Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-10-07
SAN FRANcIsco.
A Correspondent Writes the Record
Union" to Continue Its Expose Of that
City's Affairs.

Correspondent Writes the Record
Union" to Continue Its Expose Of that
City's Affairs.
EDS. RECORD UNION: hope that after
so good beginning you will not drop the iE-
vestiga.ion of San Francisco politics without
contributing some practical hints towards the
best method of extr;cation from our present
unfortunate predicament. There is nothing
for which the people of San Francisco ought
to feel SO grateful ss for an intelligent and
dispassionate discussion of the situation by
those whose remoteness from the scene of
action insures their disinterestedness. By all
meaDs let the RECORD UNION render a servics
to the cause of systematic politics by a free
discussion of the present difficulties with
reference to all their sources and conse.
quences.
1t is, perhaps, worth while to summarize
what has been already established. 1t will
serve as baseline from which to advance to
further survey of the question.
l. The men in actual control Of the politics
of the city are entirely selfish, and are work
ing for purely personal ends. The two fac.
tions OF the Republican party are almost, if
not quite, equally unworthy OF confidence.
2. Against the small minority of practical
politicians now In possession there are arrayed
the masses of the party, who are impatient
and angry, not to say diegussed. They do
not sympathize with either faction, and ars
ready to cry "a plague on both your
houses"
3 The inaction of the latter class of Re-
publicans is not attributable to indifference
any more than it is to active sympathy with
either of the factions. 1t is due to inability
to discover any practicable remedy. They
would be willing enough to strike If they
could see where the blow might be delivered
with effect against the spirit of faction ard
10 favor Of good government; but the issues
are so crossed aud entangled that no point of
attack ia exposed.
4 There is no enc TO take the initiative in
a movement towards reform, and if any such
should appear the eff rt would he abortive on
account of the impossibility of agreement
upon the methods to be pursued. Further
more, no matter how good might be the mo-
tives of such third party, the newspapers
committed to the present factions would
throw enough dust In the eyes of the public to
create the impression that the last corners
were on level with their predecessors in re-
spect to motives.
After the "Duffs-s" and "Blufers -
have clustered long enough to convince them
selves that neither can frighten the other out
Of the field, they will come together and com.
promise their differences out Of any re-
gard for the party or the people, but simply
as matter Of self-preservatioD. None of the
causes that produced these implications will
be eradicated. and therefore the situation will
repeat itself whenever the conditions are pro-
pitious.
| might, perhaps, summarize as foil VIZ the
deductions from the above facts which you
have already drawn in your editorial com.
ments. with few others to which you will
probably assent:
Ia The San Francisco affair is not spo-
radio, but is, or the contrary, c5ndi4iln of
things that exists or has existed in many
American cities.
q This special ondition is the product Ct
certain antecedeut general condition S. Il is
the natural destination of municipal politics
so long as directed by the present tendencies.
&c It results from the preceding consider
alton that an evil of such long standing and
so widespread admits of only gradual cure.
Amy temporary rising of the respectability
of the party against is baser elements, any
more TO act independently of party for the
time being. could only eject trersitory
alteration of the evil. WAsn we disregard
the regularly org aniz9d parties, we are soon
forced to come back to them. Therefore, it
is of the greatest Importance to free TIE uusI-
alton Of such parties from the vices that it,
here therein.
(d) A radical reform of the abuses of mu-
niclpal government requires an intelligent
study of all the motives, forces aad tenden-
cies that go to make up the states and dy-
nanics of politics in this country. Then,
when correct understanding of the problem
has been attained, its solution requires long
and steady persistence in certain courses Of
sction that will heavily tax the patience of
the multitude.
(e) The greatest obstacle is not the scarcity
Of honest men so much as the lack Of popular
intelligence TO pick them out aud surround
them with conditions likely to preserve their
integrity Private individuals and corpora.
tons have little difficulty ia finding men suf-
fciently honest to intrust with their bust
ness; or what amounts TO the sams thing,
they conduct their business on such a systsm
that thieying is impossible or less profitable
than honest Performance OF duty.
o. This is the N-the unknown quantity
Of the probism-so ascertain now the public
business can bs transacted on the same prsc-
teal, comm on-seDse principles as private bust
ness. To do This it is necessary to unravel
the WEB of Intrigue, dishonesty and selfish
ress which seems to embrace all the evil in
fuences in ire city, and make every second
man conspirator against the public good.
1 am certain Of the ability of the RECORD
UNION to carry On the discussion OF thess
questions in way which will be very p-oGti
bic st the present time. i.
San Francisco October D. 1882