The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1899-03-11
Legislature Approves
sam Francisco Will Have
New Charter Similar to the
One Rejected by Duluth.
~ EGTNNING with the first of the
~ coming wear San Francisco will

come under the government OF
a new charter. which it is hoped will
do away with many of the evils from
which that city has suffered in the
past. This charter received the sane
tion of majority of the voters of the
city at special election held last
May, and has now been approved by
he legislature, but as has been stated
does not go into effect until 1000.
When the legislature gave its sanction
to the document in question it
brought to a close a long and bitter
struggle on the part of the citizens of
San Francisco for home rule and for
better municipal government. :" The
fight was conducted by the merchants
association and the charter itself was
brought into being by committee of
one hundred leading citizens, selected
through that same authority.
One of the worst evils in the old
system was the power of governor of
the state to fill all the vacancies
in the local police, park and fir ecom-
missions. The opportunity thus af.
forded for some outsider to interfere
in local affairs, not only caused a
great deal of dissatisfaction, but the
opponents of the system did not fail to
assert that whenever the governor eN-
ercised his appointive power, corrup-
tion followed. Under the new charter
the municipal government is entirely
divorced from that of the state at
large and the power to name all the
commissions is placed in the hands of
the mayor. The fee system is also
abolished and all the city officers are
to work under fixed salaries, thereby
doing away with another prolific
source of corruption. I
To the general student of municipal
affairs, however, the most interesting
feature Of this document is that per-
tanning to the disposition of fran
chises. In the future these franchises
are to be sold to the highest bidder
and their terms may not be more
than twenty-five years. In addition to
| these restrictions the holder is requir-:
ed to pay to the city three per cent of
the gross proceeds during the first
five years Of the life of the franchise,
four per cent during the next ten
years, five per cent during the last ten
years, and there are a number OF
| other equally valuable conditions.
The gentlemen VINO had the franz
ing Of the charter in hand did not fail
to recognize the value Of the merit
system and it was adopted as one OF
the essentials in the formation of
model city government. A civil SER
vice commission consisting of three
members is provided for and they APP
point the chief examiner. The aim is
to have the examinations practical
tests of the fitness of the applicants
for the positions they desire to hold
and a special effort seems to have been
made to secure the honesty of all
these tests.
The charter seems to be an eXempli-
fcation of the best modern thought
along the lines Of municipal govern
nent and it should bring a decided re-
lief to a people who have suffered
previously from misgovernment in the
past. Its workings will be closely fol-
lowed by all who are interested in the
wonderful revolution now going on in
matters municipal.