The San Francisco call., 1897-04-01
DAVIES REIGN
IS NOW ENDED
The Ex-Mayor's Term Rem
dered Valueless Because
of Opposition.
Two Years of the Most Ridicu.
lous Government Oakland
Ever Knew.
With Mayor Thomas Advent There Is
Soma Hope for Harmony and
Municipal Progress.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALL,
9u8 Broadway, March 81. I

OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALI
9U8 Broadway, March 81. J
John L. Davie vacated the Mayor 5
Office tonight. and tomorrow morning
Captain w. R. Thomas will assume the
duties of ief executive of this city.
The career of Mr.. pavie has been one OF
great interest. Had he met with the sup
port OF the Council and Beard of Public
Works, such as a Mayor has right to ex.
pect, his administration would have been
one of marked success and progress. AS
it is, Oakland has struggled along ,during 6
the past two years, but las added nothing
to her dignity or her prosperity.
Mr.. Davie was unfortunate from the
start. He was elected to office by one OF
those peculiar freaks of politics com
to this city. His opponent, J. w. Nelson,
ad the Endorsement and nomination OF
every thing in the city but the Peoples
party. Had the Populist vote been &C.
corded the Councilmen as it was the
Mayor, there would have been harmony
at the City Hall, and John L. Davie would
have ranked as one of the greatest Mayors
Oakland ever had.
When future history is read, however,
the ad dministration that closed at mid
night will be viewed as one OF the most
useless and ridiculous known. The fail
ure 10 do anything Of value by the gov
ernment Just passed away is due partly to
the personal feeling shown on both sides.
Annoyed at finding himself impotent
ag gainst the attacks and policy OF mis- po-
Gtical enemies, MIR. Davie was forced In a
measure to strike back in the same man.
ner in which he was assailed. This kind
of warfare invariably grows until it be-
comes absurd. 1t was so in this case, and
for the past two years Oaklands NUM-
r
stock OF the State.
One of Mr.. Davies most praiseworthy
acts was to insist on low tax levy at q
time when business was stagnant and
everybody was comparatively poor. For
doing this he was at once assailed as being
the tool of the bankers and corporations.
This, however is not JUST, and many men
who have just vacated their offices cannot
look back on as consistent record as that
of the eX. Mayor.
One of his most bitter enemies has been
ex-President Mott of the Council. But
the records show that Motifs policy has
changed many times, while that of the
Mayor mas been comparatively uniform.
The last act OF the Council is typical OF its
whole term of office. 1t passed an ordi-
nance, MIR. Mott assisting, over the veto o1
Mayor Davie. This ordinance lives eX
elusive right to large portion of the city
wharf to one firm. and the Mayor pro-
duces the charter to prove that this ]:
illegal.
Some time ago Mr.. Mott, as one OF &
| special committee appointed by the Mer
chants Exchange, signed a report which
states in very forciDle language that the
! letting of the exclusive right to the city
wharf would be detriment to the com
mercial interests of the city.
Partly guided by this report, Mayor
Dayie framed his veto, and, in his desire
TO show his personal amin osity to tht
| Mayor, Councilman Mott voted agains
his own signed advice.
| Under these conditions the city is 70 b.
congratulated that such an administra
tion has passed away. Tomorrow morn
ing an out-and-out Republican Mayo
will take charge of Oakland. He has
Republican majority In every branch o
the city government, and, having de
clared that it is his intention to work il
harmony with all the departments, ther
is now probable certainty that the scan
daIs Of the last two years will not be re
Daatc d.