The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-02-27
ALAMEDA COUNTY NEWS.

the City Hall. The Auditors fgures snow
that there will be g deficit at the end OF
June of nearly SS3 900, and this with tax
levy of 81 q. Mr.: Snow does not presume
to so outside of his jurisdiction TO ADVISE
the Council what to do or what not to 90;
But he declares without equivocaton that
If ali the plans and schemes now provided
for bv contracts, ordinances and resolu-
lions be carried out, the cityg,sS creditors
will suffer enormous losses. The amount
of the deficit is just about the amount
necessary for existing contracts concern
ing Lake Merritt, and Mr.. Snow is in the
happy position of being able TO say
told YOU So" for when the Council last
fall was parceling' out money as though
it had an unlimited supply Mr.. Snow pre-
dicted just what has happened.
No ones experience of public life in
Oakland can be said TO be complete with
out 1t including at least one running LOT
office" Some weeks ago 1t was my for
tune or misfortune, to be proposed for
one seat in the City Council. lnsignlh-
cant as the circumstance may be. IL mas
opened my eyes until 1 almost feel sym
pathetic toward poor individuals, who,
having no tangible means of subsistence,
grasp at any political straw that Is
waited their way in the hope that II Will
produce immunity from starvation and
ejectment. It is surprising how many
friends a candidate can find: Not mere
" we'll wiShers, but friends who are Will
ing to put their hands in their pockets, or
somebody else's pockets, If you shoulo
need a little money" There is no az
tempt at bribery, not at all. 1t is merely
suggested in a friendly way that such
competitor is making a lightning canvass
and that somebody must be putting up for
him, and that consequently it would be
nothing but right to help you Just a lit
tie" Neither can it be said that in the
event of failure such recipient of kind
ness" would be expected to return the
gift, but in the event Of success, God help
that candidates reputation If it should be
to the interest Of such friends" to use
him for some scandalous scheme.
Ordinary people have no idea of the
many elements that compose a commun-
ity until they have brush with politics.
All kinds of elements are introduced into
significant it may be, for the purpose of
furthering the interests of such elements.
Would you close saloons on Sunday"
Mould you close them altogether,
Would you raise it?' are a few of the
questions floating in the air, and accord
ing to the answers given such or such a
block of votes is half promised, Nothing is
done very definitely, nor in such a manner
tunity to produce hard facts before a
grand jury. But such practices cannot
help thinking it would be an governmental
have nothing else on which to depend
than the crumbs of politics. l cannot
help thinking 1t would be an experimental
policy to put newspaper man in the city
government
In May Oakland will entertain thou
SanQS OF CHRISTIAN EnQedNOr delegates TO
their State convention, and it is to be
hoped that the entertainment will be of as
gratifying a nature as that rendered to
the Worlds Endeavorers two years ago.
1t is pity that the Supervisors could
not appropriate more than 1920 toward
the entertainment fund, for any money
spent in such manner returns. many fold
to the community. There are in Oakland
now several families of the most desirable
kind who came to California at the time
Of the international Christian Endeavor
hrnJ1Ohf
fortunes with them. settled down and are
to-day a part of Oakland. l have no
doubt that similar circumstances exist in
every city in California. At the coming
convention the delegates will attend
transportation inducements will be of
fered, many will be attracted to this city.
Oakland does not have too many oppor-
tunities to show it's enterprise and hos
pitality, and this is an opportune chance
to proclaim to California that there are
better recommendations for this growing
city than the record Of VIGOROUSLY pad
local government.
STUART w. BOOTH.