The San Francisco call., 1896-11-07
HON. JAMES D. PFIELAN MayorEect of San Francisco Who
Wants New Charter.

said he hoped to prove worthy of the con.
fidence that the people have reposed in
him.
The quiet habits of Mr.. Phelan are well
known. He dresses in a style becoming a
man of wealth, wears a well-ftting busi-
ness suit Of dark material, with carna-
tion pink in the buttonhole of his sack
coat. He adopts the regulation standing
collar, but is not extravagant in the mat
ter of neck-scarfs, though they are always
hand-tled and OF solid colors. He smokes
good cigars and lives well.
Mr.. Fhelan said il was his earnest desire
and purpose to be an acceptable Mayor to
all the people, Democrats, Republicans,
Populists, and members of other parties
alike, for the vote he received made it
manifest to him that party lines had not
been drawn in the balloting for Mayor.
There is coZy, comfortable air about
Mr.. Phelan's Office on the fifth floor of the
Phelan building. and every politician in
the City will know in week that the
number of his room is 301.
AS gentleman o. taste who is able to
crafty all of his reasonable wishes Mr.
Phelan has surrounded himself with
many admiral BILE objects of art. The most
I'm Important work is landscape by William
Keith, showing vista under the dark
overhanging trees that Keith loves so we'll
to shadow forth on his rich canvas
In prominent position is bust of the
late James Phelan, father of the newly
elected Mayor. 1t is of pure marble, is
the work OF an eminent sculptor, and
stands on graceful base of lapis iazuli
beneath portrait of the same gentleman.
Other tokens of the future Mayors filial
devotion are to be seen IN different parts
OF his Office
Among the art treasures are fully a
dozen oil paintings and sketches in crayon
and water colors by teachers and students
OF the Hopkins Art Institute, while a
place OF honor is accorded to a pen and
ink cartoon by Frank A. Nankivel, for
merly Of THE CALLS art staff, represent
ing the untimely cutting down of a prom
ising Cupid by stawart young Amazon
wearing a modern bIoomer costume.
Mr.. Phelan is an eligible bach elor, and
his choice of this suggestive theme NAV
be noted with advantage by the young
ladies who have the pleasure of his ac-
quaintance.
Above a carved bookcase is perched a
bronze bust 81 bought that for Ma
poleon," said Mr.. Phelan, "but | have
seen better. From this distance it looks
more like Major Mckinley or General de
Young than 1t does like the great Corsi-
can"
In a nook slightly withdrawn from pub-
trial globe, which may or may not indi-
cate the scope OF Mr.. Phelan's pros pective
ambitions. Certainly il he had been
asking for the earth" in the recent cam
paign his felIow-citiZens by large major
ity manifested their Willingness to grant
his request.
When asked what special bjects would
receive his attention during his admins
tration Mr.. Pbelan said that if there is
one thing he would ike to accom- mplish it
would be the framing and adoption OF a
suitable and acceptable charter for the
City of San Francisco.
This proposed charter could not be put
In force during my term OF Office, and
therefore / am free to advocate it.'' said
Mr.. Pheian. .If we can get the City on
the ri ht road for self government it will
be the greatest mplishment for gobd
that can be suggested so far as municipal
affairs are concerned
81 re ard the adoption of a new charter
of paramount importance, and with the
lesson taught by Tuesd iy's election an in
strument ought 10 be framed, think, that
would be acceptable 20 the majority of the
people. BY ell minating some of the OBJ
jectionable provisions of the char er just
defeated and remodeling other paris, in
order 10 better subserve the public ilare,
the work ought to be accomplished.
II regard it as fortunate thing for this
community that the constitutional amend