The San Francisco call., 1899-01-29

paving stones, so that no loose dirt is
raised by the wind.
1t absorbs moisture from the air dur
ing the night, so that in the morning
the street has the appearance of being
freshly Watered
No injurious effects have been no.
ticed on the cements and metals in the
sewers.
Salt water has no detrimental effect
on good bituminous pavement.
- Why, then, should not the city OF
San Francisco use salt water for
sprinkling the streets?
HUGO RoTHSCHILD-While the
Merchants Association does not lose
sight of the immediate wants and i'm
proVementS desired to make our city
what 1t should be and what it certainly
will be 1t also looks forward to the
future. One of the main ambitions ac-
cording to my idea of this common
wealth should be the acquisition of our
own gas and electric plants and of
water works Of sufficient capacity for
all purposes for a large city. AS water
is necessary for the existence of every
living being the dispensing of the same
should, according to my idea, not be in
the hands of any firm or corporation.
But firmly hold 1t is the duty of the
city to have it's own water works
and to supply the people of San Fran
cisco with water at actual cost price.
D. v. KELLY-The energies that
have given San Francisco new char
ter must not be allowed to slumber,
The new charter Is not automatic. It
simply provides the governmental ma
chinery We must supply the full
steam and direction; of these direction
is the most potent for results. Capa-
Bile direction can only be had from
capable officials. Let the powerful in
huence of the men who simply vote
make itself felt in the future Of our
city's affairs. Force the boss element
out OF municipal elections and insist
upon the leaders of all political parties
coming together and nominating capa-
BILE officials to tnaugurate the new
charter and direct the city's business
One single nOn-partiSan ticket that ia
purely representative will do this better
than ten party tickets Of more or less
representation. Give the charter a fair
start Let there be but one ticket for
the first election under the charter.
JOHN E. QUINN-It is now four
weeks since the Legislature assembled
at Sacramento, and every day adds to
Its disgrace in its present Senatorial
squabble. The press is teeming with
charges Of corruption and every inter-
est Of the public is neglected. Is it not
time for our citizens to arouse them
selves and save the State from further
disgrace?
Let there be mass meetings in every
town in the State and demand that q
decent regard for public opinion shall
prevail. There are plenty Of good men,
like Irving NJ. Scott, in the party, who
would be an honor to the State, and
who would have sufficient influence at
Washington to secure proper legislation
for our State, which she sadly needs.
Surely we have tried long enough to fit
third class men into first class positions
to satisfy ourselves that It does not pay.
W. r. SHERWOoD-Ab belt railway
Is an urgent necessity for San Fran
cisco-the bringing Of rail and ship
ping together. Not only can the whole
sale houses do business better and
cheaper, but this win be better center
whole Pacific Coast. Nearly all pro-
gressive cities have belt railways The
wonderful growth Of Antwerp, equally
that Of the most progressive American
city, can be attributed to its belt rail-
way. am in favor Of the present bill
before the Legislature to extend the
6eawall south of Mission street SO that
the building of the belt railway need
not be delayed. At least we should at
once have a temporary one along the
water front. In connection with this
believe harbor charges, such as pilot
ing, etc, should be greatly reduced.
We should make this the cheapest port
On the coast for shipping.
J. RICHARD FREUD-An organic
~w is not the f1eeting issue of the day
generally it lives as the basic policy Of
government for century. The con-
Ititution Of the United States has
)erved the republic faithfully for over
hundred years. The consolidation
act, with all it's defects, has ruled San
Francisco nearly a half century. The
new charter, to rise with the dawn of
the twentieth century, in all probapil-
ity will out1ive the present generation.
Such is the momentous consequences
or the adoption or an organic law.
It Is safe, therefore, to assert that
the highest and greatest achievement
Of the Merchants Association is the
new charter of San Francisco. The
four previous fruitless attempts to Sc
cure a municipal charter made it ap-
pear almost forlorn cause. With un-
daunted faith In the common intelli-
gence Of the people, the customary
method Of law making was reversed.
The Merchants Association called upon
the citizens of San Francisco to create
as well as ratify the charter. Its three
cardinal principles Of home rule, eco
nomical administration and civil SER
vice are the natural product of the
heart and brain Of the voters OF the
city. AS long as this metropolis shall
rest upon these cornerstones Of civic
progress the Merchants Association
will be revered- for its heroic struggle
IN behalf of good government.
JOSEPH BRITTON-San Francisco
has through long years run under a
government that was good when
formed by the enactment of the con-
solidation act, but when the new con-
stitution was made had become de-
moralized by acts of the Legislature
procured by political spoilsmen. The
trainers of the new constitution, seeing
this drift of legislative acts to make a
prey of San Francisco, put a clause in
the constitution giving us the right to
frame a charter for our self-govern-
ment. This advantage is now extended
TO almost all cities of any size. We have
been fighting long to avail ourselves
Of this privilege, and at last, after sew
eral failures, have succeeded in adopt
ing charter which sweeps out of ex-
istenee all those laws and customs by
which bosses live. Still we have not
killed the bosses, nor can we. Vice al
ways lives in large communities and
Will live here; but by vigilance and an
RI Of