Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-04
FLEMING TO
DRAFT LAW
DRASTIC MEASURE TO PUNISH
LAND "sHARKs"
REALTY FEDERATION WILL DIS
cuss PROVISIONS
Herbert Hurdett Returns from Ar
ranging PreIImlnaries for the
Sacramento Con-
venton

To provide a drastic law for the
punishment of real estate sharks"
the establishment of closer business
relations throughout the state be-
tween the members of the Realty fed
Grafton and the constitutional amend
ment affecting the taxation II public
utilities will be the important subjects
before the annual meeting of the Cali
fornia State Realty federation at Sac
ramento March 1918.
Herbert Burdett, executive secretary
of the federation, has just returned
from q trip in Northern California and
has made all arrangements for the
meeting. The attendance is expected
t. be larger than any previous meet
ing and the Sacramento realty board
has planned interesting excursions
through the Sacramento valley.
Among the most important matters
to be discussed by the convention,
said Mr. Burdett yesterday, "will he
the outline of an amendment to the
criminal law relative to fraud and mis-
representation. e. J. Fleming, prose-
cutting attorney of this city, has prom
ised to prepare such a measure, and
If approved by the convention 1t will
be introduced in the next session sof
the Legislature. The first object OF
the federation is the elevation to the
dignity of profession of the business
of dealing in real estate and we need
laws that will effectually punish the
scoundrels who prey upon widows,
workingmen and other small investors
and sell them worthless land on the
pretense that 1t will enable them to
make a good living.
"a Little Paradise"
"A notable case in point was that of
a Los Angeles man who advertised a
tract in Fresno county. stating among
other things that wells are now being
bored when, as q matter of fact, he
had not even let a contract for any
well. and investigation showed that
the land which he set forth as little
paradise ready to yield a good living
in small tracts, was under the exist
ing conditions virtually worthless to
a small farmer Yet under the present
law the grand jury found 1t imprac-
ticable to indict. Two similar cases
are now under investigation by the
federation through its local committees
and not a week passes that some
complaint of unscrupulous advertising
or selling of real estate by fellows who
pose as real estate agents is not
brought into this office. OF course l
can do nothing but investigate and
endeavor to expose the more fragrant
of the offenders, so long as people will
continue to deal with agents VINO un-
der no circumstances could be adj
mitted to the local realty board. But
/ hope to see a law passed under
which these robbers can be reached.
Closer Business Relations
"The establishment of closer busi-
ness relations between members of the
Realty federation throughout the state
will be planned and an effort made to
virtually confine the interchange Of
business to members in order that all
deals involving two or more agents
shall be subject to review by the ar
bitration committee in case of dis
agreement or complaint, either be-
tween agents or their clients. 1t is
thought that this will insure fair DEAL
ing and render investors guarantee
that will be appreciated, especially by
newcomers or those unfamiliar with
business"
The proposed amendment to the con-
stitution which would place the entire
burden of state taxation upon the
public. utility corporations will prob
ably be discussed.
President J. r. Howell of San Fran
cisco will visit Southern California
next week and will address the local
realty board at its meeting on Thurs
day, March ~. He will probably also
speak to the agents of Riverside and
Santa Barbara at meetings to be ar
ranged in those cities. The Pasadena
realty board has accepted an invita-
ton to send a committee of its mem
bers TO attend the meeting of the Los
Angeles board.