The San Francisco call., 1896-03-10

now exist. Who asked the Board of Free
holders 20 make 1t difficult to get the ques.
ton of public ownership before the peo-
Pile? 1t is difficult enough now, but it
would be impossible to secure all the
Board of Public Works and nine of the
Supervisors. As long as the associated
villainies' exist just SO long will their fin
ger-marks be shown in every public meas
ure. The solution of the matter is to elect
a Board of Supervisors pledged and sworn
publicly to give the people an opportunity
to vote upon the subject of public owner
ship. They can be pledged so as to effect
this. Heretofore the matter of pledges
has been indefinite and in the hands of
political bosses and conventions; but in
this matter it can be made pubic prom
ise-posted by candidates upon the bulle-
tin-boards of our city-over their sigma
lures that if elected they will do certain
things. No man would violate pledge
thus proclaimed. We do not need
as many votes in the board now
as would be necessary under the new
charter. We are not hampered by
its other restrictions and complications.
Hence it will be much easier to purify our
CITY politics under the existing laws. That
is the object we should have in view and
we should look at the matter intelligently,
ascertain the causes OF corruption and work
to remove them.
AS Mayor SWlIl Ol OulCdSO Sdiu w Luc
Civic Federation, Those who bribe and
corrupt our city governments are found
among the so-called respectable" citizens.
Our politics cannot be improved by shift
ing the responsibility from Supervisors to
the Mayor as the advocates of the new
charter would have US believe.
THE purity OF our City government is
the whole question at issue. 1t is because
recognize that the greatest element of
mol n a1t
tempting bribe offered officials by wealthy
corporations and individuals that l feel
certain that the only way to do away with
this great feature of corruption is for the
CITY to own and operate all its utilities.
NJ oreoyer, the experience OF other cities
demonstrates beyond argument that, under
all conditions and circumstances, the cost
to the consumers is always very much less
under public ownership.
There is another form of corruption,
the incompetency of clerks and employees,
which certainly needs attention. 1t must
be admitted that civil service reform is
necessary but we must not sell our birth
right for "a mess of pottage. This in
competency and dereliction of employees
can be cured under present forms. 1t
would be well to have all candidates for
Supervisor pledge themselves to use their
power over appropriations to compel
other officials to conduct their business
under proper regulations.
The greatest factors, however, for evil
are the corrupting influences, the bribers
who have or are seeking franchises and
contracts. They are constantly at work To
elect their tools and will continue to do so
as long as they are permitted to exist.
Therefore in the interest of good govern
ment l ask the Merchants Association,
and the citizens generally to be careful
about voting for the new charter which
the corporations have had so constructed
as to defeat any public measure looking
toward release from their monopolies.
Especially is this warning directed to the
mbers OF the Merchants Association,
as they have through their representatives
declared for public ownership. Such
declarations are inconsistent with advo-
cacy of the new charter"