The Nevada County picayune., 1912-09-20
Ben L. Griffin Tells Why He Resigned;
 Daue Cafes Replies, Alleging Incompetency

MT Griffin says that things moved along smoothly and that Mr. Gates assured him his work was satisfac- tory. until the middle of May 1912, when lie was notified by Mir, Bdrge that MT, Gates was demanding that Griffin be discharged as incompetent. Commissioner Brown told him the same thing, and Griffin then had a personal interview with Gates, who said that Griffin's work had displeas ed him very much.
 Said Commission Made a Mistake.
 In fact" said Nir. Griffin, "Mr Gates said my work had humiliated him all over the state, and he further humliated me by saying that he had seen from the very commencement of my connection with the commission that they had made very grave mis- take: and while he understood my situation, etc, and that the commis- sion did not wish to fire ne, but un. less I would agree to pay out Of my salary the sum of $100 per month for about three months for some one to do my work, that he would be com pelled to fire me"
 Griffin says he assured Mir Gates it had been his intentions to get some one to help him with the railroad and corporation assessments. This was on June II, and Griffin says Gates told him, mo, you must pay for the work being done, aud if you will do this you can draw the salary until the first of January, 1919, and in con sideration of this you need not come about the office" June Is, 5. NJ. Gates began the work of preparing the assessments of utilities corpora tiCns, and Griffin was then informed said he, that he would be expected salary as long as Commissioner Gates might elect Now after q full con sideration. Mr. Griffin says, T posi- lively refuse to pay the SiG0 per month demanded of me, or any part thereof, and l shall take my case before the people and let them decide it as they see fit" He says he is conyinced Com missioners Burge and Brown had no part in the transaction.
 MT. Gates Replies to Charges,
 90 much fer tue grievance Of Mr Griffin. Iii his letter replying to these charges, Mir Gates says Mr Griffin had been seeking position since the commission was organized and that the governor had requested the commission to employ him if pos slble. January l, 1911, he says Grif- fin came to him. declaring that he was down and out having spent all lis money in the race fer congress the year before, and that he must have something 10 do. The only vacancy was the clorkship at $l,20o a year.
 Griffin succeeded iH arouslng my sympathy, says Nr. Gates, and final ly against my better judgment, l agreed to support him and secure his election I was not iii politics. and cared nothing fer his political influ- ence I had no interest in the race for chief clerk of the house, besides no one seemed to regard Griffin ser iously in connection with the chief clcrkship. No one sought my sup port for him, with the view of elim- mating him from the clerkship race. "
 Mir. Gates says that MessIs. Mar tineau and Griffin were responsible for inducing the legislature to in- crease their salaries, and that not a member of the tax commission would have recommended the raise had they been consulted. The governor vetoed ! tho item for salary of stenogra pher, but if the commission had been con i suited, it would have recommended that the item for clerk be vetoed l instead.
 Commission Given More Work.
 In 1909 $. NJ. Gates was in tha gov, ernment service at sl 900 a year, but he accepted the position of stenogra- pher al s900. Commissioners Gates him self financing the position. The leg islature of 1911 assigned the com mission about three times as much work by giving it the franchise tax to handle. Griffin and MartineaI ad- mitted they were unable, unassisted, to do the extra work, and if it were not done right, the franchise tax and the assessment of SS1 ,o00,000 worth Of property would be ieopardizad.
 Three clerks must be had for three months said Mir, Gates. and one of three things must be done:
 T. We could allow Martineau Sl.500 a year of the $l.S0o appropri- atcd for the secretary, and Miss Jac- olson sl zoo a year of the s1.Se0 ap- propriated for clerk, thereby saving from the two items s900 q year. We could then employ another clerk at $90o year, for the full year, or a first class man for the three summer months at a cost of $500, thereby say ing $400 year out of the appropri ation which aggregated s3.600 year. In either case we could consistently