The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-15
CLOSED THE GRAB-BAG,
Mayor Davies Reasons for
Local Attacks on His
Policy.
NO BANKERS SECRET FUND.
Predicts That Many Will Show Their
Hands Before the Next Mum.
cipal Election.
NO BANKERS SECRET FUND.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN Francisco CALL,

OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALL,
90S Broadway, Dec. Ia.
The ranks of the Populists are more
divided than ever. One wing is led by
Mayor Davie. and the other is composed Of
the members of the party who are generally
supposed to be under the leadership OF
Eugene Hough, labor orator Of much
local note. These have now been re-
enforced by large detachment from all
parties, and the war is on in earnest.
Several attacks on the Mayors policy
have lately been published in the Populist
organ, and the bone of contention is the
charge that the Mayor stood in with the
bankers and mortgage-hoiders and set the
tax levy at 81, thus keeping down all the
funds and minimizing the amount avail
able for expenditure among workingmen
for city improvement. The presence of a
clerk in the Mayors office is also objected
to, as it is claimed that he exercises
an influence in a direction where it
is not desirable. 1t has been openly
charged that a deal has been made
between the Mayors office and the
bankers by which fund is set apart by
bankers and other large taxpayers for the
purpose of keeping watch on all money
spent. and ultimately showing at the end
of the fiscal year that dollar tax is suf-
Iticient for this city.
1.-THE whole trouble lies in nutshell"
said the Mayor to-day. in the first place
the city funds have been free-for-all
grab-bag for politicians for the last twenty
years and more. The reports snow each
year that ii the expenditures were made
in the same spirit of economy that charac-
terizes a business man dollar tax would
be ample. Of course, it leaves no margin
for steals, or Tor the employment of polit-
ical workers in the various departments.
1t is because this source OF illegitimate
revenue is cut off from so many that SO
much kicking is being done. The funny
part of it is that those who are now howl
ing the loudest are those who were so anx-
ious for change year ago. They laid
their plans for a change, but although
Pardee threw out the old Board of Wor ks
his man Nelson did not reach the throne.
1.-The fact that Dalton beat Leckie, the
Nelson, Pardee's man, for Mayor, started a
new political conundru' and by stirring
up this strife the old-timers hope to solve
it by creating dissatisfaction and stepping
into the breach.
1.-The statement abont the bankers is as
absurd as the part that relates to me is
false. The bankers pay large amount of
taxes, and If they, as citizens, Ike to en-
ploy an expert to keep them informed of
what is going on SO that they can save
money, they are just doing what every
business man in town is doing-saving a
cent wherever possible. They have not
employed a clerk as yet to my knowledge,
and the talk about fund being placed at
my disposal is false. No man with a
child's knowledge of politics would utter
such stupid statement.
However, they may rave and rave
there is no election until March, 1897, and
there will be lots of show-downs before that
time"