The San Francisco call., 1896-07-25
punish these scoundrels who have found their
way into public Office. Z. w. DOHRMANN.

President Merchants Association.
This publication made President Dohr-
mann very indignant. He denounced it
as gross fabrication. The following Cir
cular was, in consequence. issued yester-
DAY by the authority of the board of di-
rectors and copies sent to all members of
the Merchants Association:
! Your particular attention is respectfully
called to the following: An article headed
"shouid Be Driven From Office" was published
Dy one OF our daily papers oyer the presumed
signature OF the president of this association.
A committee of our board finds that this arti-
cie mad neither been written, signed nor in
splred by the president; in fact, not even an
interview had been had with him upon the
suplect. In bringing this matter to the notice
OF the paper in question it was promised that
an Investigation and correction would be
made.
Your special attention is now called to this
matter in order to prevent any erroneous i'm
presslons that the executive officers of this
association would assume to speak or write
ior its members without first having the board
OF the association at its proper meeting con-
slder and pass upon any questions that may
anect the association or the welfare of the
City.
Inc subject referred to in the atove article
nao not been before our board of directors,
because the time of its members is now so
thoroughly taken up with its efforts to secure
the adoption of the new charter that IT is i'm
possib to take an active part in all questions
OF controversies that may be of interest to our
einDers We deem it opportune to state that,
whiIe your board of directors will make every
enort to induce all political parties to favor
the adoption of the new charter, no member of
TINS board or officer or employe connected
WIN the same viii be candidate for political
preierment, nor viii accept any political Office
within the gift OF the people.
At yesterdays session of the Civic Fed
Grafton, 1t was unanimously decided to
call an indignation mass-meeting of citi-
zens next Tuesday evening in Metropoli-
tan Temple. Following is the official call,
addressed to the citizens of San Francisco,
In which the object of the meeting is
terseiy yet strongly explained:
controlling number of the Board of Super-
vlsors OF our City and County, namely, Super.
visors Joseph King, Peter A. Scully, Charles
4. benjamin, Edward C. Hughes, Chris Dun
ker, A. W. Morgenstern and E. L. Wagner,
nave, In the interest of INSCRIPTIONS corpora
lions, willfully, deliberately and grossly be-
trayed their trust. 1t may be that these men
wln escape punishment and retire, rich with
corrupt gains from the Offices they have pros
tltuteo ana betrayed. 1t may be that other
persons, contemplating their example, even
now intend to seek Office at the coming cleo
lon 10 procure gain in like betrayal OF trust
but IL would be infinitely worse if the people
corruption.
We therefore call uponFevery good citizen to
assist IN arousing the people. The people have
me- the power 70 prevent such wrongs. Where
tnere is WILL there must be way. Let not
then, the power lie dormant. Let the will of
she people be aroused. The present and the
future OF our City and County demand that
the general Indignation be given expression.
We ask your attendance at q mass-meeting
TO be held al the Metropolitan Temple on the
evening OF Tuesday, July %. to give express
sion 70 the general indignation and 10 concert
measures against the recurrence of such be-
trayal OF official trust.
THE CIVIC FEDERATION.
BY order of the executive committee
IL. TRUMAN, President.
There will be blazing bonfires and in
spring music by the Golden Gate Military
band. Speeches will be limited to five
Messrs: l. J. Truman, Joseph Leg
gett, J. ID. Barry, Henry N. Glenn
ent, III. E. Highton, H. w. Phil
brook, J. d. Phelan. F. ]. Sullivan, d.
Gilbert Dexter, G. w. Reed, w. NJ. Alb
bott, A. W. Thompson, Walter Macarthur
and other prominent speakers have con-
sented to address the meeting. The list
of vice. presidents will comprise the
names OF prominent citizens to whom
formal invitations will be sent,
When Supervisor E. G. Hughes was
seen last night, he was in the
company of Supervisors E. L. Wag-
ner and @. E. Benjamin. In making
the statement which follows, Supervisor
Hughes said he was yoicing the sentiments
not only of himself and his two colleagues
then present, but of the entire seven
charged by the Examiner with corruption
and malfeasance N Office.
1.-THE only thing we have to say" began
Supervisor Hughes, "is in regard to the
article that appeared in the Examiner.
We wish simply to state that what was
therein stated is not true in regard to the
reductions of assessments by the Board of
Supervisors sitting as a Board of Equaliza-
ton.
''That journal has intimatedr that we
have been corrupted and bought up by the
corporations and induced probably by
some means or other unknown to that
paper to reduce their assessments.
I'VE hold that we reduced other assess
ments in the same way simply because we
thought the reductions were just and
equitable. We don't think the reductions
comparatively are any lower than those
made by the Assessor himself on other
peoples property.
"The reductions were made in almost
every case where any showing of right
was made on Improvements on private
property at the suggestion of the Assessor.
"Mr. Benjamin made a motion at a
meeting of the Board of Equalization to
reduce the assessment on the franchise of
the Market-street Railway Company by
81, 900, 900.
81 made an amendment to that motion
at the suggestion of the Assessor, who
stated that he thought if we reduced it