The San Francisco call., 1895-10-07

figure. This is enough for the average
Oakland politician who cares little for the
merits OF case so long as he use the sur
face OF tito help his argument. Saturday
night therefore marks an epoch-whatever
that is-in the political career of John L.
Davie.
Now that the ordinance is finally passed
by the Council the fate of the levy is in the
hands of the Mayor and as was stated in
this paper three weeks ago, it will be
vetoed, and unless there be falling down
of some membe of the Solid Four the veto
cannot be passed over. 1t is not likely that
there will be yielding on either side, for
although only a creek separated the fac
tons q week ago, the heated arguments
that have intervened since have created a
breach wide as an ocean. This being so,
the Mayor at present has the whip hand.
al shall stand firm, " he has said. There
is no merit in this antagonistic attitude Of
the Council and they will be forced to ac-
cept my figures. They can do nothing
else, as they cannot pass anything over my
veto. The whole business is political clap
trap. The Finance Committee started to
. fix the tax levy in secret session. Who
ever heard of such thing outside of Oak
land? nd they have been playing poll
tics for over a month. l have employed
an expert and we have gone over the re-
ports ana the requirements, and am con-
WINGED that the city can be run satisiactor-
lily on 81 levy"
It is very evident that the Board of
Works, as at present constituted, is fail
ure. 1t is impossible for the three men,
bers to satisfactorily perform their duties,
and proof OF this was given last Wednes-
day. A driver of the Fire Department re-
fused TO accept some oats that had been
rendered by the contractor.
The City Attorney was surrounded by
larr Sfr TINfo
dozen ordinances without loophoIe by
which delinquents could escape. He is a
member of the Board of Works and con-
sequently responsible that the city s
horses eat good oats only. Into the City
Attorneys Office rushed the contractor
on the attorneys desk with the exclama-
tion, "Ain't them good oats?" The law
yer looked at the grain carefully and said
1t was not Then the contractor rushed
into the Mayors Office with the same
query.
They're delicious oats, )" said the Mayor,
eating few. Then the contractor and
the Mayor walked down to the City At
torney's Office and together they inspected
the oats, but decided to submit the mighty
matter OF oats to the City Engineer, who
was inspecting sewer miles away.
The Board of Works has to carry out all
the work authorized by the Council. This
time to the office. AT present each fills an
important city Office and besides each has
private practice, and the city's work is
left to the ravages of contractors and po-
litical manipulators.
The withdrawal of the powerful support
of the First Presbyterian Church from the
Alameda County Christian Endeayor
Union is crisis in the history of the En-
deayor movement. During the last county
campaign the indorsing of a special ticket
by the Endeavorers was the cause of much
comment. The organized effort made
against the Republican candidate for
Sheriff ended in suit for libel against E.
A. Sherman president of the County
Christian Endeavor Union. The case was
dismissed on technical defense, but every
body would have preferred to see Sherman
wiz on the merits Of the case rather than
take advantage of technicality.
This trucking to politics injured the
work by surrounding the efforts of its most
active members with suspicion, and DR..
Goyie declared most positively against the
EndeaVorers making any such campaigns
he is anxious that all ministers in charge
OF churches shall be made ex-onicio mem
pers OF the executive committee of the
county Union. Reason certainly is on his
size, as experience has shown that the
young men have not 50 far been able to
run the union free of libel suits. His reso-
luton was defeated by narrow vote, and
ne mas thrown down the gauntlet by with
drawing from the union. The outcome
Will be watched with interest.
Rabbi Friedlander is striking out boldly