Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-02
S. P. AT HELM IN
EQUALIZERS'
tContinued from Page One,


ner that will make it of value to cor
porations at the expense of the inde-
pendent taxpayer
Not only will the taxation of the state
be affected, but by a choice assortment
of legal technicalities the bill is ar
ranged to control the entire educa-
tional interests of the state.
This amendment once accepted, it is
said, the taxation of the state of Call
fornia will be left in the hands of the
Southern Pacific machine.
Railroad in Control
Attorney Loucks has made a close
study of the proposed amendment and
yesterday made the following state
ment:
1.-THE Southern Pacific has always
controlled the state board of equaliza-
ton, and to my knowledge has power
full influence with the state railroad
commissioners. The attempt to enforce
the senate amendment is a game of
politics, with the plan of intimtdating
the voters.
ment a per cent limit has been placed
on all railroad stock, while other in
terests are unlimited.
1T is simply a dodge on the part of
the Southern Pacific company to evade
paying the real proportion that should
be forthcoming in the improvements at
Wilmington and San Pedro as the re-
suit of consolidation, and to dodge the
burden that should be due on the
Owens river project.
1.-THE county of Los Angeles has
issued bonds amounting to many thou
sands Of dollars, the interest of which
will be due in few years, and If the
proposed amendment becomes effective
all the burden will have to be borne by
the taxpayers of Los Angeles, while
the corporations, which derive great
benefit from the improvements, will be
immune from the extra taxation. The
Southern Pacific desires the improve
ments, but only at the expense of Los
Angeles county taxpayers.
Corporate Greed Denounced
ut is known that no civic body in the
state countenanced or advocated the
amendment and that the gred of pri-
vate corporations was solely respOn-
sible for such a bill getting through the
recent legislature 1t means that in
stead of more than 1000 persons esti-
mating real estate values in the state
the entire matter will be left with five
persons. do not say that there is any
graft, but I do know, as does every
other fair minded citizen, that there is
excellent opportunity for graft"
Senate constitutional amendment No.
1 is a resolution to propose to the
people of California an amendment to
the constitution, of the state of Cali
fOrnia, providing for the separation of
state and local taxation and providing
for the taxation of public service and
other corporations for the benefit of
the state, and TO that end, adding to
article 13 a new section to be num-
bered section ID, amending section 10
of article 13, and repeating section 10
of article II, relating to revenue and
taxation.
The plan of those agitating the
amendment is to separate sources of
revenue for state purposes from
sources of revenue for county and mu-
nicipal purposes.
Railroads Scheme Apparent
The most important section of the
proposed amendment reads as follows:
"On all railroad companies, including
street railways, a tax of per cent; on
all sleeping cars, dining cars drawing
room cars, palace car companies, re-
frigerator and all stock, fruit and other
car loaning companies, 3 per cent; on
all companies doing express business
on any railroad, steamboat or vessel
and stage line, per cent; on all tele-
graph and telephone companies, 315 per
cent: all companies engaged in the
lTdHSlIllSSlbl VI oetlN VI Selo " 'iSN-
tricity, per cent. SUCH TAXES
SHALL BE IN LIEU OF ALL
OTHER TAXES AND LICENSES,
STATE. COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL,
ON PROPERTY ABOVE ENUMER-
ATED OF SUCH COMPANIES, EN-
CEPT AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED
IN THIS SECTION
Then follows this provision: PRO
vided that nothing herein shall be con-
strued to release any such company
from the payment of any amount
agreed to be paid or required by law
to be paid, for any special privilege, or
franchise granted by any of the nlu-
nicipal authorities of this state
That the feeling of the taxpayers of
the state of California is not confined
to the southern section is indicated by
a letter received by one of the most
prominent real estate men of San
Francisco.
Strange Promise Made
The important part of the commune
cation is as follows: 1.-THE state board
of equalization is scheming to aid in
the passage Of the taxation and reve-
nue constitutional amendment, which
was defeated last year, and every OBJ
lection made the coming year against
this amendment is met with the re-
DIV: IF you adopt the measure this