Daily Los Angeles herald., 1879-03-16
4 Dsmsgosic Achievements.


latIng to the Railway Commission
ers-the finest demagogic achieve
ment Of the Constitutional Con-
veution was that recorded in its
chapter devoted to "Cities, coun-
ties and towns" There was a
world of surrender on this head to
the mob element by the gentlemen
who were elected by the Non-Par-
tizan movement. In order that
our remarks may have the proper
order and sequence We quote from
page 81 of the pamphlet which was
first issued of the proposed new Or
ganic law. 1t reads:
"In consolidated city and county
ssgoyernments, of moro than one
"hundred thousand population,
"there shall be two Boards OF Su'
"pervisnrs or Houses of Legisla-
"tion-one of which, to consist OF
.twelve persons, shall be elected by
s'gsnerai ticket from the city and
acounty at large. and shall hold
ssoffice for the term of four years,
"but shall be so classified" etc.,
elc.
There is a "little joker" of formi-
dabls demagogic proportions in this
section, which we propose to dis
cuss. Without surplus verbiage
the purport of the Conventions
legislation about cities, counties
and towns may be epitomized in
the declaration that San Francisco
is to legislate for itself; and then,
by its overshadowlng local repre-
sentation in the legislature, to leg
islate for the rest of the State of
California. The idea of this see-
ton of the Constitution Is en-
bodied in the proposition, "Heads
I win; tails you lose." Or, to
adopt the language and ethics OF
frontier life, the rural and interior
counties are invited to accede to
the proposition Of the astute Cau-
casian ranger to the Indian. VI
take the turkey and you take the
buzzard: or, you take the buzzard
aud I take the turkey"
The whole proposition was de-
signed as "a surrender to Denis
Kearney and the Sand Lot. M
respectable citizen of San Francis
90 desires to domineer over the res
=. a. he State. Any man who ha
to :. ecuniary interest IN the Cit.
they Golden Gate simply aims a
neveegg for his town its proper in
'ynce in controlling legislation
.-He is willing to give and take
He clearly perceives that, unde
any circumstances, San francisco
will have an overshadowins
weight, from the numbers and con
centration of its representatives
in moulding State legislation ant
In shaping the policy of the inte
rior counties, and he has no desire
to claim every thing and conceds
nothing. He is willing to take his
chances with the rest of his fellow
citizens.
But there is another and vital
aspect OF this question which should
not be overlooked. Mark the
language OF this clause, "In consoli'
"dated city and county govern
"ments of more than one hundred
Thousand population" Where are
they in California, outside of San
Francisco? Where are they likely
to be, during the next ten years:
Sacramento, Alameda, San JOSE
and Los Angeles counties, after
counting up forty thousand inhab-
itants are obliged to stop and take
long breath. The same
Constitution which ostenta-
tiously deprecates special leg
islation, and which practi
cally ansihilates and circumscribes
all succeeding Legislatures, has in
dulged In special legislation will
regard to San Francisco, under Q
hypoeritical cloak, to an appalling
extent. Where are "the consoli.
dated city and county governments
of more than one hundred thousand
population" with which the pro-
jected organic law Is 50 pat, except
in San Francisco?
The solid people of San Francisco,
we wager everything within reach,
do not desire this clause. They are
willing to stand or fall, hereafter
as heretofore, with the rest of the
State. The fact is that they regard
with disgust and uneasiness prop.
ositlon which is to set them to one
side and deliver them, bound hand
and foot, to the patriots of the Sand
Lot. The real animus of this
clause was to hand over the city
and its gigantic interests to the
control of Denis Kearney and his
followers, with no corrective i'm
pulse from the rest of the State.
Under its provisions not only can
Denis Kearney aud the Sand Lot
rule San Francisco, but they have
many guarantees, through a con-
centrated San Francisco representa-
tion, Of ruling California as well.
We can easily picture the solid
and responsible citizens of San