The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-10-20
AsHwoRTH's PREDIOAMENT.

1t must have been an overwhelming sur
prise to Street Superintendent Ashworth
to learn that any body OF citizens, whether
organized as a Grand Jury or not, had
dared to bring proceedings against him
for corrupt and willful misconduct and for
his removal from Office, and it must be i'm
measurably humiliating to him to realize
that he cannot exercise the functions of
his office during the tendency of the pro-
ceedings He is now placed in far worse
role than that of common criminal, and
that is probably beyond his power Of COM
prehension.
For although he had been repeatedly
warned by THE CALL that he must mend
the ways of his department or take the
consequences, and had been clearly in
formed by this paper that San Francisco
was beginning to emerge from the dis
graceful political condition which has
brought it so much harm in the past, he
carried his position with high hand, de-
nounced those who would have been glad
to see him spared this terrible disgrace, as
sumed the attitude of towering superiority
over the com bined moral forces OF the
City, and acted generally in a manner
which indicated his belief that his power
was unassailable.
1t would not be proper at this time to
discuss the merits of the case against him
in their legal aspect. Public policy re-
quires that this silence be maintained
even in the face OF the notorious circum-
stances which have given rise to the pro-
ceedings. 1t is more profitable to turn to
the agencies which have brought about the
action.
Mr.. Ashworth has already explained
that much OF the crooked work with which
his administration is charged was done by
his predecessor in office. This makes the
case none the better for him. 1t was his
duty, If he knew of such things, to protect
the City against them instead of carving
them to completion. But what about the
former members of the City government?
Mr.. Ashworth's explanation is an attack
on their Intelligence, vigilance or fidelity,
and II seems incumbent on them to step
out INTO the light and defend themselves.
In very sharp contrast to the former
order OF things is the record made by the
present Street Committee of the Board OF
Supervisors. 1t was not content to take
the Street Superintendent word for the
AA4oH4lCL III WI4Cu Tic COuITdCIOTS were
doing their work. 1t employed an expert
paid his salary from private sources and
set him to work. With no trouble at all
he ran down a long list of scandalous con-
tract operations. His services were sc
conspicuously valuable that he was en-
gagged by the whole board and his salary
paid from the public funds. His known
integrity was an element of his selection,
and that is something that is too often
overlooked in the selection of public func-
tionaries.
The splendid work of the Street Com
mittee would not have had so highly valu-
able results had it not been for the high
character OF the Grand Jury. Such forces
working together are competent at any
time 10 uproot corruption and check the
evils OF incompetency in the conduct OF
municipal affairs. 1t should be as crafty
ing to the people to realize that we have
such men to guard the public interests as
1t should be a warning to corrupt poll
ticians that their days of prosperous ras-
calty have come to an end.