The San Francisco call., 1896-03-13
They Are Expressed Before an
Audience of Prominent Bust.
ness Men.
STRONG RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED
A Campaign of Education in Favor of
the Proposed Basic Law to Be
Inaugurated.

Some of the most prominent merchants
and capitalists of the City attended the
quarterly meeting of the Merchants Asso-
citation at Beethoven Hall last night, the
announcement that the proposed new
charter was to receive important consld-
Grafton having been the drawing card.
Among them were: George I. Gaden,
James D. Phelan, C. F. Crocker, Judge
Coffey, Judge Low, ex-senator W. }.
Biggy, Chief Sullivan of the Fire Depart
ment, ex-Mayor Pond, George K. Fitch,
Postmaster McCoppin, NJ. kohlberg,
Charles Bundschu.
After the meeting was called to order
Secretary Freud read the quarterly report
of the association. This showed the pres
ent memb bership to be 337, and the hope
was expressed that the number would
soon reach 1000. 1t referred TO the work
of the association in endeavoring to OBJ
tain better streetcar transfer privileges,
its efforts in the interests OF boulevards
and good roads, free public markets, City
Hall directory and street-sweeping. In
conclusion, the report states that the
province OF the association is TO further
the best interests of San Francisco, and
thereby prove beneficial to the mercantile
community.
Chairman F. W. Dohrmann announced
that the matter OF street-sprinkling would
be considered ar a special meeting to be
called later. and then introduced the SUBJ
ject OF the proposed charter. He spoke, in
part, as follows:
The Merchants Association has been organ
lied to improve the material conditions OF san
Francisco and insure It's future welfare and
prosperity. In our determined efforts TO
complish these objects it soon became ap-
parent that no permanent reforms could be
effected nor beneficial results fully secured
until thev had become part of the official
system OF our municipal government
The obstacles in the path OF improvement
that confronted your board OF directors were
owing 10 the defective system OF the City
government more often than to the short
comings OF our public officials.
Therefore the conclusion was inevitable
that the principal drawback TO our City's
progress IS an improved system of municipal
government, conducted upon lines similar TO
those OF any successful business house. Thus
il was that our inquiries were naturally df-
Teste3 toward the proposed new charter, with
a view Of sseertaining whether the changes
contained in ii would work favorably to
municipal i'm provement.
Careful study OF this subject convinced your
board that the charter is decidedly superior to
the existing government OF san Francisco, To
be certain, however, that this conclusion also
met with the approval and support OF our
members the question OF new charter. to-
cipal government, were submitted to all the
members OF this association and to q large
mum Der of our leading citizens and taxpayers.
Answers came from most OF these whom we
addressed, and the result showed that 81 per
cent expressed themselves clearly in favor of
the new charter for san Francisco. Under
these circums stances felt justified in taking
active steps for obtaining the new charter and
initiating campaign in favor OF its adoption.
In order that the new charter, which is
necessarily long document, might be placed
properly before the public, practical synop-
sis has been prepared by the secretary of this
association. This synopsis will be distributed
hereafter TO the citizens and taxpayers of San
Francisco.
The next step taken by us was to ask the
freeholders TO be present mere tonight and to
explain TO you their views upon this docu-
ment.
II this meeting approves OF our action and
wishes the board of directors to continue TO act
in this direction plans for thorough and
active campaign in favor OF the new charter
will be made We firmly believe that it is only
necessary TO have the new charter thoroughly
understood by the electors of this City in order
to insure its certain adoption.
Joseph Britton, chairman of the Free
holders convention, referred to the con-
solidatioI act and its numerous amend
Inents as a simple mass of unintellgible
lore, uninterpretable by laymen, lawyer or
court with this proposed charter - he
continued. you are given fixed form of
government with responsibility fixed some
where. l stand In advocacy of the adop-
tion of the new charter for this reason.''
l. j. Truman, chairman of the Free
holders committee on legislation, said:
I'VE are governed, or rather not governed
at all, by our present consolidation act
We do not in fact know where we are If
YOU were asked under what laws you are
governed you would not be able to tell
The consolidation act has been so twisted
and distorted that its author would not
be able to recognize it to-day. The new
l. III u
branches, the legislative, executive and
judicial.
He then explained in detail the salient
features of the legislative branch and con-
cIuded as follows: "If we adopt the
charter we shall know who is responsible
for our laws"
Colin NJ. Boyd. chairman of the commit
tee on finance, revenue and taxation, was
unable to be present, but sent commune
cation on the features OF the charter for
which he is supposed to be responsible.
In this he said:
In the proposed charter the several appro-
priations to be made constitute separate funds,
and by this means prevent any expenditure
being made or allowed in excess of the amount
provided for each fund. The unfortunate DO
sition of the City and County by the consoli-
dation of the appropriations IN the general
fund resulted in 1898, owing to departments
expending amounts in excess of their appro-
nrfations. in an Indebtedness OF over $780,
600 which still remains uhpaid.
No such condition could exist II the pro-
posed charter is adopted. as the limit of ex-
nenditure is bound by and cannot exceed the
amount provided in the fund, and no expendi-
ture for any purpose other than what the fund
is created for can be paid therefrom. Thus
there is a responsibility fixed and definite, and
n nrot ectioD thrown around, guarding said
funds which is not now the case.
Another important feature is the limit OF
taxation. which practically, as heretofore. fixes
the levy a not exceeding 81 on each 500 val
nation of taxable property for City and County
This alone, it may be presumed, will lead
every owner of lot or home. and every busi-
ness man and merchant. to favor and support
the adoption OF the proposed charter as the
only relief and protection from excessive tsA-
alton.
Ihe acquisition of water works, gas and eiee-
tric lighting plants. street railroads, etc.. are
al provided for. and citizens will support the
charter who can appreciate the returns LOT
such enterprise TO relieve taxation and IN time
make the income from these sources mate
rally reduce ii not wholly remove taxail"n,
except for some special purpose.
There can be doubt that under the mu-
nicipality the ordinary expenses can De largely
met by the revenue derived from these sources.
Henry n. Clement, chairman OF the
committee on judicial department, spoke