The San Francisco call., 1897-08-25
OUTLINE OF A CHARTER.

To the Editor of the San Francisco Call
SIR: "Common-Sense," in the form of a small
pamphlet, gave heart of hope to fore
fathers in critical moment and perhaps rem
dered it possible for the people to lay aside
their differences and unite in defense Of
common cause. In like manner in a small
sphere, it is to be hoped that plain common
sense will guide those who are charged with
the patriotic duty of preparing charter 10
secure the general welfare of all our citizens,
SO that more Than the nece ssary two-thirds
shall vote for it.
Charter-making need not be at all difficult.
When we stop to think of it, we at once see that
the management of city'S affairs is purely a
business matter, and in no sense political.
The m unicipality is in fact great public cor
poratIoD, and is made VI OF separate admins
trative departments, each under the manage
ment of responsible head governed and con-
trolled by a Board of Trustees, called City
Council, and it is run in the same manner as
are our great private corporations, such as
our railroad corporations, our gas and water
companies, and the like.
1t must be apparent, therefore, to the least
though tful that IN framing City charter the
best business talent and experience should
shape its provisions, snd that its whole struc-
ture and the words in which 1t is expressed
should be plain and simple. The general
| structure of the system is naturally our first
consideration. After devoting much of my
time during the past year to study of mu-
nicipal government, and having finally over
come my own Stubborn preJudices, am fuil y
satisfied that DR.. Albert Shaw is undeniably
and clearly right in commencing the system
which is universally adopted throughout Eu-
rope, both in Great Britain and on the Conti-
nent, as infinitely superior to the com pact of
ill-adjustcd compromises with its inevitable
abuses, which we dignity with the name of the
American system
In the general structure of American and
European systems OF municipaF government
there is lit e difference; the radical differ
ence is in the administration OF the several
fup ctions. / find, for example, nine depart
ments in the recently rejected charter, which
are named the Legislativ the Executive, the
Legal, the Public Works. the Public Schools
and Libraries, the Police, the Fire. the Health
and Elections departments In Manchester
there are nine chief departments, in Glasgow
ten, and it is practically the same in all large
European cities
To make our system conform to that which
prevails throughout Europe all these depart
ments are placed under the general manage
ment and control of large Clty Counci! or
Board OF Supervisors, consisting Of not less
than thirty-six mem bers elected at large and
each departme mt is under the special charg
OF large standing Committee OF the Council,
with the ablest and best skilled expert as the
permanent head of the department, who holds
office so lung as he capably and faithfully per-
forms his duties, but is sub ject to removal at
any time by the whole board or Councll Tor
failure TO render satisfactory services. All
acts and measures of standing committees in
charge of departments must be ratified by the
board or Council before they can go into effect.
Under such system San Francisco would
elect only a Mayor and large council or
Board of Supervisors consisting OF a. least
thirty-six members. The Mayor would be
chairman OF the board or council and would
have the casting vote in case of a tie. All
heads OF departments would be elected by the
board or council Heads of departments
should suggest names of assistants III con-
sultation with the standing committees of de-
partmens, and all such assistants or deputies
and clerks must be subject to confirmation or
rejection by the whole BODY OF the council or
made in departments except for failure TO
render satisfactory services.
| Ali laws, ordinances and resolutions
| adopted by the council or Board OF supervi-
| yors shall be subject to veto by q majority
| vote Of the qualified electors of the Inuni-
cipality, and such vote must be taken at
| municipal or general election when petition
| signed by 20 per cent Of the taxpayers is pre-
ented to the Mayor within thirty days after
adoption of such acts asking for such vote;
and the Mayor shall also be vested with the
council and refer them to a vote OF the
| electors during the first ten days after their
adoption by the board or council.
The Mayor and any or all Councilmen or Sll-
pervisors shall be subject 10 removal from
Office at any time by ma ajority vote OF the
qualified electors at a special election held for
that purpose by voting for other men to take
their official places, and such election may be
called by a petition signed by 20 per cent of
the taxpayers and fled in the office of the City
and County Clerk.
n 'oLe u acquire any puolic utiiIty may De
| taken at a special election or at a municipal or
general election upon preset n alton of a patti
tion signed by 20 per cent OF the taxpayers,
the petition to set forth the nature of the util-
ity and the terms and condi lions of the pro-
posed acquisition.
Municl pal elections for the choice of Mayor
and Board OF Supervisors or Council shall be
held in other or off years from those OF gen.
eral elections for State and National officers,
to the end that municipal affairs may be sep
| arated from political interests and combina-
tions.
This charter may be amended al any munic-
ipal or general election by ma ajority vote OF
the qualified ELECTORS pursuant 10 pelition
signed by 20 per cent OF the taxpayers OF the
City, the petition to set for tn in precise terms
the proposed amendment, and 10 be presented
to the Mayor. JOSEPH AsBURY JOHNSON.
IL Essex street, August %, 1897.