The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1901-12-11
A CAMPAIGN OF EDUCATION.


T AVING adopted the Braunhart resolutions
RI concerning the proposed amendment to the
constitution providing for the creation of an
extraordinary commission with something like uni
versal power for regulating corporations the Board
of Supervisors is in position to begin at once
an active campaign of education on the subject The
committee appointed for that purpose should imme-
diatey get into communication with city and county
governments throughout the State in order that
combined effort may be made to bring to public at
tention the evil nature of the scheme embodied in
the proposed amendment
Should the amendment be carried the people would
be at the mercy OF commission appointed by Gov
ernor Gage but dictated by the corporations en-
gagged in the management of what known pub
lie utilities. The commission would be composed of
five members holding office from two to tep years
One of the members would retire and new one be
elected every two years, but the Gage commission
would have power for full six years before it would
be possible for the people to have even chance of
elect1ng majority OF the members. Moreover the
amendment is framed that comparatively few citi-
zens of property would be eligible to the commits
sion. 1t is provided that the Commissioners shall not
be holders of stock in railroads. water gas express
electric telephone companies or any other of the
corporations whose rates to be regulated by the
commission Thus the choice of Commissioners
would be limited to but small proportion of the
prosperous people of the State, and hardly any but
professional politicians would be eligible.
The Call has repeatedly directed attention to this
measure, because it is whose menace to the peo-
pie cannot be too often pointed out Virtually it
would deprive municipalities and counties of any eff
fectve supervision of the corporations controlling
public utilities Local government in that respect
would be annihilated and the proposed Stats com
mission would have exclusive authority.
1t is right and proper that the present local author
tiles of cities and of counties should take an active
part in the campaign of education on the subject
but the matter should not be left wholly to them
The issue is one of concern to every voter in the
State and all who take intelligent interest in pub
lie affairs should cooperate in the effort make
tain its rejection at the hands of the people
1t must not be supposed that scheme so patiently
evil will defeat itself 1t is we'll known that con-
siderable number of voters pay but little attention to
constitutional amendments unless they refer to some
issue that has long been subject of popular discus
sion, and consequently it is easy to foresee that the
evil of this amendment will not be understood unless
it is clearly pointed out The defense of the scheme
by the railroad organ in this city shows that the
Southern Pacific corporation is backing the amend
ment What further warning can be needed? The
campaign of education should be undertaken sys-
tematically as soon as possible and continue until
the defeat of the project is assured.