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-03
BY Ex-Governor Lionel A. cheldon

ECONOMY and reform are important
subjects for the American jeople to
- consider in the present heyday of
prosperity. They are given consideration
when times are hard, but are liable to
be forgotten when times are flush. 1t
is a peculiar fact that men give
thought to economy and reform only
when conditions are unpropitious. and
they proceed unrefectively when they
are good. 1t is at such times that the
mutations in conditions that are liza
TO happen in the future are absent from
thought.
Excessive taxation is one Of the glar-
ing evils of the times, yet it is sub
ject to which the people give made
quate attention, and they make little
effective efforts to tighten the burdens
imposed on them till hard times cause
them to seek relief. The mass seems to
think about the subject only when the
time comes for paying taxes; they then
complain and that is the end of it. In
the voting booths the burden of taxa
tion seems to be out of mind. 1t is
inexplcable that it should be so, for
10 avoid unnecessary expenditure of
money in conducting government is as
much a matter of business as anything
else.
How to reduce public expenditures
and at the same time maintain efficient
government and promote necessary inn
provements is among the important
problems confronting the people of the
whole country, and especially of Los
Angeles city and county at the present
time.
Superfuity of public offices is a fruit
full source of taking money unneces-
sarily from the people, and from it the
people do not receive an equivalent in
benefits. The creation of unnecessary
public offices is the work of political
machines and pushes. The larger the
number who live on public pap the
more potential is the machine, and the
more are the people chained to the
Juggernaut of political bosses.
One Who points out defects may be
regarded as an enemy, but it is quite
the truth to assert that government in
this state is complex, cumbrous and ex-
pensive, and quite as much so as that
in any other state. 1t is not system
that can be praised for simplicity. The
government of California was inSti-
tuted in the midst of the gold excite
ment when merchant, miner and COM
mon laborer were in easy circumstances
and wealth could be almost had by
the effort of picking it up. The eX-
penses of government and the rate OF
taxation cut very little figure in eco
nomic consideration. If government
was not absolutely profligate 1t cer-
tainly was not economical While the
masses we're receiving large gains
plenty of public officers and liberal sal
aries were not deemed inconsistent with
the prevailing conditions
a ant af -tra ne
has once been installed it is hard WORK
to change it into the economical. Tc
go into details of economies that could
be introduced would fill a book, but
when things should be done that are Sc
obviously demanded that no great
amount of reflection need be given tC
them, and when they are disposed oi
IT will be the time to take up others.
There are some particulars in which
saving expenses can be so easily ac'
complished and in which they are Sc
unnecessary, it is astonishing that the
people have not long ago insisted or
changes that would materially lesser
the burdens they now bear and have
long borne. An immense source of con
sumption of the public funds has beer
and is through the method of assessing
property for taxation and the collection
of taxes. California is among the very
few states that provide for double as
sessments, one for state and county
and another for the cities. There are
tax collectors for the counties and ta1
collectors for the cities, and at the same
time there are county and city treas
urers This is luxury indulged i'm by
few OF the states of the Union.
Methods of assessments differ. II
the most economical states it is done
by townships once in three years OF
the realty and annually of the personally
the annual assessment includes i'm.
provements to realty in the preceding
year This could not be adopted II
California. as there is no township gov.
ernment. There needs however, to bC
but one assessment for state, county
and city purposes. The cities should b,
required TO accept the county assess
inent OF property in their respeetiv,
limits as the basis on which the tas
rate Is prescribed. Collection of al
taxes should be as in most other statel
by the county treasurer, and the fund
belonging 10 the city turned over to tn
city treasurer the same as state fund
are now in this state turned over TO tn
state treasurer leaving the count,