The San Francisco call., 1898-12-09
MIR, COLNON
 IS NOW SORRY
 THAT HE SPOKE His Harbor Front Roast Inspired. HE WOULD SHIFT THE BURDEN MANY OF HIS RELATIVES HAVE
 FAT PLACES. The Attempt to Besmirch His Eel low Commissioners Falls Flat
 in the Face of
 Facts.

The latest sensation among State off, cials in this city is the remarkable ut terances of Harbor Commissioner Col non before the Senate commission now Investigating affairs on the water front. It is the general opinion that MT. Col non, knowing that the work of the con- mission will result in bringing to light much of the stealing and rascality that has marked the conduct of affairs dur ing his term of office, is seeking to draw his fellow commissioners into discs teem in order to make a more equal distribution of the burden of guilt. To do this he is willing to convict himself, being satisfied if by so doing he can lead the general public into the belief that he alone is not to blame.
 AS a matter of fact Commissioner Harney has held office considerably less than year and Commissioner Herold was appointed to his present position less than six months ago. Neither gen. tleman was a member of the board of which MT. Colnon is the president dur ing the period when the State suffered from stealings and mismanagement, as is shown by the revelations that have been made from time to time before the Senate. commission.
 The purchasing bureau about which Mr. Colnon had so much to say and which he declares should be taken out of politics S"-now that his own term of office is about to expire in fog of dis grace-is one of his pet schemes. It was established at his earnest solici- tation and under his direction and has from it's inception been a ready and convenient funnel through which the funds of the State were allowed to flow into the pockets of dishonest contract ors and interested. though equally dis honest, officials. Now that MT. Colnon is about to retire in disgrace, leaving seven of his relatives in the enjoyment of fat salaries on the water front, he wishes to have a system of civil service established for the purpose, possibly, of enabling the aforesaid relatives to con- tinue in the enjoyment of their present l sinecures indefinitely.
 MT. Colnon also declared that the number of men employed on the water front was far in excess of the needs of the State. He even went so far as to declare that the greater number of those who have been given positions are irresponsible and incompetent a fact which he sincerely deplored, but which was out of his power to remedy as he was only entitled to name one third of the appointees of the board. This was, of course, a direct slap at his fellow commissioners, and was delivered, ap- parently, without regard to the we'll known fact that some of the men for whose appointment he is responsible are notorio sly incompetent. One of his appointees vas, before he was pro- noted by grace of MT. Colnon's favor to an easy berth on the States water front pay roll banjo player in the saloons and low dives of Stockton. It Is for such as he that Commissioner Colnon would have established civil service rules that they may be retained in office.
 It is.generally conceded that MT. Col mons left-handed 'roast" of his fellow Commissioners was partly inspired by the fact that they have refused to stand in' and appoint Harry Scott Coinons nephew, to the position of Chief Wharfinger now held by Supreme ! Court Clerk-elect George Root By the grace of MT. Colnon Scott now holds the position of MT. Roots assistant. and it was the dream of his uncle's heart to advance him to the position that will be left vacant by the retire. ment of Mr. Root. The other members or the board, however, decline to pro. mote the success of the family affair that MT. Colnon is running in connec- tion with the States pay roll. hence the voluntary confession of unworth to which Colnon gave voice before inc Senate commission on Wednesday. The confession and accompanying denun- clatlon had no place in the inquiry that was being conducted at the time. If
 would not have been listened to had 1t not been for the fact that the mem bers of the commission are inclined to be amiable and were therefore induced to give the Commissioner an opportu nity to relieve a conscience somewhat overburdened by shady acts covering almost the entire period of his term of office. The result has been that he is now coming in for roasting at the hands of every official who is aware of the facts as they really exist and not as MT. ColnOn represents them.