The morning call., 1895-02-06
THE INQUIsITION AGAIN.

It is evident that the men who are seek
ing to bring about the appointment of a
legislative committee to investigate the
alleged corruption in this city and in the
State will not abandon their scheme until
every resource is exhausted. 1t is neces-
sarv, therefore, for those who believe in
local self-government, who are opposed to
dragnet investigations, and who regard
with disfavor any attempt TO confer
inquisitorial powers upon set of irrespon-
sible men, to renew their denunciations OF
the scheme and to remind the Legislature
that the proposed inquisition is alien to
the spirit of our laws and contrary to the
will of the people.
We need not concern ourselves with the
motives of the men who are behind the
scheme. 1t is probable that they are ami
mated by quite variety of motives-that
some of them are habitual fault-6nders
who have entered upon this agitation
through sheer force of habit, and that
others are sincere men who have lost faith
in their neighbors and have persuaded
themselves that all virtue lies outside of
San Francisco. The motives, however,
whether good or bad, count for nothing.
1t is the proposition itself that we have to
deal with, and that proposition is so wholly
bad that the evil need only be stated to be
understood.
For years San Francisco has been re-
tarded in her development by local antag-
onisms and faction fights. The great mass
of citizens, and even the men of eminence
and leading, could not unite for any pur-
pose. Bosses controlled politics, DOM
mated both parties, managed or misman-
aged municipal affairs at their will; and
even business enterprises languished. All
this has now been changed. The election
of last fall lifted new set of men to Office
and brought in new order Of things. We
have now Mayor chosen by the largest
popular majority ever given in this city, a
good Board of Supervisors, good District
Attorney, and Grand Jury composed of
men who fairly represent the best element
of the people.
AS result of this change, confidence
now prevails both in politics and in bust
ness. 1t is recognized that San Francisco
is equal to her destiny and can grapple sue
cessfully with every difficulty that lies in
her way. What, then, is the need of going
W OubSiUSIS 1OI ISlOII1 w 1db lawful billIS
could legislative committee do that can
not be done better by our local authorities?
Why set up the cry that San Francisco is
too corrupt to punish crime and do justice,
at the very time when the citizens are ami
mated with greater civic patriotism than
ever before?
The patriotic jewellers in the homes of
San Francisco are not likely to deal with
this question philosophically. They abhor
it. They say to the Legislature short and
sharp: "Hands Off" They will have no
inquisition, and they will not stultify their
own honor by tolerating outside interior
ence in a matter of this kind. The San
Francisco delegation is expected to defend
the honor and the interests OF the city by
acting as unit against the outrage. The
scheme is an iniquity and an abomination
which can only result in evil, and the
delegate who votes for it will have to
reckon with an indignant people, not only
in this city but throughout the State