The San Francisco call., 1897-09-25
THE TAX-LEVY QUESTION.

TWO evening contemporaries = the an ex-sluriar
around whose there still cling many fond memories
of doarmt economy and disastrous deficits the other
an enthusiastic progressons of general ndscretionhav
taken THE CALL lightly to task for crzng the tax levy
the new Board of Supervisors Neither mputes to us
motvesa cheering sgnar each displays the usual ignor
ance and disregard the law and the merits of the taxation
oversy which for many have befogged the issue and
initiated against the material interests of the city, Had there
ever been any attempt by the responsible organs of public
opinion San Francisco to ascertain and determine the
relations of the taxpayers the municipality set forth
and enforce their duty it, should not be where
day with full year of Rip Van Wnke sumber and dollar
limit economy before US.
THE CALL does not complain of the boards ta>
levy Both these critics mistaken that point So fa
as this journal concerned dollar limit simply that
will pay less than usual Were blind to the best
interests of the city unmindfu of the just demands
poStery upon the generation those who concoed
levy passed Monday by the Board of Supervisors
we should rejoice at the readven of suanism the connu
of the village Fire Department. the cessation of work
upon Golden Gate Park and the reincanaon of the dust
swept streets and fouEsmelng Perhaps have
for thanking everben evoent Providence for the
capacity to that although financially beneficial to nd
vduas such policy in the end is destructive of the interests
of all but do nevertheless rejoice that whatever other
newspapers may think upon this subject THE CALL is free
the faint of any such economy"
true did ndorse the appointment of the Board
of Supervisors. To that charge plea of guilty entered
without benefit of clergy. But that Endorsement given
moral grounds The old board had betrayed its trust and
brought down upon its head the execaons of all decent c
What natural than that Journal anxious al
all times for better government should indorse the appoint
of twelve such Governor Budd and Mayor Phe
Ian named for Supervsos2 There not ten disineresd
persons in San Francisco familiar with the facts the
who did not ndorse that change Even had known that
the dollarimit levy would have followed with its grinding
parsmony and probable deficit still, in all probability
would have indorsed the appointments. What man
would not prefer suran to scalawag Board of Super
visors?
Nor is THE CALL at present discussing this matter with
any hope that what says may alter the situation for the
better is too late to amend the levy No matter which
Board Supervisors emerges from the Supreme Court with
the title municipal legislation nothing change the
financial outlook of the city The rival evies subsan
TALLY alike Both will undoubtedly produce deficit The
only possible distinction likely to be observed between them
later will be that the money dsbursed by the old boarc
the deficit will be larger than it is dsbursed by the
board There way as suggested by esiIuran
temporary, to mandamus either board and compel to in
the allowance for the County Clerk any other de-
partment of the municipal The law required the
tax levy be passed by the Supervisors and signed by the
Mayor Monday last No power short of the Legislature
exists for recalling revising the ordinance then enacted
The difficulty with this entire subject is that few people
understand it, and those who do afraid to take the
pioneering enlightened municipal policy. AS in all
uncertainty the demagogues have been permitted to
possession of the question and enforce cry of economy
which eventuates in deficits and suransm What sense
there in cutting down the levy for the general fund when Sc
per cent in is paid out expenditures fixed by law and
which the have decided and again
curtaeI? What merit is there in municipal policy which
strikes the accepted Streets the sewers the schools and the
public parks every time it is deemed necessary put money
into the pockets of the of real and personal property
Are the 10000 10000 persons whose the
assessment rolls at the City Hall the only taxpayers in this
cy2 Are they alone to enforce parsmonous policy when
tenant who rents house, every person who buys suit
of cothes and woman and child who eats mea
in San Francisco pays in proportion double the axes
These questions that have not recently been considered
Wrinkle slumber, they will up again, and they may as
we'll be discussed Is San Francisco always be led by
the idle demagogues who promote economy by enforcing
dollar limits and practice waste by encouraging extravaganza
and dishonesty in the disbursement of the public money! Who
has the hadhood declare that crying need of San Fran
cisco at the present time not the abandonment of siuran
government and the installation of truly honest adminsra-
ton at the City Hall1
Ogden Goelets death only shock to New York
cety but had commercial significance 1t that
the midst OF negotiations for the transfer of his
titled person willing to accept her properly lowered OF