The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-11-21
Is Property Depreciating in
Value Through the High
Rate?
TO AUGMENT A MAYORS POWER
His Honor Says That Now He Is
Merely Clerk TO the Superintend.
ent of Streets.

Mayor Sutro is seeking ways and means
of bringing about special election to give
the voters of this City chance to pass
upon the charter formulated by the Board
OF FreeholderS, whose exciting meetings
took place several months ago.
At the time the Freeholders were in ses-
son the Mayor was an interested auditor
at their gatherings and took an active part
IN debates, which, on several occasions,
nearly brought him into personal conflict
with Irving NJ. Scott, member of that
body.
The Mayor thought he saw the hand of
the Southern Pacific in almost every
measure advocated by the shipbuilder and
comhated the latters moves in his own
peculiar way.
The Mayor, at the time the tax levy was
made by the Board OF Supervisors, said
that he would veto the measure on the
ground that it was not only excessive, but
illegal, and that in case the Supervisors
chose to override his veto or the Supreme
Court decided that the levy was legal the
only emancipation for San Francisco
would be in the adoption of the new char
Ter. which takes much of the municipal
Supervisors and places 1t IN the hands of
the incumbent of the Mayors chair.
Since then Mr.. SHtro has taken much
interest in the matter and been actively
engaged in gaining adherents to the cause
of the charter. He was somewhat cha
grined yesterday when he learned that the
Supreme Court had decided that his posi-
ton was untenable, and expressed his
mind freely on the effect the opinion would
hay on NM ipi1l of
in effect he declared "this decision
makes me the clerk of the Superintendent
OF Streets.
Il am required to pass upon his business
whether ii is legal, just and honest OF
not, and have no alternative but to sign
the warrants he presents. The laws that
govern this municipality are so mixed and
conflicting that it is impossible at the
present time to tell where we stand, and
the remedy must be found by some means
or another.
1.-The only remedy I see is in the new
charter, and it must come and come soon
1t is useless to delay matters and allow
them to run on as they are at present
Next year these same men who were
pledged TO fix the tax at the dollar limit
will 40 more than they have this year.
The Supreme Court decision throws the
door open to them, and it would not sur
prise me TO see the levy fixed at 2% per
cent.
''Will veto it next year, Why, of
course. But it will not stop the matter.
The only hope we have is that the people
will rise against such an imposition, and
that out Of the tangle we shall get the new
charter. and then everything will be Sc
rene. Since this levy was made the valua-
ton OF property in this City has dropped
% per cent, and why? Because Eastern
people who were preparing to invest money
Al 10, Il
a city where the rate OF taxation IS so high.
Municipal government under the old
consolidation act, under which we are
now acting, means simply chaos. Even
the lawyers cannot interpret the laws, and
things will go from bad to worse unless a
remedy be found.
Il have instructed my secretary to
search the legal authorities and statutes
for some power to enable us to call q
special election, and in case the power is
found we will have the election by all
means.
"The Board of FreehoIders in the result
of their deliberations provided that the
charter should be passed upon at special
election, and I think their wishes should
be carried out"
The Supreme Court having sustained
the tax levy, the Police Department is
growing anxious over the question whether
the seventy-five new policemen provided
for will be appointed. Concerning the
matter Police Commissioner Robert J..
Tobin said yesterday:
at was our duty TO appoint the seventy
five new policemen when the provision
was made for their appointment, but we
took the ground that it would not be ad-
visable until some provision was made for
the payment of their salaries.
I'VE have applications from number
OF good men asking for positions upon the
force, but as yet we have not decidedIwhom
we will appoint"
Now that means for their payment have
been provided the Commissioners will
probably take the matter up Immediately.
Park Commissioners Austin, SCOTT and
Rosenfeld were delighted to hear that the
levy had been sustained by the Supreme
Court. No meeting of the Commissioners
was held last evening, but one will be
called before many days, as Superinten-
dent McLaren has several suggestions to
submit concerning the expenditure of
$4,000 which the levy OF 10 cents will
provide.
The Commissioners may not deem it de-
sirable at present to proceed W it'll the con-
struction of peristyle. but the new music
concourse viii probably be placed in order
at once.
The directors of the Driving Park
and Boulevard Association have received
assurances from the Commissioners that
several thousand dollars will be expended
to improve the park poulevards.
The appropriation this year is the most
munifcent ever made for the maintenance
and adornment of Golden Gate Park,
hence The public is deeply interested in all
the plans and purposes to improve the
CITY S famous DleaSure-ground.