The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-02-01
SUSTAIN THE SCHOOL BOARD.

Il ROM the way in which the new Board of Edu-
cation has begun the work of retrenchment and
reform good auguries can be drawn for the fu-
ture The board has started well and is making an
earnest effort to reduce expenses in spite OF an ag-
gressive opposition from those who have proted by
the extravaganza of former boards.
1t was inevitable that this opposition and antagon-
ism should confront the board in its efforts at re-
form There is no kind of abuse of public trust that
does not benefit somebody. Wherever there is
waste there are people who profit by it Extravagan
and dishonest officials place upon the payrolls of the
city far larger number of employees than are needed
for the service they purchase supplies that not
required, and pay for them prices above the market
rates. In that way there is formed a considerable
company OF persons to whom municipal extrava-
gance is a valuable boon.
When a reforming administration comes in and
about reducing expenses to economical basis
all the crowd that have drawn incomes from the
abuses find themselves shut out from their former
profitable business and then a storm breaks forth
These people gather their friends around them and
raise howl to heaven They circulate petitions
among good-natured citizens, who will sign without
reading it almost anything except a check, and pro-
coed to work up something that looks like popular
indignation against the administration that has turned
them down.
honestly trying protect the public interests it is
the duty of all good citizens to stand by them and
speak out in their behalf That duty, however, is
but rarely performed. When an official does wrong
all are prompt to denounce him, but when he does
right he is generally left to fight his battle alone
against the host that has been attenng the spoils
OF municipal patronage. Not inrequently the very
persons who have been most camorous for reform
turn in hostility upon the who undertake it and
rage as fercely as the spoilsmen themselves.
Much OF that sort of injustice is now being done
toward the Board of Education in its earnest begin
ming at an economical administration of the school
fund Instead of making use OF the office as means
OF distributing patronage the members OF the
board have set about the task of placing the schools
upon strictly business basis. The work is one
which the public has long desired, which the people
have frequently demanded-one to the performance
OF which every political party has pledged its cand-
dates III each successive campaign. Why, then,
should the citizens and taxpayers stand silent when
the sposmen array themselves and attack the Off
>cials whose only offending is that they keeping
their pledges and acting with fidelity toward the
people?
The Republican party of San Francisco has just
reason be proud of the record which its represen-
tatives the Board of Education are making The
Republican board is striking contrast to the Demo-
cratic board that preceded it. The party will be
strengthened in future municipal elections by the
faithful work now being done by these stalwart sup
porters of economy and honesty in their administra-
ton of the schools. For Republicans therefore, as
well for independent citizens of all parties the
duty of the hour is to sustain the board