The San Francisco call., 1897-03-31
Outlines Practical Ideas for
the Coming Two
Years.
Does Not Believe in a Niggardly
Policy of Running the
City.
Will F K the Tax Levy at a Rate
That the T, xpayers Shall
D:cide Upo1.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALL,l

OAKLAND OFF1CE DAN + FRANCISCO SALL,t
9O8 Broadway, March 30.
Mayor Thomas outlined to-day the pol
icy he will pursue during his next two
years. Although he will, next Monday
night. present formal inaugural address
to the City Council, the following state
ment embodes his plans to be carried out
during his term OF Office. He said:
The city will pay for my time, ana shall
try TO make the labor worthy of the hire. My
office hours shall be those of business man
and my ear always open to advice. By this
do not mean to say that shall be in the Office
all OF the time. The duties OF the Mayor are
outside of the hall. Improvements must be
watched and personal supervision wi be
necessary, but when l am not in the office
some one else will be there 10 answer all ques-
tiOns and attend to such minor matters as
may be advisable.
The tax rate is matter to which have
given much consideration without arriving at
any unchanged BILE conclusion. The people pay
the taxes, and they shou. d be the judge Of the
amount. Their ideas l shall respect. l be-
licve they have no opposition to fair rate so
iudiciously expended In that Shall try to
win the confidence of the people, and think
our ideas conform now. We want a rate that
will give US good, business-like advancing
admins tration. Not rate that will assist
prodigality, but the lowest possible rate that
will maintain the departments in their present
efficiency and build something which is in the
line of permanent improvement Our present
Auditor is very familiar with our local finan-
cial questions, and / shall carefully consult
him in the matter OF taxes.
Our streets believe are our principal points
of improvements, although the need of parks
and breathing spaces l do not overlook. OF
course city funds are at an ebb just a. present,
for al the end of every fiscal year our finances
run low, but as soon as the taxes Tor 1s97-9S
are received our work of Improvement will
begin. We have a good Council. l have
studied its personnel and am satiN Nfied 1t will
do what is right. That the administration
will be harmonious l am certain. We want
business not politics.
The present me thod of having the city as
sist in defraying the expenses of substantially
macadamizing the main thoroughfares / am
in sympathy with aud he work of improving
the West Oakland Park l believe should be
pushed TO completion Immediately. We
should have rural park q few miles from the
city with well-kept shaded driveway or
boulevard leading to 1t. l sha advocate this
as soon as / see that we can afford it.
The schools will have warm supporter in
MI. Thomas, and the prospects are that the
Education Board and the chief executive will
soon be warm friends.
Tne present efficiency must not be lowered,
and during my administration they shall never
closo for lack OF money. 1t is ridiculous to
stint the educational ia acilitles OF ur children.
We are not poor enough to be compelled to,
and there is no reason why we should not
be liberal-very Hberal-with the school de-
par tment.
semble the schools, and in my opinion they
should be caref uliy provided for. Our intel
iectuality we cannot afford to neglect. The
reading-rooms are for the poor, and in JUS
tice, not in charity We must see to their
wants.
Asa private citizen havo watched the fire
and police departments, and believe them to
be efficient. They are important factors TO
ci;y's safety, and appreciating this as do.
shall not be the one TO hamper or impede
them.
III,
1ected. Oakland is destined to become
maritime city, and the sooner we put the
water front in a condition to invite shipping
and shipping interests the sooner our destiny
will materialIze.
The city sa ary roll will receive no cuts
from my hands. believe in employing COM
petent and worthy clerks and paying them for
the good service which we shall look for from
them.
The new bill recently signed by the Gov
ernor requiring the Mayors approval to all
expenditures exceeding 500, ana also making
nine votes in the Council necessary to over
ride veto, will of course give the Mayor
much more power, but the Council need
all OF the s499 resolutions which have been
so frequently adopted by Councils, ana may
do some little clipping in the amounts. But
shall thoroughly examine the needs for the
money, and shall make no reductions unless
have good reason for so doing. and that rea-
son l shall always give 10 the council. Much
money can be saved in these small matters
and put to better use.
We are all working for common end and
if we would accomplish 1T we must work har-
moniously. The new Board of Public WORKS
will, think, be conservative in the matter of
policy changes We will be assisted by the
counsel and advice of the Merchants Ex-
change, the Board of Trade, Good Roads Asso-
citation and kindred organizations in all mat
ters concerning material public necessities,
and by listening to and needing the advice of
the people we are not apt to do wrong. The
time is propitious and there is no reason why
lit. 1xx,sy, ffOvH-
lasting monument in the line of public better
ment to its memory.
CoIored Brethren Fail Out.
OAKLAND, CAL, March 30-W. s. Linn
swore to complaint to-day charging
Brother King with battery. Both are col
ored men of good standing of the Zion
Methodist Church. Linn's face looks as
though it had been worsted in an encoun-
ter with a haycutter. He alleges that last
door and called him out. As soon as he
got to the threshold King felled him with
a sandbag. The two brethren then mixed
and the congregation separated them.
No one will give any explanation of the
origin of the affair.
To Prosecute Bettors.
OAKLAND. CAL, March 30.-The fol-
lowing paper is being circulated in this
city by friends OF Captain Thomas:
Being radically opposed to the use of our
courts as a col ection agency for gambling
debts, we give the amounts set opposite our
respective names to be used in defense of the
will OF the peop as expressed in the recent
city election: +. W. Woodward, SO; L. Hew-
lett. $40; F. NJ. Farwell. $40; c. D. bates, $40; !;
H. Maloon. $40; William II. Mackinnon, $40 !;
II. X. Snow, $25; F. Chappelet $40; Jonn
Altman, $40; Giles H. Gray, $40; S. L. Potter,
$40; p. Mcdonnell, $40.
Saw Too Much Of Oakland.
OAKLAND, CAL, March 30.-Charles
D. Foster, a commercial traveller from
Kansas City. came into Oakland last
night and registered at hotel. Then he
went out to see the town. He called on
the police this morning and said he had
lost $50 in money, his return ticket to
Kansas and his overcoat. He Is satisfied
that he has seen enough OF Oakland.
Mrs. GrIffin keappointed.
OAKLAND, CAL, March 3O.-Mrs. L.
r. Griffin has been reappointeu to the
School Department She is one OF the
most efficient teachers the Hi School
ever had, and her removal a little time
ago was very unpopular action of the
Board of Education.