The San Francisco call., 1898-03-28

city government will be a distinct bene- fit and of this there can be no doubt. The last year has been revelation, even to those who had reason to believe they knew a good deal about politics. If there has been nothing done that can be made amenabIe to the law. there has been ignominy heaped on the city by the cheapest lot of officials that ever mistook the purpose for which they were elected, and this is detriment enough. Of course, there are a few exceptions, but the line IS so closely drawn that there is no danger of confusing the sheep and the goats. This phase of the unpleaSantness, how ever, is only a minor one. The 600 mer- chants who have undertaken to bring about, if possible, some improvement, realize that the few men who hold of1ces for a short time and then are buried forever constitute very small grievance. The ax that is being ground at this tune is intended to do away entirely with about one-haf of the officials and thus remove about ore-half of the inducement to do dirty politics in the interest or aIlyDooy, or corporation, that will aid in their election. There are now so many de- partments in the city and county goE- ernmentS that when anything radically wrong does take place no one IS guaIty. There is at the present time quite good- sized hole in the county treasury and and no one made it. Two grand Jur1es nave returned indictments regarding the snort age but in the courts it has been proved that no one is guilty, because of the con 2n
 
 partments. There are other things as fragrant in both the city and county gov ernments, and the merchants believe that there is enough horse sense among them to bring about a condition or aIalrs which will tend toward a semblance Of honest government.
 The arguments of the merchants are just now being daily supported by the de- veIopments before the Grand Jury, and if all the evidence being taken does not re- suit in any indictments, it has opened the eyes of the public to much of which 1t had never dreamed It has called attention to tbe fact that there is need of a change and has directed attention to certain 1n- f1uences and individuals that are WorklhS together to rob the taxpayers ana de- fa me the city. Only politician can al ford to follow a policy that hurts the city abroad. As a rule he is an impecunlouS fortune seeker, willing to do anything Tor office and having no staKe m ,t,s tne tbe matter differently. He has everything at stake and is anxious for puplc ihlproHe- ments and good government. WltH nai,l q lsa1 ,ed sonable tax levy. At present Oa.klanu ravs a rate of taxation largely III eX- Cess of San Francisco, ana haS nothtns Ing to show for it except a recoFu tIaI iiei treasury is good thlils AoI eoii ID The Board of Trade and Merchants Exchange represent many millions ol invested capital and any practlca1 move tbev may make looking toward decency or,I eco1ony will certainly prove to be Tlnn,,Iar with the bulk of the people,
 o,a of the most remarkable features of office-holding in Oakland is that It inures 2. man to almost anything. He can he asked all sorts of questions and they can contain all sorts of suggestions, but they do not phase the office-hoider-in
 last Friday an interview was published ,,,iSh Mayor Thomas that Is proDapIy without parallel. Why each question was nat followed by justifable homicide on +be mart of his Honor cannot be under steod stiS outside of Oakland. Here are few examples of the questions asked
 r,,5 ,,op nav the doctor who attended you last March? Did you promise him position oI l .I1e Health Board? Why did you break your pioiii- ise? oz contract ordinance ,ast Inne did anybody go to the gas coInpanys for YOU and ask for financial accoinnloodeioii Did you pay 1t back - ,d +o have roonev to make good your shortage to tns MI H. ralikee Mechanics Insurance Co1npanso rliG whom? How did you raise haSsa the when la did you nav if bacx and where did you get the it.y Hionsy
 Did vou attempt in any way to Capitsai fn the condition growing out o Tia ynur son?
 What money did Pat Quinlan pay you, or lend you or your son? What did you promise
 Did Peter Garrity lend either you or your your sar1 s95o7 Was 1t to be paid back II Garrity went on the police force? When Garrlty iailed "4s 4S,d II aap,-e Paar Weaver of East Oakland pay either you or your son s1O0 for place In me fire department? ,noornna tenf Did the fact that you borrowed money from Chief Fair prevent you from nahihs change?
 The questions were all readily answered,