The San Francisco call., 1896-08-12

|
! OF he Legislature armed with crowbars, jim
mics and other appliances have been amending
| it, uneil now its author wouldn't know it
would hardly spit upon 1T, so defaced is 1t.
In the sense of coherent system, framed
and executed for the benefit of all alike, there
is no sueh thing here as municipal govern
ment. There is certain machinery by which
| the rich and powerful can do as they please
| but there it practically ends
l wish some public-spirlted citizen would
! have map of this City made-it need not cost
| to exceed $50 to $100-showing in colors the
! property dots and streets worth millions OF
dollars) that has been flched from this COM
mun1ty within the past twenty years would
| like TO see such map hung up in some pub
| lie place as an object lesson. 1t might be sup
plemented by a pamphlet giving the names OF
| persons who have appropriated this property
! together with the resolutions and other acts
| and ordinances by which the thefts have been
accomplished. What has ever been done, what
| action taken, what suits instituted to recover
| this property? And yet there are people VINO
say we have government and that the con-
solidation act is better than the new charter.
do not intend to go into the minutie OF
either the old or the new charter tonight.
From what have already said you will appre-
hend whatI think of the old. AS to the new
many objections are made, mostly trivial as
think. What is called the one-man power is
much o bjected to. 1t is said the Lord Mayor
would have too much power, too much patron
age. The Park and Police Commissioners
and the Board of Health are now appointed
by the Governor. What self-respecting citizen
OF this municipality is there who would not
prefer to have them appointed by the Mayor?
And would any man nit to be Mayor
or even dog-catcher, have treated this City
as some Governors have treated 1t in regard TO
some of these appointments? And yet there
is an outery raised against the exercise of this
power by the head of the municipal govern
ment
What say touching these matters is not lev
eled, nor meant to be leveled, at the present
capable executive of the State My purpose IS
TO defend the principle of home rule for San
Francisco 9 | / nrOp0Sed Charter
The functions of the Board of Health are
purely local. 1t is known in law as the Board
OF Health for the City and County OF San Fran
cisco, and in addition to the Mayor consists OF
four physicians in good standing residing IN
San Francisco. In addition to its duties apper-
tanning to the health OF the City. including the
harbor with its quarantine regulations and
the appointment of numerous physicians, in
spectOrs and secretaries, it has also charge OF
the wards of the City. The inmates of the hos
pitfalls and almshouse are under Its charge.
This board appoints the physicians, matrons,
superintendents and such other employees as
are authorized by law. All the expenditures
which II is authorized to make are payable out
OF the general fund OF the City, and amountin
the aggregate to hundreds OF thousands of dol
lars per annum. Surely there can be no good
reason why the City in its corporate capacity
and through the Mayor as the official head
should not appoint and control this board.
What were formerly known as the outside
lands, which embraced all the territory west of
DeYisaderO street to the ocean, were granted
by Congress in 1865 to the City upon certain
trusts for the benefit of lotholders, except
such parcels thereof as may be reserved and
set apart by ordinance for public uses"
1t was this act which enabled, the City to
acquire Golden Gate Park, the City cemetery
of 200 acres, the great ocean highway and
numerous other reservations OF large pros
pective value. To improve these grounds and
make them what they are to-day the people of
this community have voluntarily taxed them
selves for nearly thirty years. The grant of
this land to the City by the General Govern
ment was wholly unrestricted-the City could
have reserved the very last acre OF it for pub
lie uses had it chosen to do so.
The people of San Francisco are now paying
al the rate of about $500, 900 per annum for
the Improvement and maintenance of the
park, and there is ogood reason known to me
why the Commissioners should not be ap-
pointed by the Mayor, and thus be under the
immediate control of the municipality.
The act of 1878, recognizing the Police De-
partment of this City, provided that the Judges
of the Fourth, Twelfth and Fifteenth District
courts should appoint new Police Commis-
sion to take the place of the old one which
was then elective. The commission thus con-
stituted was meant by the Legislature to be
strictly non-partisan.
The new constitution having abolished the
District courts the appointing power was hung
up in the air, where it tremained until the Gov
ernor OF the State for the time-being seized
upon and abused it by the appointment of a
partisan politician. This commission in addi-
tien to regulating the Police Department con-
trolls the liquor traffic in this City. No man
can open saloon or sell glass OF liquor here
without their permission. These are duties
which call for the exercise of a large and va
ried local knowlege, the growth of experience
and should be coupled with ability, honesty
aud firmness; and the appointment of Com
missioners should of all things be lodged in
the hands of the Mayor, who would be ex-
pected to exercise personal supervision and
watchfulness over the workings of the depart
ment
We have here free public library, which so
far as know, is conducted in satisfactory
manner, but is conducted upon principle
which is wholly inconsistent with the idea of
local seh-governuent. The Legislature of the
State in 1873 named the board of trustees
eleven in number-and made 1t self-perpetuet-
ing and from that time to this it has con-
tinued itself in office, the survivors filing va
cancieS as they happen TO occur. This being
purely local matter, supported exclusively by
local taxation, its control should be directly
in the hands of the municipality and its trus-
tees appointed by the Mayor of the City.
In this connection / should like to say that
the Public Library is not in proper place.
have thought SO Tor some time, but as this is
the matter of public expenditures / have not
deemed it advisable to make public appeal
in behalf OF a more suitable location and build
ing this year. You all know what the City
Hall is and what all city halls are Under
meath is prison to which the vicious and un-
fortunate are dragged at all hours of the day
and night. Upstairs congregate multitude of
people who are not seeking library and would
not be comfortable if they were in one
should think that the books wouldn't feel at
home there, and that the young and innocent
who seek them in that place are liable to wit
ness sights which are shocking to tender sem
sibililies.
Tree public library should have pleasant
surroundings. II possible, it ought to be
located in park, and for this purpose would
suggest the center OF Jefferson Square as suit
able locality. Imerely let these remarks fall
at the present time, hoping that they will
effect lodgment in the public mind and that
the subject will be taken up and acted upon |
hereafter
Thus we find employed in this City to-day |
and paid out OF its treasury fully 1000 |
men who hold Office under the boards, com. |
missions and trustees of one sort and another |
appointtve by the Governor. Even the City's |
gravedigger-the man who puts under ground |
the pauper dead--owes his place not TO the |
authorities, but to the Board of |
Health appointed by the Governor
You have probably observed that Supervisor I
Taylor complained few days ago of the ex-
travagance of the Park Commission during
the past year when he says they unnecessarily |
$4,000 for park lodge, and at the
ksx,a<. q 4, rlnr11 30.