The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-06-07
Fair PLAY FOR THE NEW CHARTER.

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the adoption OF the charter. 1t was under
discussion for months, not merely IN respect to
the plan of municipal government upon which 1t was
based but also in its segregated features and in its de-
tails The opposition of The Call was pressed upon
grounds of policy and, in particulars, for con-
stitutional reasons, and was supported by multi
pcity of facts and by strong and consistent argu-
nlent
The Freeholders by whom the new charter was
framed were carefully selected, embraced many repre-
sentative and intelligent citizens, among whom able
lawyers were included, and body they were OBJ
viously devoted to the public good They deEberated
for months and received and considered numerous
suggestions from official and unofficial sources When
completed the instrument embodied their settled con-
illusions, reached without undue haste and the
suit of earnest and protracted labor.
The new charter was most exhaustively considered
by the community in every phase in which it could be
presented, and with unusual acumen and intelligence
Members of the Board of Freehoders made nuner
public speeches and wrote many communications
in its favor Its opponents equally energetic
and thorough. The publications both sides OF
the controversy exhaustive and were widely cir
culated. Alter all this preliminary debate, at spe
ciaI election, where there other question to
distract public attention, it adopted by majority
of 1864, out of total vote of 10000. 1t also
unanimously ratified the last session of the Legis
lature
We live under representative institutions and when
after dspassionate and mature investigation in
formty with the constitution and the statutes, the
charter thus enacted into law it became and
q.
to the extent at least that the scheme OF local
government is consistent with the Federal and State
constitutions. This is the present attitude of The
Call 1t is proper and essential that at the right time
and without unnecessary delay, constitutional ques
tons arising under various provisions OF the instru
ment should be raised and determined But it is not
proper and it is not essential that the railroad
monopoly should be facilitated in raids, which have
relation any conceivable public service and are
designed solely to relieve the Southern Pacific Com
pany and the Market Street Railway Company from
limitations upon franchises and from other practical
conditions that are manifestly legal and just in them
St Ives and that stand in the way of such wholesale
robbery as was recently attempted through corrupt
members of the Board OF Supervisors The people
are entitled to the benefit of every clause by which
and independent taxpayers will rejoice if it should
turn out that last check has been effectively in
terposed to the commission OF acts under monopo-
stic direction that but for the fixed locality OF the
public streets would combine every element OF lar
ceny.
For municipal officers to attack the charter
whether at the suggestion OF the railroad purely
their own account in order to proong their terms, is
indecent and not susceptible OF palation These
gentlemen accepted their nominations and conducted
their canvass with the distinct understanding that
elected they were to serve for one year. Every vote
cast for them rested upon this proposition They hold
their Offices by popular Endorsement for the crcum-
scrbed period They are actually pledged to support
the charter and to vacate their positions when new
officers chosen, unless they should exhibit such
efficiency and integrity to become their
cessors. They have right aterthought and
through techncaities, if they exist to enforce upon
the community without its and against its WILL
new contracts for extended service There are some
OF the present incumbents OF whom The Call does not
believe that they would voluntarily act catspaws for
the railroad and yet that is the attitude into
which it is proposed to seduce them.
The Call has no apology to make for its antagon-
ism to the new charter 1t has desire nterpose
obstacles to a fair and prompt test OF any OF its
features that be plausbly attacked upon consti
tutional grounds But insists that the instrument
shall have fair play and that its full operation shall
not be mpeded by corrupt railroad designs, in the
interests of local State monopoly, or for the
lust prolongation OF official terms
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