The San Francisco call., 1897-02-15
NO SPARE COIN
FOR CHARITY
Only Two Years of Fancy
Salaries for the County
Officers.
Why the Municipal League
Should Have Indorsed the
Park Project.
Except 10 the Regular Politician the
Municipal Campaign Is Very
Dull.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN Francisco CALL,
QnO D. 4 rnrnrr Lnh Ii

90S Broadwa Feb. IA.
The cutting down of the salaries of
county officials cannot help but have q
good effect. For several years legislators
have been pledged to economy and have
thrown their pledges TO the wind. A dele
cation four years ago pledged to economy
actually added TO the cost OF this county
While The work in the several offices is
much about the same, and involves about
the same amonnt of responsibility, the
salaries under the plan of appropriating
lump sum for each department has been
so varied that while one man cleared
A $500 year, another would clear not less
Y tban $4,000.
The argument is now made that the
salaries allowed are such as would be paid
under the same conditions in the COM
mercial world, and this is what they
should be. There is, however, one thing
10 be considered, that SO long as the fancy
salaries are no longer the legitimate prey
of office-holders they must not be ex-
pected to have an open purse from which
all manner OF political and philanthropic
fingers can be filled at random.
Under the new regime this much con-
siderstion must be shown. But it is as
well to bear in mind that the new sched-
ule does not affect the present incum bent,
so the retrenchment will have no excuse
TO commence until the next board of
county officers assume their duties in 1899.
The Merchants Exchange is consider
ing a plan TO advertise Oakland to the
world. All kinds of schemes have been
placed befors them, but the desired end
has not been gained, and the complaint is
still made that in the different parts of
the country it is difficult 10 learn any
thing OF Alameda County.
? ~, lie - arr-bo II.
parks is being agitated the desire of the
Merchants Exchange TO let outside States
know OF Oakland Is very timely. Thou
sands Of people have heard of the beauty
OF Golden Gate Park who know nothing
in detail of the City of San Francisco, and
should Oakland acquire an immense pub
e llc domain and show some liberaIity in
adorning it ii would do far more to ad-
vertlse this city than will be done in many
years by sending out pam phlets contain
ing matter OF varied degrees OF excellence.
II is to be regretted that the Municipal
League in the platform which it framed
at its convention two weeks ago should
,have thrown cold water on the scheme to
acquire parks. Nothing can be accom-
pllshed IN any city when the leading
mercantile bodies are opposed by reform
political movement Of which better things
might reasonably be expected. The league
> platform, while it did not so state con-
. veyed more than a hint that the scheme
10 provide public park might develop
into Job by which some one might bene-
ht 1t IS absolutely certain that large
acreage of property will not be found
anywhere and cannot be acquired except
by purchase, and as 1t is equally certain
that the matter will have to be submitted
10 the people at special election before
bends can be issued for the purchase IT
can reasonably be inferred that any lob"
would be unearthed long before it was un-
LOADED on the people.
a park of fifty acres that could be
reached by the many electric roads now
running out to the foothills would do
more to advertise Oakland and attract
people TO this city tnan the sending out of
any amount of statistical literature.
The average citizen of Oakland is now
thoroughly surfeited with politics. and
never was municipal campaign launched
in quieter manner than the one now
supposed to be waging.
What with primaries conventions and
e elections, the city has been disturbed
since last August, and the commercial
element views with immense satisfaction
The TACT that after March there will be at
least year and half before politics
again disturb normal conditions.
At the present time, outside of the same
old company with whom politics means
bread and butter, the interest in the local
campaign is very small. The great ma
Iority OF voters have already decided upon
their choice, and it is matter of some
difficulty to get a reasonable attendance
at campaign meetings. As matter of
fact, politics has become somewhat of a
farce on local lines. Each element is di
vided, and even the solid Republican front
shown last Novemb Der does not exist IL the
present conflict.
The whole Republican ticket is certainly
worthy of support, and if the Republicans
themselves desire 1t they could, of course
elect it from top to bottom. Judging bv
the present outlook, however, there will
be some serious breaks, and unless great
discretion is exercised by the body polite
6eere will be repetition during the next
40 years of the municipal farce that has
oisgraced the City Hall during the term
now SO near its close.
Auditor Snow has issued a report which
IS somewhat remarkable inasmuch as
there is no item in any of the departments
charged to 'sundries." In this connec-
tion he made the following explanation a
few days ago: when l first took office. )"
said the Auditor, II had considerable diff
dculty in knowing just what people spent
The reports from the different depart
ments would come to me and the largest
item would be sundries. gave the bows
hint and told them that | would not
audit any more accounts for sundries and
although there may have been a diminu-
tion in the number of cigars smoked
around the ball and in the strength of the
perfume on official handkerchiefs, there
has also beer q diminution of the expense
Of the various departments; and after an
experience of eight years / feel that 1 can
uutafulIy say that this city is supplied by
contractors on as honest and economical
basis as any city in the Union"
STUART w. Booth.