Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-10-07

"~~~-O%-@ No oEAiiSb ohu 'OlLCu, amer
years of frothy agitation, what seemed the
very triumph and elimination of a power.
full movement is pricked quietly by some
Court, and collapses like spent bladder.
And this is the measure of the value of the
work which the politicians foist upon their
dupas, the gullible voters.
THE PROBLEM OF MUaICfPAL PoLITICs
a correspondent " hose letter we publish
this morning asks us to continue our ex-
animation of the political situation in
San Francisco, in the hope tina. it may be
possible to strike out some remedial sug-
gestions. The problem to be dealt with
is one which has hitherto baffled solution,
though many acute minds have striven to
find cure for the evils complained of.
San Francisco is suffering from the chronic
curse OF great American cities, namely,
''Bossism." The genesis of this disease is
to be sought in the abuse of party organi.
cation. When a party, founded upon
principles which appeal to mems convic-
tons, has b5come established, there is at
once developed tendency toward what is
called machine " rule. By degrees the
initial principles cease to be the main ob
iect OF the party leaders. A new set of
politicians, who are only seif-seekeIs, in
sinuate themselves into place and power.
Meanwhile the voters continue to support
the party, ignorant OF the changes which
are going on within it, and 80 they I'M
Willingly consolidate the power of men
who will use it against the interests of the
community. OF late years, moreover,
there has come into existence a class OF
politicians VINO stand prepared to work
with any psrty who do not trouble them
selves about principles at all, but are the
representatives and employers of all the
venal elements. These men attach them
selve indffsrently to either party. Some.
times each organization is controlled by a
separate gang of them. Sometimes the
same ga5g controls both organic atoms.
Sometimes they q1arrel among themselves.
Sometimes they work in harmony together.
But no matter what the conditions under
which they vancouver, they are invariably
in opposition to the public interests.
When once city has fallen into the
hands of such politicians, rescue is very
difficult. San Francisco has several times
tried desperately to deliver herself from
her plunderers, but has never succeeded
for any length of time. Occasionally a
Peoples Party movement succeeded in
defeating the harpies, but they have now
learned all that is TO be acquired con.
corning reform parties, and it IS question
able whether any further attempts of this
kind ould not result in playing into their
hands. They control the saloon element,
the venal vote, which is large one,
and even some OF the papers. One of the
chief difficulties ia any contest against
them consists il this prevalent corruption
and hypocrisy tarough all politics. The
intelligent citizen who desires reform looks
in vain for any party which Is free from
demsgosi sm, which Is not ready to make
bargains with corruptionists, which viii
not sell out the public interests. The
same citiZsn mas learned 10 distrust the
utterances of the press, TO fear sinister
designs in the most specious propositions,
to apprehend that whichever ticket he
votes he will find in the end that he has
helped to put bad men in Office There
are, indeed, some obvious means of
diminishing municipal corruption, but the
opportunity to apply them has hitherto
been wanting. Since the prime incentive
to corruption in politics is the desire
to get at the public treasury, it
ia clear that radical cure
could be attained only by rendering the
robbery of the treasury so difficult as to be
practically impossible. The democratic
system, however, is opposed to the method
of contradiction by which alone sach a
remedy could be applied. THIS system
helps the spoilers by distributing sponsi-
bility until 1t becomes impossible to hold
&ny one to accountability. A Board of
Supervisors or Aldermen in a great city
becomes the natural objsc.iye point for cor
ruption TO work uIon. II is easy to organ
lie "rings" in all such bodies. It is easy
for these rings to arrange jobs. IL is easy
for them to divide the plunder subss-
quently. And it is not at all easy-in fact
it is all bat impossible-to bring such pub
lie plunderers to justice.
San Francisco has had several Boards OF
Supervisors whose corruption was in 10
way a matter of conjecture. Sometimes
these Boards have passed the most fagi-
tious measures over the veto OF the Mayor.
In the same way Boards of School Direct
ors have been given over to p'under
and immortality. Ia fact it may be said
that the system of Boards and Commits
sions, when on anything like large
scale numerically, furnishes the most con.
venient and safe method OF robbing the
treasury that has yet been devised.
Capitalization of power of course involves
Capitalization of responsibility. If half or
two thirds OF the Boards among which the
functions of municipal government are dis.
tributed, could be abolished, soma reform
would be possible. Yet even then, unless
the several heads of departments were
made strictly accountable, they might, es
at present, employ their departments in the
interest Of the machine" and against
public interests. No doubt one of the
most discouraging features of the situation
is the difficulty of instructing the public as
to the facts. Ia San Francisco to. day the
Republican voters are perplexed and be-
wildered by the fierce struggle between
two factions, each of which pretends to be
actuated by the purest motives. The truth
is that both the factions are thoroughly
selfish, and that the Democrats are quite
as much under machine influence as
their opponents. But the average voter
has no means of ascertaining the truth, and
even if he could discover where it lay, he
would only realize that there is virtually no
choice LETT him. Whatever ticket he votes
he must assist soma set of spoilimen.
San Francisco Is about to frame new