The San Francisco call., 1899-10-26
MISCELLANEOUS.
AN OPEN LETTER.
San Francisco,

San Francisco, Oct. "a, 1899. :,
To the Chairman, to the secretary anu
to the Members Of the Citizens RepuD-
Believe me gentlemen. thank you SIN
cerely for the recognition ana lnoorse-
ment I have received at your hanos IN
nominating me as canoiidaIe ~ t9a eS
the city and county Of San Frapclsco.
feel no tritling qualification al Ihe nonor
you have conferred upon me, ana assure
you that ! feel most grateful to you ana
each and every one Of you at the kind
and liberal manner in which l nave been
treated at your hands. one year ago you
hOnored me in the same manner, ana with
Your assistance and cooperation had
the honor of being elected Judge of this
great city At that time, gentlemen, l
promised you and the people OF tniS city
that If elected I would inaugurate the
following reforms: First-That l would
not permit children TO be incarcerated and
put in the dock with criminals. Second
That / would not suffer working men, me-
Chanics or reputable citizens 10 be placed
in the criminal dock when charged with
trivial onenses, as II is wrong in prlnci-
pie and wrong in law. Third-That l
would not issue or sustain search war
rants against merchants, hotel or lodg-
ing house keepers, as the issuance Of
warrants in such cases is not authorized
by law. Fourth-That l would protect the
orphan, the poor and the oppressed.
f1fth-That l would protect all property
rights. SiXth-That no mans nationality
belief or condition in life would inter
fere with the just and lawful administra-
tion of justice in my court.
Now, gentlemen, l feel proud to say
that since my incumbency in Office no boy
or woman has been placed in the dock
with VagabOnds or thieves or otherwise ;
and as presiding Judge of the Police
Court l have ordered that all boys ar
rested for trivial offenses be released at
the request of the mother, father or
guardian of said children, as the Jail Is
not only damp, unhealthy and dangerous
10 the health Of the children, but the
surroundings have a tendency to harden
and corrupt the mind of the youth. In
child 10 answer before the Superior Court.
In the cases where the parents are repu-
table and able to care for their children
/ have sent them home to their parents.
and l have always contended that the
father or mother is the best judge of the
case. In cases of orphans-g1rls or boys
or when girls or boys are truantS, who
are leadlng or apt to lead an immoral
life, having no parents TO control them,
! have always sent them to our different
public institutions, first regarding and re-
speCtng not only the moral but the spirit
ual teachings of the parents of the child.
Gentlemen, without further comment,
will state that / have done all in my
power to fulfill the promise that l then
made, and ii would be vanity on my part
to further encroaCh upon your time by
eNtolling my own duties and making my
self the hero Of my own statements.
You who have watched my career are
the best to judge as to whether or not I
have fulfilled the duties Of my office but
the past is gone. II has been and it Is
now time to speak and provide for the
future. Retrenchment and reform are
now become not only expedient for our
prosperity, but necessary to our very ex-
iStenCe.
No man Of sense can say that the pres
ent system Of municipal government
should continue; and ! assure you that
II reelected you will have no cause to
regret for having rendered me this nomi-
nation. l will uphold the law, for in my
humble position / am conscious of the
fact that there is a reward in store for
the man who thinks with integrity and
acts with decision.
Gentlemen, I accept your nomination
and / hereby present myself to the people
OF this city as your candidate. They are
the judges, ana in their hands and hon
est judgment l submit my candidacy.
Gentlemen, receive my most grateful ac-
acknowledgement. Yours respectfully,
(Signed) A. B. TREADWELL,
Judge of the Police Court