The record-union., 1892-10-28
A SENSATION EXPLODED.


! The Traffic Association of San Fran
cisco is nothing if not sensational. For
months it has moaned over the decline it
alleged the metropolis was suffering. 1t
has industriously cultivated the belief
that the city was rapidly going back
ward.
The metropolitan press, unmindful of
its duty to the community that supports
it, has Joined in the refrain and published
as an evidence of the truth of the charge
OF degeneracy the falsehood that there are
in San Francisco 1000 or 5000 vacant
dwelling-houses. 1t has truckled to the
impertinent and browbeating policy of
the Traffic Association and has not dared
to speak the truth.
But in the face of this bewailing we
have the fact that the registered vote OF
San Francisco has greatly increased. 1t
is significant fact, one that gives the lie
to the lugubrious wall of the pessimists.
The record shows that in two years there
has been over 6.00C increase in the vot-
ing population in that city.
1t will not do to reply that the register
is ''stutfed'; we presume that it is. Now.
assuming for arguments sake that it is
stuffed to the extent of 5000 votes, and it
remains that there is still an increase of
over 5000 votes in San Francisco. because
the cop1 paricO iS ,,oJo 1,-;+I, Al, = ..z-.-.-
of two years ago, when it was more in
dustriously, skillfully and systemati-
cally stuffed than now.
Two years ago the registration was a
little over $1,000. At that time stuffing
was industriously charged to amount
to 5000 or 1000 votes. To-day the regis
tration in San Francisco is over 6s, 900.
So there has been an increase aggregating
more than 5000 votes, and stil the state
ments of fraudulent registration are
made.
Put it as they may, the "moaners'' are
driven to the admission that there has
been an increase in the voting population
of over 5000. Now two years ago the
charge, as hot then as now and as well
authenticated as that of to-day, was that
the register had been stuffed to the tune
of 1000 fraudulent names.
Let it be conceded that the charge was
verify; that the register was, two years
ago, stuffed with 1000 names, then the
voting population of two years ago in
San Francisco was $1,000. Now to deny
increase of the voting population is to
declare that there is no difference be-
tween $1,000 and $4,000, which is 10000.
and that stut1ing has risen to the latter
figure, which is impossible and absurd.
No such stuffing could be possible with
out being made apparent on its face.
The residence portion of the city cannot
be used by suffers; it is only in denseIy
settled and downtown regions, and not
ably along the water front, that stuffing
is practiced. But it is absurd-pure
nonsense-t claim that II, 900 names could
be added fraudulently to the register. and
places OF residence be assigned for each
man, without exposing the fraud glar-
ingly.
In this connection let it be noted that
there has been increased registration
generally throughout the State, except in
the upper Sacramento Valley. Stockton
shows a large increase, Sacramento
very large increase, and all the other
cities and towns make returns of in
creased registration. 1t is probable that
the total increase in the State will not fall
short of $4,000 In the face of these facts.
what becomes of the wall that the
population of San Francisco has been
declining, and all because of that mon
strous institution, the railroad system?