The San Francisco call., 1897-09-03
EIGHTEEN FOR
CITY FATHERS
Charter Committee Stands
for a Small Legisla-
tive Body.
And Nine Supervisors, They
Say, Shall Be Elected
Every Year.
The Number and Term of the Super
visors Given an Evening by the
Charter Committee.

Sec. 2. The Roard of Supervisors
shall consist of eighteen members,
| who shall be elected by general ticket
from the City and County at large and
| shall hold office for two years, nine to
be elected annually.
The charter committee of one hundred
last evening decided by considerable
ma iority in favor of a small Board of
Supervisors, favored selecting and elect
ing them at large, and without much
discussion on that point voted that there
should be continuous body, one-haIf of
which should be elected annually.
The sentiment of the committee seems
largely in favor of holding independent
municipal elections, so that the tendency
is now toward yearly municipal elections,
with two elections every second year.
The committee last evening dealt W holly
with section of the report of the COM
mittee on the legislative department of
the City government, dealing with the
mum Der and the manner of election of the
Board of Supervisors. The proceedings,
however, are in committee of the whole.
be formally dealt with until it is reported
as whole to the entire committee.
This gives further opportunity for
change be ore this portion of the charter
is adopted for recon- mendation to board
of freeholders. The second section dealt
with last night was not completed, as the
manner of selecting the nine to be elected
for only one year on the start was not de-
cided, and motion 70 reconsider the vote
bv whic b the section was adopted will
come up at this next meeting on Tuesday
evening.
About sixty members of the committee
gathered in Shasta Hall, in the Native
Sons building, last evening. f. w. Dohr-
mann presided until Mayor PheIan ar
rived later in the session. Joseph Leg
gett's motion to reconsider the vote of
last Tuesday evening by which executive
functions were denied to the Board of Su-
pervisors was lost, and then the second
section of the report of the com mittee on
the legislative department came before
the body as a committee of the whole.
The section as reported read as follows:
"Sec. 2. The Board OF Supervisors shall
consist of fifteen members, who shall be
elected by general ticket from the City
and County at large and shall hold office
for 70 years"
The debate which followed was mainly
the conflict between the minority, which
favors a large body of Supervisors en-
dowsd with large powers, and the ajor-
ity, which favors a small legislative body
and strong executive endowed with
large powers.
Two substitutes, each providing for
Board of Supervisors OF tifty-tour mem
bers, were proposed, debated and voted
down, along with sundry small amend
ments. Joseph Leggett made a strong
appeal for the larger number, favoring
three-year terms, one-third to be cleo ted
each year. Stewart Menzies argued that
it is easier to corrupt seven men than a
whole lot more.
p. J. Healey said that we might as we'll
have five as fifteen, and added: IF Super.
visors must be purchased let the corpora
tions pay more"
"The price would go down." was
shouted.
When Franklin K. Lane got to arguing
for the small body he asked, "Who are
the people?" ~
Sam Rainey," said one mem ber.
And that's the very man we want 10
reach" said Lane. ''It is impossible to
cope with the associated and organized
villainies of San Francisco unless we can
get the attention of the people concen-
trated in a few men.
How are we going to sow Supervisors
and reap honest men? English NUM-
cipalities have successful large municipal
councils becau use they have no political
bosses and have civil service. With vast
number Of candidates before the people an
election would be like wheel of fortune"
G. N. Clement hoped that all could sub.
stantially agree on one charter to be pre-
sented to the reople. and pretty soon.
Gavin McNab said that five tickets, at
fifty-four Supervisors per ticket, would give
the people 270 candidates.
They don't endure very long winded
speeches in that com mittee, and when the
young man announced that he was about
to read some wisdom from the Forum he
was choked off with II object"
Joseph Leggett made another speech
the gist OF which went into three SEN
| tence: A large element in this convention
is In favor OF absolutism. The real objec-
ton to larger body OF Supervisors i. dis
trust of the people. The present member
of the Board of Supervisors is scurvy
wretch and you are going to make three
| more OF them.
1t came to vote and 16 were in favor of
| fifty-four Supervisors and 36 were opposed
20 the number.
G. W. Moore's amendment. offered about
this time, illustrates how big chunk of
fate may come to a municipality through
the accidents of temper in a charter-mak-
| ing body. 1t was getting laie when Mr..
Moore moved that the number be eigh-
teen, and that they be elected for four
years from Assem- bly, districts, those from
the odd and the even numbered districts
to b, elected every two years alternately.
They divided the motions into sections
| and adopted ihe number Is without de-
bate on the n um ber by a vote OF 80 to H.
They rejected all the rest, including the
district idea which suggested the number
| adopted.
Various amend ments and remarks were
lost, and then Franklin K. Lane got
| in an amendment which was finally
adopted. 1t provided that half the Super
visors should be elected annually, and it
was carried by vote of % 10 20.
Gavin McNab wanted to know if Mr..
Lane knew what an annual election would
cost, ana Mr.. Lane wanted TO know if
Mr.. McNab knew what it cost not to have
| an annual election. The committee ad-
iourned until Tuesday evening.
San Rafael Hunt Club.