The San Francisco call., 1896-07-28

rates which yield them 81 ZOO. 900 per year on
az an am ann uai eSgenditure for operating expenses
OF less tnan 100000.
year after year in February the Supervisors
grant them authority to tax this City for water
S5a on no 5asis which will net them per cent on
men assess them but S3 600 600 10 81 600 900
Sther companies which enjoy special privi-
.ess tsl ol using the public streets are treated
WI WbsI sis sss same ontrageous favoritism.
"nat are you going TO do aboutir?
"a "A ear ago the Civic Federation was agitating
lor tne endorsement of the law recurring the
tbeir oaaa companies to put tenders on
. aailineolately repealed the law, which imposed
q; a neavy penalty and substituted one which re-
.ne street-railroad companies from any
peiuaiIy until they (the Supervisors selected a
suitable deyice-and no suitable device has
otss oeen selected by the Supervisors-and the
Am panles are relieved OF all responsibility or
Po5i.t9 70 grant franchise TO the Geary-street
Nal nssliIoad Company years in advance OF the ex-
= Wbnt = .ion OF the present franchise.
nat are You going to dc about l.?
Douptless day of reckoning is coming, and
lnen God help the associated Villains who ali
Yren t,o,l, lnls Iand are debauching our institu-
rots, as piutocracy has always done in every
natlon and In all times But meantime while
we are striving for better conditions for the
Ieai producers of wealth, we can manifest our
rove Iove lot our City and our country by exerting
uul @ lnnuence for the speedy enactment of
measures which will cure this national
an9 municipal disease, and TO that
enc We should work for a charter
hnich VIII give the people power to review
Ahd authoritatiyely decide by vote whether
the acts OF their representatives shall stand or
not IN other words the cure for the misrep-
IeSentatlon OF the people by their representa-
tives is the referendum. which is the brief way
OF expressing the principle that important
measures shall be submitted to the people.
any act which a certain number petition 10
De submitted TO the electors should be put TO
the popular vote.
The people should have the right to dis
"a rcy0 rrraNa fseEr
certain number OF citizens petition for the
olscharge OF an Official the question should be
submitted TO the people. This IS what IS
called the imperative mandate.
1t is exasperating to those who love right
ana justice to know that We are now bound by
unylelding systems, which are so framed and
SO complicated that we must submit 10 wrong
because the wrongdoers cannot be reached in
lawful manner by the people whom they be-
tray And it is still more disheartening TO see
those who seem TO wish to advance our City's
welfare urging San FranciScans to adopt the
proposed new charter, which has been framed
on the old lines which have proven ineffect-
| i've. Under the proposed charter the people
would nave no redress Tor acts such as those
above referred to.
If the proposed charter is adopted the AS.
SCISSOR and Supervisors can engage in the same
KIND OF nefarious work and-What are you
going to do about it? win still be the head
lines OF the daily papers.
The peace, happiness and safety of the peo-
pie depends upon the faithful execution oi
other condition in a republic Many, how.
ever, realize that INSCRIPTIONS men are fash
lonlng our laws in their own interest and that
they are creating conditions which will IN
volve US in q serious struggle for existence
and Tor t1e supremacy OF the masses. At this
time We urge our fellow-ciGZens to thought
fully consider the situation and decide whether
| 1t VIII be better 10 secure for San Francisco
Q charter which is has ed upon the principle OF
! great power in one mans hands or one which is
! founded upon the principle of the true de-
mocracy. No instances can be given of good
coming from the carrying out of the one-man
power principle. 1t is an unwise and danger
| Gus measure. The proposed new charter i
| built upon the principle OF concentration oi
power in the Mayors hands in defiance to al
precedents OF the growth OF good government
! aud freedom.
| If it should be adopted amendments would
/ be very difficult to obtain, because it would bt
necessary:
First-To elect Board of Supervisors favor
able to desired changes.
| Second-n rhe Mayor disapproved it would
require nine votes of the Supervisors to over
| rule him.
Third-Three- ffths of the electors must vot,
! in favor of amendments.
Fourth--An amendments must pass bott
houses of the State Legislature. Therefore
| fellow-citiZens, do not vote for this charter
| which will leave you still in the power OF
| few men. In almost all the cities OF the
| Nation men are misusing their official posi-
| tions because the people have not the powe
| TO control or remove them, and it would bC
| just the same under the proposed charter.
| If it Is defeated another more progressiv
charter can be formulated. Let MS wait unit
! control over public servants and thus can dis
honesty be stopped. This charter now offered
TO you is a very careless revision of the one
you rejected in 1897.
MUNICIPAL REFORM LEAGUE
P.J. HEALY, Secretary.