The San Francisco call., 1896-11-13
Letters From the People.
CHARTER MAKING.
Hoo to Eliminate the Bosses and Insure
Good Government.

Hotr to Eliminate the Bosses and Insure
Good Government.
Editor San Francisco cat-SIR: As no one is
opposed 10 The adoption OF new charter for
lhe government OF the City except those who
'hriVe on corruption III pubic affairs, there
shouid be no real difficulty in framing q
cnarter which would be overwhelmingly
auopted by the better class of our citizens who
iar outuumber the bad elements. There is
pracucaily universal agreement that there
should be no politics in City government, and
yet Non-Partisans never have succeeded in
single city IN gaining control of the govern
ment. Why is it that voters universally favor
non -Poltlcai government, but never vote for
II! ror the sole reason that no adequate sys-
lem lem OF government has been offered by Non
Partisans.
me new charter it is appropriate for me 10
repor. some of the fundamental principles
as[eeo upon by the committee at its first meet
lug last night for the consideration OF the pub
nc, lhe proposed innovations on prevailing
methoos rendering the publication of the sys-
YEN ouiined important 10 ali who are study
ine the subject OF municipal government II
these innovations shall appear to be desirable
and practicable
The objection to the power conferred upon
the Mayor in the charter elected at the recent
election may be entirely obviated IN the mat
yer OF appointments by requiring the confirma-
tloh OF such appoln tments by two-thtrds
'oee Va luo board Of supervisors, tDuS COnIOrm.
Ing TO the uniform practice OF the National
Government in the matter of Presidential ap-
polntments, which must be confirmed by the
senate, practice which has prevailed for
more than a century and given full satisfac-
non Inc responsibility for appointments will
thus be fixed upon the Mayor, but any undue
exercise OF that power will be held in check by
the direct representatives of the people in the
Board OF supervisors.
truly non-partIsan Board of Supervisors
In other words, a board which shall iully rep
q nd al inn al
Is the most important consideration under
any cnarter which may possibly be adopted.
III is oeileyed that such board can always be
eIecleu Dy adopting the cumulative method OF
Young Ior candidates. In this way not only
poltlcal parties may secure just proportion
OF the mem bers of the board, but such organf-
zatons as the Wheelmen's Association, the
Liquor Dealers Association, as well as the in
uustrlal organizations, may be fully and fairly
represented in the board by adopting The
Inenou oil cumulative voting, which Is so SIM
pie In operation that any voter of average in
telllgence can lily understand and use 1t.
For example II there are $4,000 voters one OF
the minor parties having 5000 votes would be
emitted to one of the twelve members OF the
Board OF Supervisors, and by casting ali their
votes Tor one member alone they would be
certain to elect him. This could be done by
giving him twelve votes instead of one vote to
each OF twelve candidates, as is now done.
The practice OF selecting candidates from
the several wards, as now adopted, should be
abandoned and the best men available for
nomination in the City should be elected at
large, since they in fact do represent the whole
City in all their acts and functions as board.
But after the board is elected and organized,
the members shall be assigned by lot as repre-
sentatlves Of the several wards or districts, as
the case may be, and each member so assigned
shall be the special representative of the ward
or district to which the lot assigns him.
To secure more complete and equitable
representation of the entire population, and
OF the various political organiza tions aud as
soclations entitled 10 represen alton In the
municipal government the number OF Super
visors should be at once increased to eighteen,
10 correspond 10 the eighteen Assembly dis
trlcts. In that way party or association rep
resenting one-eighteenth part OF the popula-
tion would be entitled to one member in the
ing ali their votes for him under the system of
cumulative voting.
No law or ordinance passed by the Board OF
Supervisors should become operative and be
In force until sixty days alter its passage in
order TO give the people an opportunity to
welfare. If within this period of sixty days 20
per cent of the qualified voters, shown by
the last register, Shall sign q protest and pre-
sent the same in due form 10 the Board of
Supervisors, any law against which such
protest is made shall be suspended until the
next election, 10 be then submitted to a vote
of the people for adoption or rejection. By
thus lodging the veto power in the hands of
the people the disastrous influence and COR
rupting work of the boss ana of Doodle will
cease 10 vex and rob the City.
These general principles in brief outline are
now given the public for unbiased considera-
tion, and other suggestions will follow IN
is new in fact and that will meet the needs OF
the City for years to come.
JOSEPH AsBURY JOHNSON.
San Francisco, November IL, 1896.