San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-04-12

A:SIDE-TRACKED COMMISSIONER.
The protest and remonstrance Of Street
Commissioner Campbell laid before the
city council on last Monday evening has
been read of nearly all men In San Anto-
MO. That document should be pre-
served In the archives Of this munich
pality for all coming time In order to
show the inequalities Of q personal SER
vice administration and the results Of
committing the administration Of city
affairs into the hands of men who are en-
tirely too ready to play the children's
game of "iollow your leader" without
due consideration Of the miry places,
ditohes, stone walls, brambles and such
like, which may lie in the path chosen
by said leader. The arraignment of the
wisdom of the city council by this pro-
test seems complete, and it will be quite
interesting to note In what manner and
by what specious pleading the commit
tee on streets and bridges will justify, or
attempt to justify, municipal action in
this matter.
Street Commissioner Campbell has
either lied or he has spoken the truth
concerning the manner in which his
street force has been cut down and the
means Of doing the work expected OF
him taken out of his hands. II he has
lied, then the duty Of the committee ia
plain. His false statements can be very
easily disposed of, for this thing is not
hidden in corner, and be made to bear
the opprobrium OF his falsehOod. II,
however, Commissioner Campbell has
spoken truly concerning bis department,
and it does seem incredible that he
should have deliberately falsified when
the facts are 80 patent, If he has spoken
truly, then the saddle is upon the NUM-
pal bronOhO and If the commissioner
olsps the spurs in strong and sharp who
can blame him. Let any one pick up
the LIGHT Of last Tuesday and read the
damaging statement made therein in the
protest OF Commissioner Campbell, AZ
filed with the city couucil. 1t directly
charges upon the council the entire re-
sponsibility for the unkempt and i'll con-
ditioned streets, alleys and thorough
fares of this city. Note his comparisons
OF the force at his disposal, as with
the street forces under his predecessor,
and wait for the answer of the commit
tee next Monday. 1t certainly would
puzzle Philadelphia lawyer to under
stand why the present commissioner
should be compelled to make bricks
without straw in such q manner when the
city. figuratively speaking, has go much
need of bricks. The two things noted
In this protest, and which most interest
the people Of this city are these-The
needed city work is not done; this work
ia not done, because the city council or
its servants have taken away from the
street commissioner. duly elected by the
people, the carts and laborers necessary
to accomplish his work. Before sum-
ming up the case it will be in order to
hear the special pleading OF the defend
gnu huu iOoih why tho hu"ocE vi CdTte
and laborers have been cut down nearly
fifty per cent? Why his pay roll has
been cut down from Sl.75 to Sl.50 per
diem? Why his foremen sre only paid
$l.75 per day as against the $500 per
day allowed the foremen OF his prede.
oessor? Why he has no carpenters as
signed him for duty while his prede-
oessor had two? Why he has not
charge OF the plow teams necessary
for his work while his predecessor had
Why he Ia compelled to secure an order
for every trifling repair and the sharp
ening OF his tools instead of being left
to his own discretion In such matter as
was his predecessor? In . word. why
has the street commissioners office been
made burden to him, hsmpered By
every arbitrary condition and vexatioue
restriction that could possibly interfere
with the work he was selected
by the citizens to perform 2?
The answer to this question lie
looked for at the hands OF the city coun-
oil next Monday.
The Pearsall Sun endorses the strio-
lures OF this journal, upon the boomers
who boom through the columns of a
generous local press to the full extent of