Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-12
SOAKING
SOUTHAN
OLD PLAN
Brown Predicted Action a
Year Ago
SOLID THREE CALLED "PEANUT
POLITICIANS" BY M'ELVAINE
GRAVE QUESTION AS TO WHETH-
Err "soUEAL" WILL BE RELIsHED|
Big Meeting of Realty Men to Be Held
Here Monday to Consider Best
Methods for Future
Action
GRAVE QUESTION AS TO WHETH-
Err "soUEAL" WILL BE RELIsHED

J>AA ANlN1@l V 1lilS Vi Odl
Bernardino to the solid three
OF the state board of equalization
Alexander Brown, Joseph H
Scott and r. E. Collins.
Mr.. McElvaine arrived in Los
Angeles from Sacramento and
San Francisco yesterday, and
after brief call on H. G. Dow,
county auditor, to explain any
points of doubt regarding the
discriminatory acts of the major
ity of the board, left for his home,
He. promises to return Monday
and to be present at the mass
meeting of county realty owners
called for the purpose of taking
some action to meet the boards
findings.
"The table of valuations was
arranged six months before the
equalizers came to Southern Cali
fornia," said Mr.. McElvaine. Il
know this, because | saw the fig
ures. The visit of the board to
this part of the state was simply
to avoid suspicion as to the real
Intention of the majority of that
body.
VIndlctive Spirit Seen
'I told Brown. Scott and Collins they
were nothing but peanut politicians
and that they were using their offices
to gain their own political ends. In
addition, l believe they were actuated
by spirit of vindictiveness, owing to
the defeat at the polls in November
of constitutional amendment No. 1,
which had for it's object the taking
out of the hands of county assessors
the assessing of public service corpor-
ations and giving that power to the
state board"
And here Is the attitude of the mem
bers of the "solid three of the state
board toward Los Angeles county and
Southern California generally, the in
terests of which were given to them to
protect, as regarded by Mr.. McElvaine.
Joseph H. Scott, the San Francisco
member of the board has 1t in for the
southern part of the state. He don't
like it's people and never has a good
word to say for them.
r. E. Collins of Redding leans on
Scott and indorses and echoes his SEN
timents.
"As for Alexander Brown, president
of the board, I was surprised at the
stand he took, as | always regarded
him as fair-minded man." said Mr..
McElvaine. But" he added Brown
has aroused great deal of opposition
this year and he undoubtedly believed
he would gain politically and be re-
elected when he Joined with Scott and
Collins in raising valuations in south
ern counties.
Were Playing Politics
1.-THE only reason / can give why
these petty politicians acted as they
did," said Mr.. McElvaine, "is that they
wanted to make themselves strong in
their districts and they also hoped that
by burdening the south at this time
hey could hold a club over us and com
pei us to vote in favor of the eonsti- |
Eutional amendment placing the taxa
ton of corporations in the hands of the
state"
AS further evidence that the 'solid |
-hree" of the board had already pre- |
pared their increased valuation figures
before coming to this section to- hold |
sarcical sessions, Mr.. McElvaine told |
IF the boards work with reference to
1is own county, San Bernardino.
Riverside county was raised 40 per |
cent, Orange countys valuation was in
creased so per cent Then 1t came to
San Bernardino county and / discov
cred the prepared figures showed an
of 33 1-3 per cent. I demand.
I'd an increase to 40 per cent and told
he other members of the board not to
show any discrimination just because
was associated with them.
Original Tables Stand
md why? Just because it would dis
orange their table. which was pre-
Jared months before. My reason for
lslSing for an increase in my county
vas simply from a desire not to see ad-
dining counties having their property
,laced at a greater valuation than that
n San Bernardino"
81 would like to see the board abol-
she'd" said Mr.. McElvaine, and when
sked If he thought the "solid three"
yould reconsider their action, replied:
"You>can do nothing with such pig
eaded persons"
AS to solution of the situation, the
outhern member said he had not
iven any consideration to the ques-
ion of state division, stating that,
yhile ii might prove remedy, the
utting of the commonwealth could
OF be accomplished until several years
ave elapsed.
'I have studied the law carefully I
Continued On Page Ten) ii