The San Francisco call., 1897-07-30

l. Street improvement act Vrooman acD,
street opening and widening acts.
=. Acts concerning pubic parks.
, D. Acts concerning the police iorce.
d. Provisions OF civil Code concerning street
railroad franchises and general laws on the
same subject
>. Acts concerning the erection of publ
buildings, and other ac,S relating TO purely
muuic pal officers. etc.
If constitutions amendment 81, proposed
at the last Legislature, is adopted II will eH-
empt San Francisco from the operation of gen
eral laws on county matters which may in
that event be provided for by charter. The
proposed amendment reads:
The provision of sections and of this article
TX shall rot, nor shall any legislation Tassed
pursuan. thereto, apply 10 any c-nso dated city
and county government now existing or hereafter
formed. which hall have bacom- or shall become
organized under sec,ion Z or secure a Charter
under section Of tLis article
Section of article XI which is declared by
said amendment shall not apply to San Fran
cisco, is as follows:
The Legislature shall establish a system Of
county governm ents which shall be uniform
throughout the State, and by general laws shall
pre- vide for township organization, under which
any county organize whenever majority Of
the qualified electors OF such county voting at a
general eleCtion shall so determine: and whenever
y county shall adopt IoN nship organ lZation the
assessment aud co lection OF the revenue shall be
made and the business OF such county and the
local affairs of the several ownships therein shall
be managed and transacted in the manner pre-
Section 5, which is likewise declared by said
proposed amendment not 10 be applica bic TO
San Francisco, provides;
The Legislature, by general and uniform laws
shall provide for the e ecton or appointment ia
The several counties Of Boards Of Supervis ors
Sher. rs County Clerks District Attorneys and
sCch other county, township and municipal Ulcers
as public convenience may require, aid snail pre-
sCrite thtir duties and fix their terms OF Office 1t
shall regulate compensation of all such officers,
and for this purpose may classify the Counties by
population
The effect, therefore, OF ame ndment 81. il
adopted, Will be to except San Francisco from
the general revenue law, so far as it relates to
the assessment and collection" OF taxes, and
also OF the county government act and other
general laws fixing the salaries and prescrib-
ing the duties and powers OF county officers,
all of which matters may be provided for In
the charter, which shall not De SUBJECT 10
alteration to those matters by laws appli-
ca BILE to counties In general
Therefore 1t is our duty in order to secure
home rule for til is City to agitate the adoption
OF amendment 81. ii the amendment be
adopted in November. 1898, aud as the char
ter viii not so into effect until approved by
the Legislature in the early part OF 1899 :he
new amendment win bestow lis benefits on
that instrument and give US the freedom we
seek.
There is new element to consider, wh ich
is the new section go added to article XI OF
the constitution at the last election, aud
which provides that at s. hall be com mpetent
in all charters framed under this
constitution to provide. in addition to those
provisions allowable by this constitution and
by the laws OF the State the con-
stitut1on, regulation, government and juris-
diction of Police courts, 1or the manner and
time of election aud term of office OF Police
Judges, and for the manner anG time of elec-
tion or appointment and the terms OF Office of
Boards OF Education, Boards OF Police Com
mlssioners and Boards OF Election"
This new section also provides that in con-
solidated cities and counties a charter may
provide ''for the manner in which, the times
at which and the terms for which the several
county officers shall be elected appointed,
for their compensation and for the number Of
deputies that each shall have and for the com
pensation payable to each of such deputies"
Now, while this amendment says ii shall be