The San Francisco call., 1899-10-30
NOT A SQUARE
TO SPARE FOB
CARNEGIE GIFT
Easiest Way Out of
Difficulty.
MIR. FITZGERALD IS HUMAN
MAYOR SHOWS METHOD OF
USING SECRET FUND.
Generosity of Uncle Sam Spoiled by
the Obstinacy and Narrowness
of Those Whom He
Would Benefit.
Oakland Office San Francisco Call,
QlS lr-ra 4 No " On+nln,, 90

or the opinion that there are more dlg@l-
fed things for city the size Of Oakland
Jo do than 10 invite and accept a gift for
d free library from a stranger on whom
Oakland has not and never did have, nor
is likely to have, the slightest claim. 1t
IS rather amusing that while there is such
q tremendous outcry for public parks for
Jl,s city, the Library Trustees and the
Board of Education should agree to en-
Croach upon one of the few public squares
10y placing a large building upon 1t. 1t is
q very clever way to get out Of the diff
Guilty. and that is about all the commen-
dation that can be said for the scheme.
The enthusiasm with which a committee
started out several weeks ago to collect
$50 1000. with which to buy a site, soon
cooled OF. They found that 1t was prac-
tcally an impossibiity to collect such
sum Of money bindly and as they had no
particular site in view and knew not what
sum would be required TO purchase such
site. IL cannot be said that the COM
mlttee was working in the light.
There are many who THINK as Judge
Nule thinks but who have not the cOur-
age TO express their thoughts. II the
rich men Cf Oakland, and there are many
Of them, despite the fact that they nave
practically nothing TO call attention to
their generosity, had done their duty,
there would have been no shadow of
foundation for doing what politicians
would call pulling the leg" of Mr.. Car
uegie. His gift is rather embarrassing
than otherwise. 1t is not TO be supposed,
judging from letter accompanying It.
that he wishes his $50 600 to be a nucleus
II 81 building fund, but rather that he IN
tends that the whole building shall be
erected with his coin and that his money
shall be Identified with 1t. The American
Scotchman : gift Will not provide library
which viii be credit TO this city, or
which viii supply its demands ten years
Mr.. Carnegie's gift would be put TO good
use If il were to build a few free reading
e.HaE-r rH-f.r. Ill gr-frr
L. its citizens the duty Of providing q free
public library that will he adequate to
oakland's need certainly for the whole Of
the next generation.
Robert Fitzgerald is undoubtedly good
Democrat and an ant-monopolist. But
he is intensely human. few days ago
the Acme Club went ont Of existence and
the Reliance Club. Of which Mr.. Fitzger-
aid is president, was considerably
strengthened thereby. 1t has been GUS
tomary for the two clubs 10 give interset-
ing boxing exhibits about once a month. /
These shows could be witnessed for a dol
lar The membership fees Of the Reliance
are Two and half times this amount I
aul many lovers of sport who only
wished TO see the boxing withdrew from
membership and paid their dollar for each
uEht. thus saving dollar and a half per
month.
As soon as the Reliance found that it
had a monopoly Of these boxing entertain
ments Mr. Fitzgerald, in moment Of
confidence, said to me. Now we have the
thing in our own hands and these sup
posed lovers Of sport who have been mean
enough TO take advantage OF the dollar
rate. may now find that we charge twice
that amount for our exhibitions, having
so much larger membership than former
ly We can depend on larger attendance of
our own members, ana outsiders who
wish 70 patronize our shows will have to
pay
The skirmishing at the City Hall this
i
all concerned. Mr.. Barstow scored once
on Monday night when he recalled the
incident six years ago Of his being sole
opponent TO the Pardee amendments to
the charter. a little later the opponents
Of the Mayor made point by discovering
and exploiting the fact that he had
charged the city with little dinner FOR
the COuncilmen which was given before ne
was Mayor.
So long as so much had been made Of
this little bill Think IL but right that
another act OF the Mayors which was
brought out by this same incident should
be made equally prominent. Some time
ago q police officer found himself in a
tough crowd, and used his club rather
freely on one Of its members. The victim
Of the club is not an unfamiliar figure
in the Police Court, but on this occasion
he put on enough testimony to prove that
he was hit harder than there was any
necessity Tor. This resulted In the officer
having to pay $3.50 damages. Mayor Snow
verdict against the officer. But. believing
that the peace guardian considered he was
doing his duty, he at once drew warrant
Tor the tull amount and charged II to the
fund which the charter places at the
private disposal Of the Mayor, giving no
one the authority to ask a single question
regarding its expenditure. There Is moth
ing IN the records 10 show that any other
Mayor lid any such graceful or sensible
act with the urgent necessity fund. Had
Mr. Snow draw a blank warrant on the
fund for this amount and put 1t in his
pocket, as many Mayors have done.
there would not have been word said.
With the exceptions Of Mr.. Snow and Mr..
Pardee there has been. perhaps no Mayor
Of Oakland who has made any preteuse
cf showing how this secret fund has been
spent.
1t is not likely that there viii be any
more little dinners among the Council
men. Since the last social meal which
was held 40 Mr.. Bowes house. there have
been may turns of the political wheel
No longer can any member depend on
eight or urc votes. and nearly every
Counclim an VIII go outside Of the leading
strings at times. Mr. Rowe, who, when
he introduced bis new charter movement /
could have relied on more than n majority !
found himself the other night In q hone
less minority, while Mr.. Cuveilier has to
hank sentiment more than anything else
gor receiving such large votes sustaining
every effort he makes TO further his /
rcheme Cor obtaining a municipal water
plant.
Recently a proposition was made TO
7ave another" little dinner by a member 7,
of the city government, but his best ad-
vfsers frowned so darlNv on the sugges- /
ton that it came 10 naught
Congressman Metcalf and Senator Per-
kins will leave shortly for Washington |
and large portion of the documents tnat
they will carry with them relate to the
harbor and the contemplated improve /
ments. 1t now seems as If all the old
straw was 10 be thrashed over again. The
same old struggle has been revived Oak
Iard wants a harbor for the purpose Of
commerce: Alameda wants tidal canal 4
so that ner sanitary conditions may be
improved. The arguments put forward /
bv Oakland merchants would convince !
anvhody that their proposition is ab.o- /
lutely incontrOvertible and that there is !
not the slightest merit in the claim Of Ala /
media. until the arguments from the other
side Of the estuary are read, and then II I
is hard 10 believe that Oakland has any
claim whatever on the Government until !
The tidal canal has been completed
This was the state of the controversy /
ten years ago and Il is the same to-day |
and from appearances, 1t Will not be Inn (
proved after Congress has met and ad- !
journed unless something very practicable /
be done.
The latest proposition put forward by .