The San Francisco call., 1896-10-27
Letters From the People.
ONE POPULIST CITY.
Leries No 3ares- ar municipal Plat"
form Personaf.

Lrries No IdDes- Municipal PtGt~
form-PersonaI
To the Editor Of the San Francisco CGlI-SIR:
The CITY OF Glasgow, Scotland, a little more
than twice the size of SIN Francisco. levies no
taxes after January L, 1897 1t is the first in
stance in the history OF the world, and Gas
gov IS conceded TO be the best governed city
on the globe. Citizens of San francisco,
commend TO you an honest investigation into
the methods adopted by Glasgow to secure
such happy results. In the meantime Will
tell you that the city owns its streetcar SER
vice, its water service, its lighting service and
all other public utilities. These afford sufh-
cient revenue to create a sinking tund TO pay
off the Indebtedness incurred b. the city in
the purchase OF these pubic utilities, TO keep
the same In repair and 10 fill the city treasury
with ample funds to support the municipal
government literally, and at The same time
the cost OF the service OF these public utilities
is reduced one-half and better wages are PAID
employees with shorter hours OF labor. In
word, the city OF Glasgow is N the hands OF
Populisis and It's affairs are administered on
purely Popull site principles
Our municipal platform outlines Just such
government for the City of San Francisco, and
as stated in my ast letter to THE CALL all
our municipal candidates stand on our plat-
form and are pledged TO our principles as p
piled to municipal government. IL is appro-
pirate to ada here that in the selection and
nomination OF our ticket l am certain that
time will make it clear 10 every honorable
man in San Francisco that the Peoples party
was the only really partisan party in the
City this year.
words OF personal nature. In my chat with
THE CA Ii reporter supposed he fully under
stood that was not taking ior publication.
Ny whole purpose was to dlsabuse his mind
to any impression he might have that the
Populists had been outwtted and entrapped
by Buckley, ana assured him tnat buckley
freely admitted that the day OF the boss in
politics viii be over the moment mat the
Peoples party comes into power, because our
principle of direct legislation VIII eliminate
the boss and he will have TO go out OF Dusi-
ness and will stay out, because Popullsts are
strict believers in rigid civil service.
On this distinct understanding Mr.. buckley
was informed that the Populists were viii ing,
as | believed to receive the support OF any
party or faction in San Francisco which would
place The Peoples party in control OF the Clty
government. He was further informed that
Populists are individuals III the fullest sense
and cannot be ''herded" or led to do thlng
or support any ticket which they do NOT ac-
cepJ as individuals; but they are good ngnters
and viii stand together on what seems the pest
thing 10 do, and on no other terms. IN GEAR
ing with Populists he would have TO take INTO
account the fact that they never take orders or
dictation from boss or any one else, put act
on their in Individual judgment then assured
the reporter that no orders OF any kiIlu M 1sa ,sa
other hand he had accepted the terms named
by the Populists, and that believed he had
kept his word without equivocation.
In this connection should also state that
when the Peoples party municipal convention
met, the writer of this .etter wrote out resolu-
tions proposing such an alliance with the aEtl-
monopoly and silver forces of this CITY, and
providing for committee OF six on conference
on candidates, and these resolutions were
adopted by the municipal convention by an
almost unanimous vote, and the committee
was duly appointed. This committee was
made up of old and tried Popullsts who had
and still have the confidence and respect OF
the Populists of this City. l was honored
with q place on that committee and know
that oYertures were al once made to the Nom
Partisans and the Junta Democrats, and
several informal conferences were he'd with
prominent and active members of both OF
these organizations. Indeed, several days
were lost in this way, as these Non-Partisans
and Junta Democra. finally ignored our over
lures and failed to meet us even informally.
In the meantime overtures came TO US from
theiother Democratic organ cation, which had
openly declared for Bryan and free silver, our
natural allies in the present political contest
But that is not all. These candidates all stand
on our municipal platform pledged to ouI
principles applied to municipal govern
ment, while their first pledge was the support
of Bryan and free silver.
JOSEPH AsBURY JOHNSON.
Oct 2d 1905