The San Francisco call., 1896-05-11
Law Contemplates That There
Shall Be Just Cause for
Removal.
H. E. H1GHToN's CONTENTION.
Acting Mayor C. L. Taylor Holds Gov.
ernor Budd Responsible for Debas.
ing Politics in the Board.

The aid of the courts will be invoked to
prevent the displacement of Superin-
tendent Weaver of the Almshouse. Henry
E. Highton has been engaged as counsel to
present the case to the judicial tribunal
and demand that civil service and local
sovereignty shall receive some considera-
ton in the management of public institu-
tions in San Francisco.
Mr.. Highton was seen yesterday by re-
porter of THE CALL and asked what form
the court proceedings would assume. He
said that he had not yet given to the SUBJ
ject the attention it would require. 1t was
very clear to his mind, however, that Mr..
Weaver could not be lawfully removed
without ''just cause.' The court might
consider whether just cause could be es-
tablished without investigation. In the
proceedings for the removal of Mr..
Weaver there was no investigation of the
facts to determine whether just cause ex-
listed for the removal of the superintend-
ent. Mr.. Weaver had not been allowed
the opportunity to disprove the charges
brought against him. There was no trial
in which he was represented by counsel,
although he demanded investigation.
Again the law requires the vote of four
members to remove. and, while it may be
admitted that DR.. Williamson voted to re-
move, it is not admitted that he acknowl-
edged the existence on Just cause in so
voting.
Mr.. Highton has not yet decided
whether Mr.. Weaver should surrender the
Office which he now holds and direct the
proceedings toward the ousting of Reddy,
or TO refuse TO surrender the position, and
TINS force upon the Board of Health the
task OF ejecting Mr.. Weaver. The latter
course will most likely be adopted. Mr..
Highton understands that members of the
Civic Federation and other leading citi-
zens regard it as essential TO the public
welfare that good management of munich
pal institutions should not be sacrificed in
order to carry out the system of rewarding
the partisan victor with the spoils of
Office.
The argument is advanced that the
Almshouse is purely a local institution,
and should be managed and governed ex-
cIusively by the people who pay the taxes
for the maintenance of the place. The
Board of Health is composed of resident
physicians, but the members are not
elected by the voters of San Francisco,
and neither are they appointed by an
elective local board. They derive their
right to hold office from the Governor of
the State.
1t is argued further that some excuse
might have been given for divesting the
local government of the right to manage
the Almshouse when the State was con-
triouting money for the support of the
aged and INDECENT who had found home
at the AImshouse. The Legislature of
1885, however, repealed the law extending
State aid TO the aged and INDECENT, and
every county in California is now COM
PEELED to support its poor without help
from the State.
In some CT the interior counties money
is raised to transport paupers to San Fran
cisco, and thus our local taxpayers are OBJ
hged not only to support our own poor
but to care for the helpless and INDECENT
of other localities. 1t is now proposed as
an additional burden to make the San
Francisco Almshouse support political
pensioners for whom the Governor can
find no place II State institutions.
One of the hottest contests ever waged
in San Francisco was directed by politl-
clans against ]. NJ. KeatIng, whose man
agement OF the AImshouse reflected the
highest credit on the City and on hims elf
In that contest, which took place nearly
twenty years ago, public sentiment was so
aroused against the wrong which the poli-
ticans were attempting to perpetrate that
the ringleaders of the movement to dis
place Keating could not face the storm OF
public resentment.
A well-known citizen in recalling the
fight to oust Mr.. Heating said yesterday /:
This is local history repeating itself.
Here is Mr.. Weaver's place, and the poll
ticians want it. He has proved beyond
doubt that he is capable and honest su-
perintendent. The Grand Jury made a
special and thorough examination of the
institution and reported the facts to the
Board of Health. No definite charges are
made against MIR. Weaver. 1t is said in a
general way that harmony cannot exist il
be is maintained in place. II is high time
now that the people should take the man.
agement of the institution out of the
hands of the Board of Health, and not