The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-02
Letters From the People.
CITY GOVERNMENT.
Suggestions for the Proposed Com
nittee of One Hundred.


mittee of One Hundred.
To the Editor of the San Francisco Cdtl-SrR:
Mr.. Phelan, our Mayor-elect, has rare OPP
portunity to serve the City in the appoint
ment of the committee OF one hundred TO
formulate new charter for the government
of our City, W hich is to serve as sort oil pat
form on which we are ultimately 10 elect
committee of fifteen freeholders VINO VIII
prepare the charter for submission 10 the
electors of the City for their adoption or re-
lection. The committee will be large enough
to enable Mr.. Phelan to make 1t fairly ana
truly representative of all the people in this
city. and if they are honestly represented In
the committee, with ample time given the
committee for deliberation and discussion,
there is little room for doubt that good
charter will be agreed upon by this committee
of one hundred and thai Will prooapiy lnsure
its adoption by vote OF the people.
Assuming that genuinely representatite
committee will be appointed, as L Delieve II
will be, 1 have a few suggestions to make for
the consideration OF such committee nave
devoted the leisure time of week 20 volume
of 3S5 pages on Municipal Government IN
Great Britain, by Albert Shaw, the versatile
American editor OF The Review OF Reviews,
and in this large volume by Mr.. Shaw l nave
found such vast stores OF practical and 'ex-
tremely interesting inclination, which
broadens ones views as 10 the functions ana
possibilities of city government, that should
feel myself derelict in duty as citizen should
fail 10 commend it without stint TO the
committee and to all citizens DESTROYS OF Sc
curing good government, who may not have
Let me pause here lorg enough to say that
am not enamored OF anything English, you
know, by any manner oil means. lndeea,
know of nothing elating to Government which
Think all American citizens should reject with
deeper deteststion than the British system OF
I. finance so dear to the hearts of Grover Cleve-
land, John Sherman and all other friends OF
the single gold standard; but can only pity
the man whose prejudices darken his 1udg-
ment and make him incapable Oh considering
ANY proposition or system on is merits
ii shall succeed in giving lair summary
of the contents of Mr.. Shaw's book in this
letter shall certainly render valuable
service to hundreds of San Francisco readers
of THE CALL who feel profound interest in
the movement to secure good government
the best government atta1nable--ior our fair
CITY: And desire espeeially 70 adaress my
ticularly to those who pay large sums to the
tax-collector; for it seems to me that II tax
payers should ever find out what has been
done. in Glasgow or Manchester or Birming-
ham or London they would never rest sat
isfied day until the fundamental principles
of these cities, and more particularly OF Glas-
gov, have become incorporated in our own
system of municipal government.
Mr.. Shaw devotes the introductory chapter
OF his book TO the growth and problems OF
modern cities, and no intelligent man or
woman can read that single chapter without
gaining broader and more cheering views OF
the future of our city populations, for all ten
'dency to pessimis m will give place TO rational
optimism, with corresponding purpose to
lend hand in dispellipg the ignorance which
beclouds the minds OF the citizens who now
submit to the disagreement of our Ameri
can cities. True, there is formidable amount
OF conceit in the average American who has
.cenfned his reading to the daily newspaper
and his study of municipal government to the
municipal reports: but even a mans eonceit
will yield TO his pecuniary welfare, for every
man is rather ashamed OF his eonceit when
he finds that 1t blinds him to his own interests
and makes him ridiculous before intelligent
people.
In the second chapter we have an account of
the rise of British towns. the reform acts and
the municipal code occupying eighteen pages.
1t affords a striking and instructive contrast
to'our own towns and cities which often reach
an astonishing growth In ia, decade made up
the problem of government matter of pro-
found Importance The third chapter presents
us with the British system of municipal gov
eminent in full operation, occupying thirty
pages, and giving US a most satisfactory con-
ception of the functions and working of the
system.
The fourth chapter is styled ga Study OF
Glasgow" and seyenty-six pages are given to
the most notable and successful city govern
ment in the world IN ancient or modern
times, city of about three quarters of mil
lion people, who have actually solved the
problem of securing the best municipal
government ever known, and this next year
they will collect no taxes and will have no
Assessor or Tax Collector. 1t will be impos-
sihle to do justice to this chapter without de-
voting hall column to it, which may do at
another time.
The fifth chapter contains a graphic review
of Manchester's municipal activities, and the
sixth relates TO the civic life and expansion of
Birm lngham; the seventh takes up the
social activities of British towns, a very in
structive chapter; the eighth occupies forty
one pages devoted to the government of
London, and the ninth reviews metropolitan
tasks and problems. There is valuable ap-
pendx of fifty pages, with an elaborate and
excellent index, which makes the contents of
the book instantly available on any point.
This book is of first importance TO those who
are trying to make a city charter.
JOSEPH AsBuRY JOHNSON.
San Francisco, November 80. 1896.