The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-12-30
BEWARE OF CAPITALIZATION.

L
frame a new charter shall unfortunately assume
that their election is an Endorsement of centraiza-
ton in the municipal government they will make
serious mistake About one-third of the voters
went to the polls Monday. OF these bare ma
orty concurred in the selection Of the charter con-
vention nominees Had not factional quarrels
among the leaders of the party organizations been
among the issues" OF the contest, it is doubtful
whether than one or two of the successful can
ddates would have been elected 1t is well known
fact that the Republican and Democratic "outs"
combined against the fusion ticket the theory that
the charter convention nominees were implicitly
pledged to new DEAF; and this to a large extent
explains the result
TIE workingmen did not vote Monday was not
legal holiday and none of them could take the
slightest interest in the election without losing
days pay. The polls opened at 7:3o a. m after the
workingmen had gone to their toll, and closed at
p. m, before they had returned The result OF the
elect on, therefore, is in index OF the
sentiment of the bone and sinew of the town upon
charter questions Nor is it likely that centraliza
ton has been Endorsed by majority of those who
voted for the charter convention nominees The
latter expressly disavowed pledges before the cleo
ton. Some of them openly stated that they would
not agree to autocratic Mayor and in the behalf
Of all it published that they had been left free
10 IOHOW their 1nClnatlOnS except with respect TO
home government economical rule and civil service
reform"
We argue thus because the Mission street boodler.
which affects to be the newspaper organ of the sue
cessul candidates already announces that the cleo
ton was not only Endorsement of the centraliza-
ton principle but that distinct approval of
the course OF Mayor Phelan in busting the old Board
OF Supervisors in violation of law. The purpose of
this allegation is to mislead the Freeholders elect
1t can have other purpose for the claim that
Mondays election anything more than doubt
full expression of opinion by one-sixth of the voting
population is clearly unfounded 1t will be unfortn-
ate if the charter makers hurried by any such
claims" into making organic law which shall
introduce fads, experiments or antagonisms into the
general election next year
The Gail in common with most persons who de
sire to see San Francisco prosper and grow beautiful
is anxious for charter. 1t supported the f1-
sion candidates at the late election because it thought
they were, owing TO the conservative influences
which had put them forward, better qualified to
frame successful organic law than the charter con-
vention nominees, who were supported by Demo
cratic faction and notorious Doodle newsnaDer
We know however, of no reason why the charter
convention Freeholders cannot frame good char
ter conservative lines They are certainly quail
fed SO far as ability and character arc concerned
But we will never get charter if the instrument
IS to be framed the principle of Capitalization or
so as to confer on single official the power to Gust
Supervisors and other legally elected officials at
will. The moment organic law containing an
autocratc Mayor is presented to the people it will
be antagonized on every hand Thousands who did
not go to the polls Monday will arise to wipe it
out of existence The people of San Francisco are
hostile to political bosses and they never will con-
sent TO the creation by law of boss with the poiti-
cal power proposed to be conferred upon the Mayor
by the charter OF the Citizens Committee. This may
be set down this early as certain