The morning call., 1893-02-17

10 say agains. T L. Barker There Is not man
IN the city OF Oakland who stands higher In my
estimation than does the nominee OF the reform
Republican convention for the Office OF May or
But IL is Il straG9s spectacle 10 see the attorney
for The waterfront company, the master car
Iepairer for the Southern fac.hc. the contra
COSTA Water C0mpany's adherebts and ali the
members of the reform Republican party, In
endng the Tribune, the Times. Mir. Mccall Mr..
Campbell Mr.. Ames, Mr.. Gohrman, Mr.. D0Ody,
Mr.. Dafge and Mr.. Moffilt. all so anxious TO see
one man defeated and another elected Is IL
possible that Mr.. Barker was nominated by the
reform Republican convention. Endorsed by the
attorney for the waterfront company, by the
master car-repalrer OF The Southern Pacific. by
the Times, by The Tribune, because he would
make respectable head for the reform Repub-
lican Ticket aud cover up the tracks OF the water
front company aud the Contra Costa Water
Company?
Il member that the coming Council will have
TO take some action In the wa front matter.
Remembe1, also. that the attorney for the
terfront company was very Influential men,
Der OF the reform Republican convention.
Remember too mat this reform Republican
convention rcnominated three men who have
always served the wafer company on the floor OF
the City Council
Remember. too. that the reform Republican
convention condemned the action OF the City
Council FOR It's action on the boulevard, and thin
projected TO ren0mDate TWO men for The C0un-
ell who were firm In their adherence to the very
thing which his reform Republican convention
had by formal vote condemned,
Remember, too, that The waterfront company
has, through It's attorney, thrown down the gage
of battle aud announced that IL has no confidence
In me.
Remember, too. that the Tribune has declared
political vendetta against me.
Remember, too, that the Contra Costa Wafer
Company has political debt that IL wants TO
pay me, Remember, TOO, that the railroad com.
Dany represented on The floor OF the reform Re-
publican convention by its master car-repaifer.
went out OF its way to insnuate lie against me,
which neither itself nor Its representative was
brave enough 10 say outright. Remember, too,
that Mi. Mccall. ex-member OF The Doodling
Bfuner Legislature. was violently opposed 10 me
on the floor OF the reform Republic conven-
tlon, aud that all the reform Republicans, H.
cIudinlS Mr.. Motfitf, Nh. Dargie, Mr.. DeGolia.
Mr.: Campbell, MIR. Gorlam and MIR. Doody, are
violently opposed 10 me now.
Ii mas been said by some of my enthusiastic
fIlends that | always Ola my duty in the city
Council and liz the Board OF Health. 1 have
always tried TO do my full duty TO Tie people of
this city, and that l have gained the active
enmity OF the ring, the Waterfront Company,
the Contra Costa Water Company the railroad.
the Tribune and all the element in tie reform"
Republican party, which is opposed TO he inter-
ests of the city OF Oah land, Is, am glad to say,
the facI. L have been nominated by the Nom
Partisan convention for the office of Mayor.
And II am defeated at The polls shall take IL as
declaration by the people OF Ga land that II Is
not safe for any man occupying public oiilce to
do his duty 10 The people and thereby incur the
ennity OF the ring, tue Waterfront Company,
the water company. the Tribune and the
boodling legislators who may belong 10 the Ere
form" Republican party. lAppiauSe.l
IL you VIII only notice the ring Is making a
great fuss about The Mayor, but Is saying lille
or nothing about The Council. One would sup
pose from ali this fuss OF he ring that the Mayor
was the most important officer III the city govern
meDt. Yet, as matter or fact, the Mayor is not
az all The key to the political situation. All the
Mayor can do Is 10 keep general supervision
over he affairs OIL the city and veto such ordi-
ndnces us lie may not app owe. All appropIa
tiOns are made by The Council, taxes are levied
by that body and II has entire control of lie
city's purse. Hence The anxiety OF the ring to
make II appear that the Mayor is OF the greater
so binding The people OF this city as TO make
them forget that he Council Is OF more impor
tance than The Mayor II may be that lie ring
may succeed IN eecting majority Of the Couu-
Gil.
1t has been suggested TO me that you might
Ike to hear some hing from me IN regard TO my
views on the questions Of the day IN Oakland
politics. You all know what think OF the ring
and its hangerSon. On the question Of the
water company also, my voice has not been ST.
lent, To a word, / believe that the rates now
charged by the Contra Costa Water Company are
excessive and should be reduced al least 10 per
cent, and l believe that this reduction VIII be
made II you Will elect NOn-Partlsan Council.
lApplause.l
In regard TO The question of the city owning
Its own water works permit ne 10 quote an eX-
tract from au interview in the Enquirer OF Janu-
airy 10, 1892, In Which said among Other things
the following:
Il hope TO see the day land do not expect to
live TO De 100 years OLD, eitheD when Oakland
snail own It's own water works"
That was my wish then and l have not
changed 1t In the short space OF one year.
In that same Interview | also made use Of the
following language: Then too, / believe that
the city owns and should have possession Of It's
wafer front. now held and claimed by The Water
front Company"
Luckily for the city the Supreme Court of the
United States has, so the lawyers tell us, settled
the whole matter aud given US what year ago
we could have got, II al all, only after a long
Struggle.
We also have many miles OF streets In this
city, aud, as you all know. these streets are not
Ia good condition. A few years ago Oakland
was famous for her good streets Many people
moved TO Oakland on account If Der good streets.
How many people come 10 Oakland on that ac.
count now? / believe that one OF the first things
tn city Of Oakland should do Is 10 improve her
streets, and l believe that II The NOn-Partisan
Council Is elected the people VIII be willing TO
improve The streets, which, under the present
STATE OF municipal affairs, they seem 10 be IN
willing TO do.
The attacks OF the Waterfront Company up
or me; The assertions OF the railroad through It's
representatives; The wafer company's want of
confidence In me; the evident distress OF all the
boodllng legisa ors aud political hacks at the
mention OF my name-ail these things give me
couI age 10 believe that Oakland will be true TO
herself AT the coming election and finally retire
Messrs. DaTgle, Mccall, DEG Ola, CarOtheTs aud
company from their cOntrO. OF public affairs. Do
this and you are safe for two years at least from
printing steals from boulevard grabs ON pub
lie robbeiles Of all kinds Neglect 10 90 il and
you VIII be subjected 10 still greater insults and
indgDitles than even the poOroom episode and
tie 1Weniy-ihifd avenue outrage.
BE faithful TO yourselves, repudiate the ring
and all Its emissaIies. listen not TO the Republl-
can siren, steer safely between the Democratic
Seylla and the Republican Chafybdis, elect the
Non-Parjtsan Council, east of the bouds OF the
water company aud the Waterfront Company,
aud lei Oakland be what 1t has always claimed
10 be, the Athens of The Pacific, Initiating the
stern public virtues OF the ancient Greeks before
tile Athenian ring got control OF the Grecian
stale. Loud applause.1