Daily Los Angeles herald., 1879-04-04
New Constitution.
No. v.


sections of this article are intended
as sop to the Cerebus of the Sand
Lots; that they were framed with
an eye to this, and that il adopted
they will throw the wealth, the
prosperity, the commercial i'm
portance and business future of the
great city of San Francisco into
the hands of Ksarney and his fol-
lowers, will scarcely admit of a
doubt. The so-called Non-Partizan
ticket was nominated and elected
for the avowed purpose of avoiding
the very consummation they have
attained. What the explanation
of this remarkable fact may be:
whether the delegates thus selected
were mlsled by others or wilfullly
betrayed their constituents, whether
they were guilty or the victims of
fault remains mystery for future
solution. The fact patent and glar-
ing remains, that chosen to oppose
the disorganizing and destructive
principles of the Sand Lot states.
man, they lost no time in surren-
dering to the very enemy they
were elected to oppose, and thus
put in jeopardy the character of the
State and the prosperity of the
people.
1t is scarcely necessary to insist
on the vast Importance of the pros
perity of San Francisco to the peo-
pie Of California. AS Boston is to
Massachusetts,; as Baltimore to
Maryland; as Philadelphia to Penn
syivania; and as the city of New
York is to the State, so is San
Francisco to the State of California.
The prosperity and well.being of
one, necessarily imply the prosper
ity and well-being of the other.
Nay, more! for many reasons which
1 have not time or space to enter
upon, San Francisco is of vastly
more Importance to the State of CAL
ifornia, than New York or Chicago
is to the States in which they are
respectfully situate. Obviously,
therefore, the control of the State
over the city should not be surren-
dered without the most potent and
conclusive reasons. But the new
Constitution does surrender it, and,
so far as l can see, withoutany good
or adequate reason.
Section z of the article referred to
provides for the consolidation of
cities and counties, and enacts that
sin consolidated governments of
"more than 100000 population
"there shall be two houses of legis-
"lationp'-ons to consist of twelve
and the other Of six persons.
The next (eighth) section pro-
vidss that any city OF more than
1000 population "may frame q
charter for its own government"
To this end, 1t is to cause the elec-
sion of a Board Of fifteen free
holders, who shall, within ninety
days from their election, propose
charter for the city. The charter
thus proposed is to be submitted to
a vote of the people, and il ratified
by the majority OF such votes, it
ahall then be submitted to the Leg
islature, which may adopt or reject
it as whole, without power Of
amendment or modification. In
this manner the natural inherent
control OF the State through its
Legislature over municipal gov
ernment, Is reduced to a naked veto
or negative upon the action Of
municipal majorities.
At this time the only city In the
State answering to the description
Of the 7th and Sth sections Is San
Francisco. In few years, how
ever, other cities, or other cities
aud counties combined, may come
within the category; and, the mo-
ment they do SO, they may assume
| the power to enact their own char
ters and render themselves inde-
pendent Of State control. Can any.
thing be more impollto than thisf
1t is notorious that the residuum,
the cess pool, the dregs OF society,
are always found In great cities.
st. Giles's in London, the Five
Points Of New York, the Barbary
Coast of San Francisco, are only
practical exemplifications of ar
universal law. Universal suffrage,
whether for good or for evil, Is in
separately engrafted on our institu
tious. The votes of the thieves and
ruffiaus of tho Barbary Coast are
equivalent at the polls to those OF
the best citizens. The man
who pays no taxes, who lives by
fraud and dishonesty, can exercise,
by his vote, as much influence as
the most deserving mechanic or
industrious laborer. Hence has
arisen the mlsgovernment and cor
ruption In city government, which
has made municipal Institutions IL
the United States by.word, u
kissing and a reproach throughou
the world. And who does moi
know that suoh misGovernmenl
and corruption would become ten
fold greater, should the fostering
and protecting care of the State aI
large be, as the new Constitution
proposes, wholly withdrawn
What safety can be predicted CT ;
great city subjected to the contro
Of the worst element OF its owl
population, If the ihterposition o
State authority be denied or with
held? In proof Of this we meet
not 60 far. How often have thu
great cities been saved by the wis
dom and patriotism of the State a
large, from the consequence of 10
cal passions and local corruption
, Or, to confine ourselves to our owl
State, how often have the interest
of San Francisco been betrayed b.
, q numerical majority of its owl
people, and only preserved by thu
interpretation Of one or more of tn
departments Of the State govern
ment2
Many Of US, no doubt, remembe
!, the events of 1859-60, when tn
bulk-head scheme, intended to rem
der the commerce of the city an
State tributary to o company 9