The herald., 1897-12-16
BOSS. OR
NO BOSS
Three Letters From Prom
inent Leaders
SAN FRANClsco's DEMOCRACY
81
SAN FRANClSC0'S DEMOCRACY
uHN COMBINATION OF BOSSES
AND CORPORATIONS

3kAyor Phelan Condemns Machin,
Politios-w. r. Sullivan and :.
Max Pepper Heard From
rho following letters, addressed to Mr.
Abbot Kinney of this city, may throw
some additional light on the controversy
over the organization Of the San Francisco
Democracy:
Democrats throughout the state are
no doubt interested in maintaining har.
niony In the Democratic ranks in this
city. which should mean success; but
there is such thing as paying too high
aprice for success. Rainey is a counter
part Of Buckley. A boss does not hest
And its candidates, local, state or ma
tional. without scruple. 1t has been done
In this city and will be done again. There
u no such thing as loyalty in "the ma
chine" Of q political boss-it is as soul
less as corporation, and II you rely
upon It you lean upon broken reed.
We are about to elect freeholders to
frame q charter. Rainey has entered
into combination with Curry AMI Kelly.
Who do the small politics for the Repub-
Mcan organisation, and with Gator for
the Populists. The whole Ia under the
control and protection of the associated
corporations. Opposed to this combina-
ton are all the reputable citizens. who.
disfntercstedly, are working for the
public interest. AS you are aware, a
charter for San Francisco Is essential to
good local government. The San Fran
cisco delegation In the legislature has
been always disturbing and corrupt
Ing element. and this potential power Of
evil will be. to very great extent, elm
mated by the adoption Of the charter,
which will give US home rule. That is
one reason why Rainey does not want
q charter. Furthermore, the legislative
acts governing San Francisco, as in
terpreted, give the appointment Of q
vast army Of place. holders to the heads
OF departments. and these place-holders
are for the most part political workers
Anything savoring Of q reform of civil
eervice-which Is contemplated-is re-
pugnant to the bosses, as you will read
lily understand, because it would mean
their political starvation; and hence
they resist the charter, which would
possibly contain provisions for reform
ing the civil service and impose condi-
lions of economic and efficient govern
ment. The charter which the people
want will also limit the term for which
franchises may be granted, and prob
ably provide for the reversion to the city
of the roadbed, for instance, of street
railways at the expiration Of the terms
OF the franchises. 1t is also proposed to
facilitate the acquisition Of public utili-
ties. such as water and gas; hence all
the associated villianies"-that Is to say,
all the quasi-public corporations-which
maintain Illicit relations with the board
Of supervisors, and which evade their
just share of the taxes and impose ex-
brilliant rates, are allied against the re-
form movement. Curry and Rainey,
with the latter's wing of the Democratic
party, are In the service Of the corpora
lions. The associated corporations
ought to pay. according to my estima-
ton. at least 100000 year more taxes
to the city on the item Of franchises
alone, which practically escape taxa
ton; and SO you can well understand
their interest in municipal politics. They
can well afford to spend 5000, 900 year.
which believe Is low estimate Of their
outlay for political purposes. The peo-
pie are beginning to realize all this, and
predict the defeat at the polls Of the
nominees for freeholders put forward by
Curry and Rainey.
If the Democratic state central COM
mittee recognizes the new Democratic
county committee, Of which Mr.. Eugene
N. Deuprey is chairman, the party will
be laying the foundation for substan-
tial victory next November When the
boss. issue is clearly made in this city.
which 1t will be, there will be no posi-
BILE chance for the boss. That has been
evidenced in other years by the rout of
Buckley, and will be again by the rout
of Rainey, his lineal descendant, who
shared with him his flight to Canada.
You cannot compromise with the devil.
The cormorant birds that follow in the
train of corruption are Jealous of their
power and true to their instincts. You
cannot meet Raineyism on common
ground. You cannot palter with it.
'You cannot jump half way down Mag
ara"
You are probably surprised at finding
the names of certain men In the service
OF the state, and certain editors of high
and low degree, giving aid and comfort
to these public enemies for the sake of
possible political advantage In Novem-
Iber, or actuated by the meaner motives
LOT more certain reward than contingent
Solunder. 1t Is no surprise to us. The
reception which they will probably re-
GIVE at the polls will surprise them, al
tOugh the people are not awakened in
1is campaign for freeholders to a real
ltion of their own danger. The time
short, the election Ia the day follow
" Christmas, and the conditions are
for either interesting or
arousing the public; but greatly mis-
take the temper of San Francisco il her
citizens do not rebuke the alliance be-
tween corporate greed and organized
political debauchery.
1t IL too early to say on what lines the
state campaign should be fought. 1t is
important for the Democrats of the state
to see that Raineyism has no weight in
party councils. So strong candidate
as Mayor Pond, you will remember. was
defeated for governor because there was
an unjust suspicion, that Buckley ia
vored his nomination. The people want
their public servants to be free from any
such faint, and to serve the public in
tefests with f1rmness, sound Judgment
ana absolute Independence