The San Francisco call., 1896-10-28

plause.
"What interest has the poor man in
this particular piece of business that Mr..
Phelan proposes? What interest has he,
who. after paying his bills and furnishing
his family has to walk to his work on M Mon-
day morning because he has not 5-cent
piece to pay his fare.
"It must be conceded that under this
consolidation act which has been attacked
by the pro-charter men-it must be ad-
mitted, l say-that grand City has been
established here under its provisions;
that it is as prosperous outside OF the par
ticulars | have named as any city that
can be found in the United States; that
its officers, who have been elected by the
people of this community, have been
generally men of honor and integrity.
speak of no particular man now. But
from the beginning to the end | have
been informed that only two in the his
tory of this City have defaulted, and
their defalcations were made good.
men who are attempting to publish to
the world that this is the most corrupt
city in the United States are simply
libeling the City and its government
"These men say you must lay all this
aside because there has been some corrup-
tion. You must give up your elective
franchise and place all the elective power
in the hands of one man. leave you TO
judge for yourselves.
"If amendments have destroyed the
original consolidation act what will be-
come of this sickly little charter which
needs the aid of 9 doctor before it was
adopted? The consolidation act enabled
the people to take part in public affairs
and to elect officers TO administer their
affairs. 1t was proposed to place the
power in the hands of one man. That
had been tried in Chicago. The. first
Mayor of Chicago under that plan was
honest. The second Mayor was assassi-
naIed. The next Mayor went into Office
a poor man and emerged worth 81 500 900.
1t would not do to listen to the siren song
which is sung that under the proposed
new charter San Francisco could. be sure
that it would always have good Mayor"
Mr.. Reddy continued that the Consoli-
dation act kept the teacher in the public
schools in Office during good behavior.
An editorial in the Examiner showed that
while that paper might know something
about Hanna, it did not know anything
about the school law of this State. He
had been assailed by the Examiner. He
was sure that his record was as firm as
that of the Examiner. His principles
were as fully grounded. He was not
speedy enough to keep up with the
lightning changes of the Examiner. He
was sure that he was justified as fully in
taking retainers in law cases as the EX-
massage advertisements and others of a
similar character.
The Examiner should shut up shop on
the school question or hire lawyer. 1t
should learn the difference between con-
tracts made with board of trustees and
teachers hired by Board of Education.
The changes in the proposed charter were
devised to make sweep and to put the
power practically in the hands of the
Mayor. The Examiners statement that
the teachers would be out of employment
next June so If the new charter should not
be approved would not scare the teachers
into support of the charter.
The charter EN- braced the idea of GEN.
tralization, the creation of q greater boss
than ever was known by placing all the
patronage of the City in his hands. He
would be the boss of all the bosses and
they would have to truckle to him.
Louis XIV was accustomed to say, ~ am
the state" Under this proposed charter
the Mayor of San Francisco could say, ~
am the City," If he should be man
without conscience he could so handle
the patronage as to hold on in Office in
definitely. The charter would supersede
the general law, and the schools, which
have their foundation under the general
law, would therefore 60 out as an entirety.
The charter provided for a complete svs-
TEN of schools of its own. There could
all the school officers from the Superin-
tendent down would be wiped out. What
was the use of saying that the teachers
would be protected bv laws which the
charter would wipe out? The system of
schools provided for in the charter is
totally unlike the one provided for under |
the general laws. The provision that no |
one should teach in the public schools !
who was not educated in the public schools |
of San Francisco was a measure devised |
by the A. 2. A. The plan was to put out |
all the Catholic teachers.
Some confusion arose at this point. |
There were cries of "Dimond," which |
made it difficult for Mr.. Reddy to pro-
ceed. Chairman Bannerman came to the |
front of the stage and called the audience
to order and read them little lecture.
'The trouble with meetings of this kind
is that they will not listen to the facts |
They want Greek fire, red fire and other
pyrotechnics. l must ask you to listen to
Mr.. Reddy."
Mr. Reddy continued and said that the
sbest citizens" would, he hoped, consider
facts.
Joseph 1. Dimond spoke very briefly.
He said that this was an antl-charter
meeting. He had only few remarks to
make. He was strongly opposed to the
charter. He wished to strongly deny that
he was the tool of boss. He had never
ton for Mayor on the one condition con-
tanned in the oath OF Office only-to do his
duty. He had no doubt that he would be
elected the next Mayor of San Francisco.
Ex-Judge Sullivan said that he would
never be untrue TO the blood that flowed
in his veins, or to the faith that had ex-
listed for nineteen hundred years. He
then spoke IN a complimentary way of
Mr.. Dimond. Let no man come before
the public and say that the Catholic
priesthood is trying to regulate the votes
of Catholic citizens.
Every vote cast for Mr.. Phelan is
vote for the new charter. / wish TO say
TO you, my friends and neigh bors. who
have known me since 1 was 10 years OF
age, L noticed in the press a statement
that Mr.. Phelan had been named first
among the numb of names of those who
advocated the adoption of the new char
ter. Do you want that charter adopted?
Kisses and yells of MOI and 'Nitr]
II do not want it adopted. l want peo-
pie of my kind respected for their worth,
but if the question were entirely removed
from this municipality, and man was
out battling, with all the powers at
his command, saying to his fellows,
1 am for this charter, and if l