The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-12

every Office not made elective by this char
ter, shall become vacant Immediately on the
taking effect OF this char ter. If the charter is
adopted in November next and is approved By
the Legislature of California according to the
provision quoted) we will have no head of
government, no Auditor, no Assessor, no Tax
Collector, no Treasurer, no Recorder, and the
legality OF the acts of every one of these
officials, If they seek to act, will be called in
question by interested parties. Ricn corpora
tons viii seek to evade their taxes and refuse
compliance to the City ordinances because of
this equivocal and doubtful position of the
Mayor and other officers.
Third Observation-Disclosures provisions
The State constitution requires all charters
TO be consistent with it and the general laws of
the State. The general laws of the State re-
quire the Supervisors to fix the tax levy and
the Supreme Court has decided that ii is not
consistent with the laws OF the State for the
Mayor to interfere with this duty. And they
Will decide that the clause restricting the
power of the Supervisors to levy taxes is in
consistent with the law OF the State and there
lore unconstitutional.
1t violates the natural and the constitutional
right OF q large class of citizens to earn liy-
ing by the exercise of q profession they may
elect and Tor which they are qualified Arti-
Gle VII, chapter 3. section of this volumin-
Gus document provides that no person shall be
a teacher in the primary or grammar classes
OF this City or county except he has "been
educated in the public school system OF the
State OF California"
A person who has been educated by the best
otprfvate tutors. in the best private schools of
the State, or in the public or private schools of
any other State or nation, is barred from the
right to earn living lin q calling the duties
OF which he by education and training may be
able to perform in q pre-eminently superior
manner) because he was not educated in the
public schools of this state, and for no other
reason. A man may have been born in the
State, be educated in the State, be public
spirited, be talented, a skiilful instructor and
an honorable citizen, but according to the new
charter he shall not teach. Is this just? Does
not this clause alone brand with infamy this
charter, and every one. who, knowing the
existence OF this clause, shall vote for its adop
ton? We maintain that provision is not only
infamous, but that It is contrary to the consti-
tuition OF the United States.
Fourth objection-It is an impediment 10
municipal ownership of public utilities.
Instead of facilitating, as has been claimed,
the new charter prohibits the Supervisors
from undertaking public Improvements or
and other desirable public work, if the propo-
sition is not approved by the Board of Public
works paragraph "a, page 22). The Super
,ass cannot undertake any public work IN
Is unanimous article VI, chapter 1, section 3. }
1t further prohibits the Supervisors from un-
o othaa the acquisition OF water works or
the Board OF Supervisors are opposed to it
(article XIV, section 16). Ii further requires
tnem In all such matters to take into account
the existing plants in case the same are desir
able and can be acquired upon terms as rea-
sonable as new works could be procured by
CONSTRUCTION (See page ~, paragraph 64). Per-
maps this may explain why the directors. bond
ana stock holders of the corporations owning
these monopolles are in favor of the adoption
Oh the proposed new charter.
Fifth observation-disclosures contract work in
stead OF day work
The new charter requires all city work
amounting TO more than $500 to be done by
contract. Experience OF other cities demon
strates that this is more expensive than direct
control by the city. 1t is an unjust system,
since IL results In reduction of wages to the
mechanics and lGborers. 1t is unwlse because
II leads TO corruption of officials by boodlers.
II is not the proper way to do municipal work,
because 1T leads to poor work and the bribing
OF overseers by the con tractors.
Sixth-The one desirable feature of the new
cnarter can be obtained without the adoption
Oh It's Objectionable features. All the advan-
tageous and beneficial features of the new
charter excepting the civil service rules, are
nave publicly made arguments in favor Of the
new charter on the ground that it con tanned
certain provisions which are already in the
tons.
When studying the new charter compare II
Win the existing statutes and ordinances; you
VIII ma that all its good features, with one
exceptlon-civil service-are now on the stat
ute,Dooks. Its bad features are doubtless due
10 the TACT that the Freeholders waited for a
] supreme Court decision so long that they had
put lew days to complete work which
should DE done with great care and delibera.
tion, and also to the probability that the mo-
nopoties al their agents advising its impor
tant features For many years the corpora
| lions have been mindful OF the advantage Il
De gained by these measures, and the new char