Los Angeles herald., 1890-09-17

apparently helpless condition. The pre-
ceding Republican board had wrecked
the treasury, in open defiance of law,
and had left as legacy in the middle of
the fiscal year debt OF 100000. So
desperate appeared the situation that the
supervisors could see no relief except to
issue bonds to the amount of $500 900 to
pay the Indebtedness. They passed an
order submitting the question to vote
of the people, which the Democratic
Mayor Bartlett vetoed, and Supervisor
Pond sustained him.
1t was then that Ponds business tai
ent was brought into play for the benefit
of the public. Suits by the city had
long been pending against the Spring
Valley Water company and the San
Francisco Gas company for large
amounts, due for taxes, and it looked as
ii they would be interminable. After a
brief negotiation, the finance committee,
under the leadership of Supervisor Pond,
succeeded in etfecting settlement, un-
der which the company paid to the city
cash enough to liquidate all the floating
debt and leave surplus at the close of
the fiscal year.
Heroic measures had to be adopted
to accomplish this, and Pond did not
hesitate to adopt them. The gas COM
pany was importunate for the payment
OF it's monthly bills and Pond told them
there was not dollar with which to pay
them. They must wait.
"But we can't afford to wait" insisted
the gas men.
'Then pay up your taxes" answered
Pond, "and we will pay your bills"
That was a hard one, but the company
had been accustomed to it's own way
with the municipality and was stubborn.
Now it had man of metal to deal
wth-a resolute spirit, who shrank
from doing nothing that was lawful and
right in the public interest. Pond was
a rock.
He first ordered every alternate street
lamp in the city to be extinguished, in
order to keep down the bills.
When that failed to bring the COM
pany to terms, he directed that not a
lamp in the whole town should be
lighted
San Francisco by night was left in
total darkness.
his reputation for conservatism and
periled his popularity.
The city was eXasperated and it
howled. it disliked the inconvenience
and danger of unlighted streets. The
air was full of footpads and cutthroats
in buckram, and during the reign of
darkness Pond was the best cursed man
in the metropolis. But his backbone
was as stiff as lamp-post
He won.
The gas company yielded, asettlement
was made, the taxes were paid, all out
standing debts discharged, the lamps
once more flickered their yellow beams,
and Ponds anathematizers were changed
to the loudest of applauders.
Then came the Blaine year, 1884 and
Pond ran on this record for re-elec-
ton. The plumed knight of the trusts
carried San Francisco by 4,3O7 votes.
Pond on the Democratic ticket was
elected by $500, while all the rest OF his
ticket went with McGinty to the bottom
OF a stormy political sea.
The other eleven supervisors were all
Republicans, elected by majorities run
ming up to the thousands.
There was, of course, "ring" in each
OF the boards of which Pond was mem
ber, but no man was ever bold or foolish
enough to think of asking him to join
either. Pond and rings" don't hitch
Mr.. Ponds splendid work as super
visor brought its reward. Hewas elected
mayor in 1886 and reelected in 1888. All
California is acquainted with his course
while in this office. So often has he felt
called upon to step in between the greed
of individuals and corporations arp the
interests of the people that he has ac-
quired the title of the "veto mayor Of
San Francisco" Importantly and
threats alike have failed to stay his
hand when once his mind was made up.
That backbone of his has never been
bent when it was his duty to keep it
stiff. He has the facility-so rare in
either private or public life-zto be able
to say no, even to his best friends, when
they ask what should not be granted.
Indeed, it is safe to say that he never
vetoed a measure in which one of his
closest friends was not interested.
He has not counted the consequences to
himself. He has never been a SELF
seeker, and for the tricks of the dema
gogue he has had the scorn of an up
right man and a gentleman. The occa-
sional local resentment and prejudice
which his acts in the general interest
have aroused he has borne with the
equanimity of one who knows his own
motive to be good, and who is willing
to trust in the good sense and fairness of
the whole people. And the whole peo-
pie have come to understand him-to
understand him so well that though he
held himself aloof from the preliminary
and customary struggle for the guber-
material nomination, it came to HIM as
a recognition and reward of his loyal,
intelligent and high-minded work in
lesser stations in the public service.
Pond knows the state from the Oregon
line to that of Mexico. He knows the
interests Of the state in all its sections;
those of the mining regions, those along
the rivers, the interests OF the fruit-grow
ers and those of the farmer, while he
knows all the interests OF the mercan-
tile classes as he knows the alphabet.
He has followed these various interests
down through the whole history OF the
state. He has been part of all the ups
and downs of the states career and
therefore sympathizes with them all.
1t is a Democratic year in California,
and for the next four years Edward B.
Pond in the executive chair will be a
guarantee of honesty and economy in all
the departments OF its government.