The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-01-24
To Be Uurged Upon the Legislature
at Sacramento
CALLING FOR An INVESTIGATION
That Funding Bill--i Mass-heeting to
Be Held Saturday Night in
Metropolitan Hall.


politan Hall to discuss the ipropriety of
having the various municipal departments
of San Francisco investigated, with view
to detect and correct any wrong that may
exist in them, met yesterday afternoon.
There were present, besides President
Gaden, Messrs. Highton, Calvin, Terrill,
Leggett, Williams, Varney, Thompson,
Barry and J. Reynolds; the only absentee
was Sumner.
Mr.. Highton, chairman of the sub-com-
mittee on legislation, presented the follow
ing report, which was adopted:
Your subcommittee on legislation respect
fully submits the annexed form of joint reso-
buttons. and request that you authorize it to
present them to the Legislature now in session
and to urge their adoption.
So many resolutions are being offered in the
legislature, and it is sought to divide and
scatter the work of investigation into abuses
and corruption in the municipal government
of San Francisco, in the three departments of
the State government, and in the election OF
1894 to such an extent that concentration,
which is the essence OF success, may be lost
sight of unless the joint resolution FORMULATED
as above or similar resolutions are adopted.
To minimize, divide and scatter is the or
binary policy employed to prevent that kind
of thorough investigation into abuses which
reaches the sources of corruption and bribery,
and the chief operators in, as well as the subal-
terms and comparatively insignificant tools,
who are employed to carry out such netar1ous
practices.
Those who have studied the history of re-
forms in politics, law and government know
that in the first instance such, reforms cannot
be effected through the ordinary tribunals, in
GLIDING grand juries, which have to act on
definite and formaliZed accusations; but that
legislative committees and other unusual
modes of investigation have to be relied upon
to sift the chaff from the wheat, to eschew mere
scandal and loose generaGties, of which mod
ern communities are full, and with firmness,
impartiality and clear intelligence, and with
out personal aims or predisposition to infer
guilt, to collect and systematic real informa-
ton, through which the usual machinery of
Justice can be made effective and wise legisla-
ton be secured
II our work is limited as above indicated and
within the programme of your committee al
ready ratified and published and unfalteringly
pursued, 1t ought to command the respect and
aid of every class in the community, including
the most conservative, and can scarcely fail to
be effective in the most practical and perma-
-' H. f. HIGHToN,
A. w. THOMPSON,
JOSEPH LEGGETT.
Following is the text of the concurrent
resolution to be submitted in the Senate
and Assembly:
WHEREAS, 1t has been charged, and is very
generally believed, that at the city and county
of San Francisco, State of California gross viola
tions of law and enormous frauds were perpe-
trated in the matter of the State and municipal
elections there held in the year 1894, and in
the registration of voters preparatory thereto,
and in the counting of votes cast thereat; and
whereas, it is charged and is very generally be-
lieved that official corruption has existed in
the legislative, executive and judicial depart
ments of the State government, affecting
the administration of the law and the
administration of public affairs, and
that like corruption has he :, also existed
government of said city by the officers thereof
during the past two years; and whereas, it has
been and is charged that the Police Depart
ment of the said city of San Francisco is cor
rupt; that grave abuses exist in said depart
ment; that in said city the laws for the sup
preston of crime and the municipal ordi-
nances and regulations duly enacted for the
peace, security, order and police supervision of
said city are not duly enforced by said depart
ment and by the police force acting thereun-
der; that said laws and ordinances, when
regarded at all, are enforced with partiality
and iavoritism, and that such partially
and favoritism are the results of cor
rupt bargains between offenders against
laws or ordinances on the one hand
and said department and police force on the
other; that money, promises and rewards for
services rendered and to be rendered are given
and paid to public officials by the keepers or
proprietors OF gaming houses, disorderly
houses, lotteries or liquor saloons, and others
who have offended or are offending, or purpose
to offend, against said laws or ordinances, in
exchange for promises of immunity and
actual immunity from punishment or police
interference, and that said department and
said police force, by means of threats and
otherwise, extort brides as the price of such
immunity from police interference; and
whereas, like charges have been made with
reference to certain OF the Police courts in said
city; and whereas, it is publicly charged and
maintained that abuses exist in the Fire De-
partment and Police Department of said city
and county of San Francisco, and in each of
them, whereby each and both of said depart
ments and the officials thereof and the en-
ployes therein, unlawfully affect, influence and
take part in, and have hitherto unlawfully in
huenced, affected and taken part in different
partisan organizations of a political character
the working thereof, and the formation and
operation of partisan conventions and like
matters; and whereas, it is charged that other
official abuses exist in said Fire Department
and the administration thereof, whereby its
efficiency is lessened and the public service
suffers; and whereas, a strong public senti-
ment and the palpable necessity for purity and
efficiency in all departments of municipal gov
eminent and the State Government and in
elections, demands of this Legislature q thor
ough and full investigation of all the matters
above mentioned for the purpose of remedying
and preventing such abuses by proper legisla-
ton and taking any action that may be within
legislative jurisdiction under the constitution
and laws of this State; now therefore, be it
Resotued, BY the Assembly of the State of
California, the Senate thereof concurring, that
a Joint committee of seven be and the same is
hereby created, and composed of four members
of the Assembly and three of the Senate, the
same severally to be appointed by said respec-
shall be and constitute special joint commit
tee of said Assembly and Senate, with full
power and authority, and 1t is hereby made it's
duty to investigate all of the above said mat
tiers and charges, and that said committee have
full power to prosecute its inquiries in any and
every direction in its judgment necessary and
proper to enable it to obtain and report the in
| formation required by this resolution; that
said committee shall have, and to it is hereby
given, full power and authority to send for and
before it call and demand the attendance and
| testimony, by subpoena or otherwise as it may
! appear most expedient, of persons, and produc-
! ton of papers, and to administerj oaths and
any and all other things lawfully to be done
| in the PREMISES to employ stenographers,
hsel as it may deem necessary; hereby giving
unto said commission all the requisite power
! in the premises to hold its sessions, procure
! supplies, service and quarters; to compel full
disclosures and to obtain and record in full the
| testimony and obtain the required informa-
| ton. The said commission to hold sessions at
| San Francisco Sacramento or elsewhere in CAL
ifornia and to report its progress TO this Legis-
! lature on or before the - day of --, 1895,
| to the end that proper legislation may be en-
acted to suppress said evils, and to conclude Its
| said investigation and make its final report
| thereon before the commencement of the next
legislative session, said final report to be filed
with the Secretary of State and copy thereof TO
| be furnished by him to the Governor
The sergeant-at-arms of the - shall attend
such committee; for it serve all subpenas or
| other nanore nv said c0r1 ruitfpa rpnuira0 and