The San Francisco call., 1896-08-13


required the votes of nine to make II
effective, no less q man than Patrick Henry
vehemently opposed the instrument as drafted
on the ground that it contained no guarantee
for freedom of conscience and speech, free
press, free assembly and the right of petition.
When finally it went to the several colonies
for their vote 1t was ADOPTED unhesitatingIy
by six or seven, but was opposed by large
faction in Massachusetts, New YORK and Vir-
.ginia. And in each of these colonies the de-
bate turned upon this point, whether they
would adopt it conditionally upon certain
amendments being first approved or whether
they would adopt it and offer in good faith the
amendments which they considered necessary,
and trust TO their fellOW-c1tlZens 10 lncorpor-
ate them afterWard in the constitution. IL
was pointed out, as it may be pointed out TO
you here that The only course to pursue is
adopt it and labor afterward Tor its amend
ment, and that is the only course for the eit1-
zens OF San Francisco to pursue to-day. Ihey
either have to adopt or reject the eharter.
CAN AMEND The CHARTER.
If they Adopt IL they can amend it at inter
walls of not less than two years, which CORE
spends with our periodical elections, by vote
OF three-fifths OF the people and the approval
was adopted by the vote of Virginia, ana
Patrick Henry, its sternest opponent, said he
bowed to the will of the majority and that ne
would submit his amendments in regular
form. And hence we find that the glorious
constitution, in spite of honorable opposition,
was made the law of the land. Detective
IlOug0
strengthened by the amendments which were
added TO it by the awakening intelligence ana
patriotism OF the people; ana that emeuu-
ment which was so GEAR to the heart OF Patrick
Henry stands in the constitution to-day as Its
very frs amendment, providing that congress
shall make no law respecting religion or pro-
hibiting the free exercise thereof, ana at the
same time guaranteeing free speech, Hee
press and free assembly and the right OF petl-
tion.
When we consider the numerous defects
which exist under our present municipal sys-
tenn we should rejoice in having an oppor-
tunity to cure them by the adoption OF so wise
and sound an Instrument as has peen SUD
mltted TO US by the Freeholders. Under the
charter the CITY government is divided into
executive departments and q local legislature.
The Supervisors under the new law Will be
elected from the City at large, thus 1nsurlng
good men, and their duties will be purely
legislative.
THE MAYOR AS A DICTATOR.
The Mayor like the President of the United
States, under the constitution, when is the
American system is the head of the local gov
ernmeut, as he should be, with well defined
duties, and is made responsible to a very great
degree for the proper government OF the NUM-
cipality. He has the appointment OF all execu-
tive boards, ms tead of the Governor, as under
the present law. He appoints Board OF Pub
lie Works. which absorbs the Superintendent
of Streets and the City and County Surveyor.
He appoints the City and County Attorney and
the Public Administrator. All other places
are filled by election until the constitution is
amended giving him power to appoint certain
other officers, and such an amendment will be
Constitutional Amendment No. 13, and
su bm itted to the people this year known as
should be adopted. But yet under the charter
the people practically lose no control, Tor they
still elect IN any event the important omcers,
who give force ana direction to public policy.
They elect, and will continue to elect, the
Supervisors the Auditor, the Treasurer. the
Assessor, the District Attorney, the Sheriff, the
Superintendent of Schools and OF course the
Judges of the Superior Court.
By electing these executive ana legislative
officers they can carry out their wishes as
freely and absolutely as they could possibly
do under the present law--aye, more SO. And
hence this bugbear of the Mayor as local die
tator is true only in the sense that he can die
ia tie to the executive officers of the government
the will of the people and hold them to s trict
accountability for the doing OF their duty. II
he is boss he is O boss to execute the will OF
the people, not boss to execute the mach1na-
tions and seldsh designs OF self-seekers and
corporations. The giving OF power to the
Mayor is in accordance with the best munici-
pal experience OF other cities, including New
which have all adopted charters during the
last ten years. 1t is the universal testimony
that responsible head is far more conducive
to efficiency and honesty than a divided re-
sponsibility, scattered among a horde of Su-
perVisors committees and petty officials. If
there is any fear i'll the mind of any one that
the Mayor is invested with too much power
the only way TO Ieassure ones self as to the.ad-
vantages OF such plan is to consult the ex-
perience of other communities.
REFORMED CIVIL SERVICE.
But there is another feature introduced into
the new charter which has found forcible ex-
preston in the Federal Government and
which saves it from breaking down, by reason
of its own weight of inefficiency and inexpe-
rience arising from rotation in the great
Offices and that is the reformed civil service
There is civil service provided by the charter
which keeps men, irrespective of politics,
upon q list of eligibles, based upon competi-
be called upon to perform, and clerks ap-
pointed under this system are protected even
against the power OF the Mayor, so long al they
show efficiency. They can be dismissed by
the Civil Service Commissioners only after
full and fair hearing. This takes the danger
of patronage out of the hands of the Mayor
ments, and insures the city competent clerks
familiar with their duties, and insures young
men growing up in this City honorable careers
in our municipal establishments, in which
they should take a certain civic pride, instead
OF being ashamed of their employment and
living in constant dread of dismissal and sub
sequent vagabondage. The civil service
under the old law is not only inefficient but it
is too often a dishonor and a disgrace.
Again when you reflect for a moment that
the Supervisors have within their power to
legislate for $3.50, 100000 of property it be-
comes important that there be some organic
check upon their natural rapacity of voting
away the peoples money for idle improve
ments and extravagant schemes. And so the
never exceed for the City purposes 81 OF on
the 500, and that at the beginning OF each
fiscal year the revenues raised by taxa ton
sh all be separated into specific funds and shall
never be diverted for other purposes. which
guarantees a paid-up government without de-
ficits for every two years. This provision is a
safeguard which no betrayal of pledges can
circumvent, for any tax levy in excess of that
provided for in the charter will be Illegal.
When Improvements are contemplated of per-
manent vsl1e to the City the charter provides
that three-fourths of the Supervisors and two
thirds of the people voting at a special election
may cause 10 be issued bonds redeemable in
not more than rtyyears and at a rate not ex-
ceeding 4 per cent in order that posterity
which gets the benefit shall bear part of the
burden.
THE BALANCE OF ARGUMENT.
challenge any one to point out wherein the
charter as q whole is not vast improvement
upon our present law. And, If such be shown,
twenty reasons may readily be given why the
charter should be adopted in spite of such OBJ
jections; and if such objec ton be good and
valid 1 would again say to the person so OBJ
jecting, in good faith, Do not, pray you, con-
demn the charter on that account, but give
this great measure of reform q fair trial and
cure its defects by amendment. In the same
manner we received the Federal constitution
under which this great country has lived and
prospered for over 100 years. 1t is impossi ible
20 draft q charter which would be absolutely
free from defect and satisfactory to all alike
And if we should vote against the charter and
be content to wait for perfect and entirely