The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-09-06
POND AND BUCKLEY.

POND has acteu as MaSOI u san IldHelooO
for nearly four years past, and that during
all of this time there has been no manifesto
ton of any controversy between MIR. Pond
and Mr. Buckley. Every one realizes that
we have had a Board of Supervisors who
have passed various ordinances which have
enriched private persons at the expense OF
the people. 1t is true that Mr.. Pond has
occasionally vetoed an ordinance, but in
nearly every instance the vetoed ordinance
received enough votes in the Board OF Super
Wis, r, to give it the vitality of law. Mr.
Points name was used at the last election
to give Buckley's municipal ticket a KIND OF
responsibility. by which it slipped into office.
What has been the result of that election IN
a financial point of view? Under the admin
istration of Mayor Pond, which The GALL
urges has been a Pond-Buckley regime, the
expenses of the city have been increased to
about 81, O00C00 more than were the expenses
for Il similar period of time under Mr.. BART
lett Mayor Pond, we doubt not, has fully
understood the situation OF affairs While
acting as Mayor. He knew that the city
was being pundered, but so far as we can
remember he has made no protest against
numerous outrages. Prior to the last
election he was accused Of assent
ing to the location of p0lling-p'aceS
in improper places. Lately he has seemed
10 oppose the appointment OF few
impIuuer persons who sought to be placed
where they could handle the ballots at the
approaching election. Aside from this, we
are unable to point to single instance
where Mr. Pond las ever appeared to inter-
fere with the plans Of Buckley and his
lambs. During his nearly four years in the
Mayors office lie has permitted baleiul In
fluence to have full sway i'll the city govern
ment. Now, however, he makes sign III
hopes Of obtaining the GoyernoTship OF the
State Perhaps il will be said by the lambs
that Mr.. Pond, if permitted TO become Gov
ernor. would change his policy. The CALL
has no faith, however, in man who has
gone hand in hand with Buckley and has
made no sign of opposition to the abOmlna-
lions which have taken place. If our citI-
zens had any need of Buckle y's assistance
in administering the affairs of the State. we
should even then object TO his taking Mr..
Pond " it'll him. on the ground that Mark
ham is vastly superior person. One has
ability, while the other has only enough
cunning to try to hoodwink the people on
the eve Of an imrortant election. lie
CALL believes that the inhabitants OF this
State have had enough of BuckleyiSm, and
that Pond bias been tried sufficiently during
the past two years to prove that he may
with advantage be retired to private life.
What say the public TO this proposition?
In this connection We copy the following
editorial from the Ereuug Bulletin Of
Wednesday:
Queer Kind of Economy.
One OF the Democratic "orgaus" is labOring
guile asSiduOusly 10 disseminate the notion that
Manor fond is wise economy ncalnate, aud that
as con sequence, If lie should be elected Gov
ernor, tie granger and the homestead owner
may seTeueiy 20 about their business, sure that
no unnecessary burdens VIII be pied on them
Mayor Pond Is row drawing near the end of his
second term as Chief Magistrate OF this city
The facts upon which this plea ant Forfeiture Is
based must be diScernibe somewhere in the
records Of The past. II it is found that no such
facts lave al existence it is quite evident that
The d -mGctatic organ VIII have to try again
for some line upon which effective battle can be
delivered.
The Mayor of This city has not as full control
of its finances as the Governor has OF those OF
the State. he former can veto levy, which Is
about all lie can do 10 secure economy, and two
more votes than those which originally passed II
can set the veto aside. But Mayor Pond has not
vetoed any levy since he entered on Inc dlS-
cndi re OF MS present uUtlGs. tIc anu nc wv
Boards of Supervisors with whom he has had 10
deal must therefore, stand or fall together. If
lie las been economical, wise ana considerable IN
the financial sense, so have been these boards.
But the facts, on the contrary. are that the eN-
penses of The local government have been in
creased pretty nearly Il third since Mayor Ponds
first election.
An Increase TO that extent indicates pretty
formidable rad on the resources OF The tax pay
ers Of the metropolis, and establishes the re-
verse of what the ETUHiHeT is trying to prove.
The Mayor and The solid nine, and the Mayor
aud the solid seven who preceded the nine, are
in the same boat in relation to The amount of
money taken from The people. The solid nine,
ii may lie said have introduced an entirely new
feature by gobbug up the surplus thai should
have been available for many municipal wants at
the close Of the last fiscal year
1t appears by The records that the tax levied
Tor local purposes including 10 cents for the
public debt in Mayor Bartlett's last year of of
fee calculated without fractions. amounted TO
50 SGT 600 Tie city has fixed rev hue from
another source which amounts TO Sl,5OO,0O0
but that need not be included. The levy for the
current year (Mayor Ponds lasD, calculated on
the same princIrle including 5.GS GEMS for the
public debt is 3.OI5. $50. We nave here ill.,
crease OF S736,616 in Mayor Ponds last term
over the last year OF Mayor Bartlett. That does
not look very much ike an apotheosis of wise
and economical local government.
But these hgu,es do not iell the whole story by
any means. There was nearly twice as much
levied in Mayor BartletPs last year for the public
debt as there is this year-he last year Of Mayor
Pond-that is to say, 10 cents against 5.66 cents
for the current year. There Is saving OF over
$500, 600 In the expense OF the local government
on this score alone. But the tax payers have not
got the benefit Of il. On the contrary. they are
confronted with an Increase OF ST3S,6 GIG. 1t is
hot lao
ment is collecting a million more by direct tax
alton now thar il did four years ago.
The seductive aud satisfactory economy that
has been inauEurated in thus city is not, there
fore visible to the naked eye. Ii Will be a loss
OF time TO argue from that which does not exist
10 a possible conservative tendency IN State
finances. Mayor Pond appears 10 have acted
thu oughout his TWO terms pretty much as Gov
eInor Waterman DID in the last Legislature-ihat
is 10 say. lie approved all the levies. The pro-
cesses are somewhat different, to be sure. but the
ultimate fact is just as we have stated 1t. 1t Is
true that a LOT of special pleading may be here
introduced, namely, that il was The Legislature
which ordered the 10 cents for the City Hall !;
that it was the same body which permitted the
addition OF cents TO tie park revenues; that
the mistake regularly made about the total as
sessment was unavoidable, though if application
had been made to this office correct estimates
could have been obtained. But all this has really
nothing whatever to do with the case.
Wien we deal with the total taxes levied we
get al the true state OF municipal finances. There
we find. as above set forth, an increase of nearly
331$ per cent under Mayor Ponds adminstra-
tion, accompanied IN the last year with the go0-
bling I'D OF the surplus, as before stated, Tor
which, however, he may not be justly charge
able. Under these circumstances, it is more than
likely that the Examiner Will have to choose
other fighting point The tariff will not
help It. The silver legislation Of the Republican
Congress- which VIII put 100 millions and more
in the pockets OF our farmers aud planters by the
rise which 1t has forced in wheat and cotton,
does not promise much Democratic thunder. The
Democratic profession OF economy in California
is a fraud and humbug. How would a lively
row over free trade and sailors rights" or q
strong demonstration in the direction OF the VIr.
ginia and Kentucky resolutions of '9S, do {?
Something will certainly have TO be found in the
past to fight on. There do not appear TO be any
ingredients for the manufacture OF Democratic
political capital in the present course of events
SILVER AND FARM PRODUCTS.
A 4bo4 l.