The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-12-20
THE NEW CHARTER
Good Government Club
Discusses 1t.
Valuable Suggestions Given the
Freeholders in Framing the
Instrument.

At a meeting Of the Good Government
Club last evening number of interesting
features were developed irelative TO NUM-
cipal reform which may go far toward
guiding the actions of the Freeholders in
framing the new charter for San Fran
cisco. Several members of the board,
whc were present by invita- ton, expressed
themselves as being heartily 10 accord
with the views of the club and felt certain
That they wOnld prove of great assistance
10 the board in the course of its labors.
The suggestions referred to were en-
bodied In lengthy report rendered by the
executive committee pursuant to instruc-
tons and compiled from the findings of
subcommittee, which were acted upon at
a previous meeting.
In substance the theory advanced Is
based upon the Capitalization of admins
trative power. The Mayor is to be Virtu-
ally given almost full control of municipal
affairs, doing away with the Board of
Supervisors, commissions and other more
or less obnoxious institutions which reek
in coTruptness.
They found the principal defects of the
present system are the difficulty of locat-
ing responsibility and tho difficulty of re-
moving inefficient and incompetent Off
GERS.
1t was held that the old theory OF popu-
lar government now exploded, was that
the more officials the citizens had to vote
for the greater the personal supervision
which could be exercised; that the direct
opposite has been found TO be the case. so
far as a voter familarZng him self ith
the particular merits and dement's OF the
various public officials is concerned, the
result being that the voter has been con-
fused by the magnitude Of the undertaking,
resulting in a total absence of that per-
sonal inspection which it was hoped that
a substitute of elective officers would eff
feet.
In this connection the adjustment OF
elective offices was strongly brought out
in favor Of the power of filing the heads
of the various departments falling upon
the Mayor,
The benefit to be arrived at by this sys-
TEN would be found principally in the
great responsibility placed upon the Mayor,
thereby assuring the appointment of re-
liable officials, he being held directly re-
sponsi5le for the incompetency or irregu-
larities of ali appointees.
The charters of a number of Eastern
cities were held up as models in the form
of good government. In Boston the Mayor
appoints all the heads of departments,
subject to the confirmation of the Council,
except the School Committee and the Po-
lice Commissioners, the latter being Sc
lected by the Governor.
In Brooklyn, Chicago and Philadelphia
the Mayor is given almost absolute power,
and the result is said to be highly crafty .
ing to those who advanced the new theory
After the adoption of the report Stewart
MeDZies was invited to address the meet
| ing, and took occasion to congratulate the
committee upon the clear. logical theories
| advanced, supported as they were in the
| report.
| He was heartily in sympathy with the
movement to reform the present corrupt
and inefficient system of government and
was pleased to see that the young men of
San francisco have started movement
| tending toward that end
! Joseph Britton, president OF the Cti-
Zens' Defense Association. also added a
few words of encouragement TO the move
mtnt.
| He said that the first steps toward
| framing charter would be to solve the
dispute over the legal existence of the
Board of Freeholders.
Another issue which. he said, would
stand as an impairment to reforming the
city government, should the charter be
dropped, is the existence of the Police
courts. The Supreme Court has declared
them State institutions. although they are
not publicly considered as SUCH This
fact will prevent the provisions of the
charter from reaching the courts.
ID. n. Clement. l. Truman and other
members OF the Board of Freeholders
present addressed the meeting in similar
Vein, and enthusiasm was rife until the
hour of adjournment