The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-17
Organization of District Clubs
to Make a New Campaign
Issue.
MIR. REYNOLDS ARGUMENT.
AgitatIng the Municipal Ownership
OF Water, Light, Street. Rail-
ways, Etc.

promises to lead to good results-if not to
the immediate realization of its purpose.
Indeed. those who are now active in
starting the movement do not expect the
immediate realization of their object,
which is, in a word, the prevention of
official corruption by removing what they
consider the temptation and causes thereof.
How is this to be done? By the munich
palization of public utilities.
This is high-sounding phrase out of the
books on political economy, but its mean
ing Is very simple. 1t is that the City and
County of San Francisco shall own and
operate its own water system, electric-lght
plant, street railways, and such other en-
terprises that are from their very nature
essentially monopolies in the hands of the
private corporations that now control
them. It is the existence of these mo-
nopolies, 1t is argued by the pioneers in the
present movement, as well as set down in
the textbooks on political economy, that
is responsible for official corruption in
municipal affairs.
The idea is not a new one by any means,
and those who are now agitating it point
to the experience of many Eastern cities
that have partially or completely adopted
the system to prove its utility and prac-
ticability. They instance the cheap water
and gas rates of Philadelphia and the ex-
celent service and lack of official cor-up-
ton, in these respects at least, in the
Quaker City; and they point to Chicagos
admirable water system, conducted econ
omically by the municipality; and they
point to many similar institutions in older
cities all over the world.
The first part of the plan is to organize
clubs in the different legislative districts,
and through them agitate the system of
of making it a practical issue in politics at
the next and its succeeding campaigns.
The first club organized was in the
Thirty-sixth Assembly District. It meets
at 627 Jersey street, and J. A. Anthony is
president. J. D. Thompson, the manu-
facturer, and several of the most promi-
nent residents i'll the district have been
active in the formation of this club.
In the Thirty-eighth Assembly District
]. M. Reynolds, Fred Raschen and J. Glib
ney are now organizing club. They have
a fair membership already promised.
F. G. Porter, w. J. Greer, the contractor
and builder, and E. S: Barney are the
formed in the Twenty-ninth Assembly
District. About a dozen other clubs in as
many different parts of the City are on
the verge of formation, and the prospects
are that in months time these clubs will
be numerous enough and their member
ship powerful enough to command the
very serious attention of the politicians
this is the purpose at all events, and
fairly good start toward it's realization has
been made.
The Union for Practical Progress has de-
cided to take hold of the matter in earnest,
and the plan is that this influential and
energetic body shall be the central organi-
cation OF the movement and headquar-
tiers for the work of propaganda. The
Civic Federation is also interested in the
movement, to some extent at least, and it
may be that the weight of its influence will
be cast into the work. OF course, this is
merely conjecture at this time, though
there is some warrant in fact for it, Alta
recent debate in a session of the federation
the matter was first preached in practi-
cal way and several members of the fedora
ton are now actively interested in it.
1t was James s. Reynolds who preached
the subject in the Civic Federation move
ment. The debate was upon the question
of how best to prevent municipal corrup-
ton. At first the subject was dealt with
but from two standpoints- of punish
ing the corrupt officials and that of elect
ing incorruptible officials. Then Mr..
Reynolds spoke. He pointed out the diff
culties OF either course, and also said
that both of them meant a perpetual
struggle against vast aggregations of capt.
tai. The one thing to do, he held, was to
stop the evil at the root. Men who were
honest at the time of their election became
corrupt because they could not withstand
the great temptations placed before them
when they accepted Office. What were
these tenn ptations? The money and the
influence welded by the great corpora
tons that controlled the public utilities
the water, the light, the power, the trans
portation facilities of the City and County.
"And how do you propose now to COM
L IL a. r. IL
"By collecting few thousand dollars and
attempting to punish some of their victims
and tools. What are a few thousand dol
lars against the banded interests of mil
lions? 1t is a useless fight"
The one thing to be done, said Mr. Rey-
noIds, was to stop the evil at its root. San
Francisco, like many older and better
governed cities, must own and operate her
own public utilities for the sole advantage
of her taxpayers. This, coupled with
civil service system of tenure of Office in
these various departments, would surely
reduce official corruption to the minimum,
and ultimately prevent it almost entirely.
For the average man will stay honest
when the pressure Is not too strong. Re-
move the pressure and preserve the hon.
esty of the official.
This, in brief, was the burden of Mr..
Reynolds advice. 1t was favorably &C.
cepted by many and carefully considered
by all. One of the objections offered to it
was that it would take fully three years to
accomplish such results.
''It will take a century if we never be-
gin," said Mr.. Reynolds.
So now beginning has been made.
Whether the issue will be. successful or
not remains to be seen. It depends
great deal, no doubt, upon the character
and the standing of the men that may be-
come interested in the movement, and the
ability and honesty of purpose with which
they push the work.
Since in essence the measures that are
sought to be enforced are political, the
work must be done largely through politi-
cal ways and means. But it is not party
movement. So far men of all political
faiths are active in the clubs. It will be
political issue, but not a party issue. 1t
is claimed to be purely a Non-Partisan
movement, but one that seeks the aid and
Endorsement of all parties. 1t strikes at
the root of the evil, it is elaine d
and that those who have watched the
trend of economic thought and politi
cal action will see in it but the foreshadow-
lngs of contamination that must sooner
or LATER he realizad