The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-11-10
What the Harbor Commits
sioners Propose to Do
About It.
E. L. COLNON SPEAKS.
An Attempt to Be Made to Lift
This Port Out OF
Politics.
FAvoRs CIVIL SERVICE RULES.
An Important Official Expression
Looking Toward the Relief
Z of Merchants.
FAvoRs CIVIL SERVICE RULES


the Chamber of Commerce on Friday after
noon, was the subject of general comment
on the water front yesterday. The pur-
pose of the conference being to devise
ways and means for tightening the burdens
upon shipping entering the harbor, Cap
tain Merry dealt with the tax collected by
the Harbor Commission, which he con-
sjdered excessive. He also made some
rather plain statements touching the adj
ministration of that very important de-
partment of the State government, broadly
intimating that things there were not just
as they should be. E. L. Colnon, presi-
dent of the commission, was asked by
CALL reporter what he thought of the cap
sain's remarks.
81 agree perfectly with the captain
hat there has been in the past-and is to-
day, in fact-too much politics in the
affairs of the commission. No position in
the service requiring special aptitude or
previous training should be given to a
Democrat because he is a Democrat, or to
a Republican for like reason, nor should
any, employe be discharged on account of
his politics. Every man qualified for the
place which he fills should be retained in
it during good behavior. This lengthen-
ing of the tenure would allow of the COM
pensation being reduced. There is not an
officer or employee of the board-save,
possibly, the chief engineer-who would
not consent to decrease of his pay il re-
turn for an assurance OF prolonged
employment, unaffected by politics or the
change incident TO a State election. Sal
aries in most cases are too high and are
4 10 ha
volved; but the board is not responsible
for this, as the standard has been fixed by
the Legislature on the positions that are
statutory. There is no reason why for
similar service the State should pay 80 or
90 per cent more on the water front than
the General Government pays in the Post
office, except that in the former case the
job lasts only so long as the "pulr' en-
dures which obtained it. while in the
latter it may be lifelong, in the discretion
OF the possessor."
,'cBut how IS this. ideal condition of
things to be reached3"
Now you are getting to the point The
matter was long ago discussed by the
Governor, Colonel Chadbourne and N.Y.
self, and we have agreed that bill shall
be presented to the next Legislature tax
ing the water front out of politics by max
ing the tenure of the officers and employees
of the Harbor Commission dependent
solely upon good behavior, as in the CLASH
fed service of the Federal Government.
In other words, we have resolved upon
civil service reform. If Captain Merry and
the Shipowners' Association will assist us
in this endeavor, a step in the direction
indicated by Fridays conference will have
been taken.'
What do you think of the proposition
of turning the management of the water
front over to the Federal Government
That is possibility so infinitely re-
mote as not to be entitled to serious con-
sideration. But if it were possible, what
would be gained by it? The history of
similar affairs does not justify the belief
that the management would be any more
economical than 1t is at present or than
1t could easily be made by the reforms
spoken of.
"The statement that if the General Gov
eminent should finish the seawall the
work could be done for two and half mill
ions, whereas if the State should under
take it the cost would be twenty millions,
is preposterous. The General Government
government has done it, by letting con-
tracts, according to the requirements of
the law, to the lowest bidder. It is wild
assertions such as these that have created
the impression there is something myste-
riously wrong or rotten on the water front
and that have prevented the Inauguration
OF the reforms that are really needed by
directing attention to evils that are purely
imaginary. There is no excuse for per-
son who-can reao English and assume to
speak on the subject not knowing what
the provisions are of the State law with
respect 10 the construction of the seawal.
1t is as binding an enactment as could be
framed, hedging about with restrictions
and safeguards every movement of this
commission in the matter to which it re-
lates.
81 notice that Captain Merry also spoke
of the dimsy wharf constructions. the only
exception being the proposed new Pacific
street wharf, as though they indicated a
management that might be criminalIv
wrong, when the fact is that the wharyesf
of the State are to-day as durable and in as
good condition as those of private parties
similarly situated with respect to the raw
ages of the teredo. Assuredly the de-
struction wrought by this parasite is not
to be charged to the derelictlon OF the Har-
Dor Commission. The Southern Pacific
Railroad Company has spent hundreds of
thousands of dollars in endeavors to beat
the busy little worm, but there is no evil
dence that have been able to obtain that
the corporation is any better off than the
State in the conflict that is necessarily
going on"
What do you think of the proposition
of Captain Merry that the law should be
changed so that no one would be eligible
for the Harbor Commission who did not
possess certain degree of technical knowl-
edge OF ships and shipping2"
There is nothing whatever in it, Dur
ing the seven months that I have been
member of the board and its executive
ofhcer have found no occasion where
technical knowledge of ships or ANYTHING
that pertains to them would be of the least
advantage. The affairs of the commission
are. all purely business affairs-a little
more scopy probably some of them than