The San Francisco call., 1898-04-21
POWERS OF THE SUPERVISORS.

| q DISCUSSION of the proposed charter | / \ will be incomplete without some attention IS given to the power of the Supervisors The organ of the charter declares that the Freeholders have completely reformed these historical corrup- torlsts by taking from them of their executive and legislative functions Under the proposed in strument the Supervisors will longer directly par ticpate n appointments to office. This function will be exercised exclusively by the Mayor. Nor will they be any longer empowered to grant special priv leges to corporations.
 We do not know but 1t is good idea to clip the wings of the Supervisors Certainly if system of legislation ever grew up anywhere which deserved the attention of ruthless reformer 1t is the system which prevails in this city. Under the tuelage of the corporations, the political bosses and the sposmen, the legislative arm of our government has earned the dsrespect of all intelligent people No attention is paid to its opinions, its laws treated with con tempt by the courts, and its public fuminatons are usually met with jeers The principal subjects to which its members have devoted their attention for several years is selling franchises and special priv- eges, and ham-stringing corporations which are so unfortunate to fall into its clutches.
 Surely Board of Freeholders engaged in making
 charter cannot be censured for dealing such sys- tenn deadly blows. But why, in giving the bodkin to the Supervisors should the charter-rnakers have placed sword in the hands of the Mayor? Not only have they lodged the appointment of all the ad minlstratve bureaus of the government in the hands o the Mayor without check-thus making it easy tor the corruptonists by electng instead of twelve to capture the city-but they have created monopoly in street railway franchises which the Mayor could not were he so disposed, turn
 The plan for granting street railway franchises adopted by the charter-makers fixes the present monopoly in street railway transportation. No one but four five times millionaire could ever secure competitive privilege from the Supervisors under the system proposed The merest tyro in the law may readily understand this by reading sections and of chapter 2 article 1, of the proposed charter.
 Under the instrument the Board of Supervisors will have real power. Even its ordinances may be vetoed by the people, Perhaps this is we'll A board which deserves little from history should not be given much. But how about the powers lodged n the Mayor? Will not abuse them more than many? Is not municipal government after all, like and not of system? Had our people always been careful to elect good to the offices of Super visor would the charter makers have treated the board with the contumely apparent? There Is principle of government under this shifting of abuses. Instead of stripping the Supervisors of all power, why did not the Freeholders place checks upon them and checks upon the Mayor and his commissions, and thereby create antagonisms which always prevent abuses in municipal government?
 It seems to us that the plan proposed is fire into which we are invited to jump. The question is bound to be, Are not better of in the frying-pan?