The San Francisco call., 1903-09-30
THE DUTY AND THE MAN.

~ Y the vote upon the various bond proposals, it
X is made evident that the people of San Fran
- cisco demand at this time progressive ad-
ministration with good business man in the Office
of Mayor. To vote for large bonded debt for the
purpose of obtaining money for public works without
accompanying the vote with resolve to elect none
but thoroughly competent men to office, and above
all elect experienced and efficient man OF affairs
to manage and direct the business of the city would
be folly of which the voters of San Francisco
hardly to be suspected We take it, therefore, that
the vote the bond issues signifies a movement
which to large extent will override party lines and
will carry big majority OF the voters to the side of
Mr. Crocker and his colleagues on the Republican
ticket
Without any dsparagement to the personal and
political merits of the two candidates in opposition it
can be said that neither of them is known as man Of
business. Neither has shown any capacity
hnancier as an executive officer Neither has had
experience in the practical management of large
business of any kind Neither of them therefore, is
in any way equipped for the efficient performance of
the work which in addition to the ordinary duties of
Mayor is to be imposed upon the chief executive of
the incoming administration.
Mr.. Crocker has had the training which tends di-
rectly TO fit a man for fulfilling the functions
Of the Mayor of a city like San Francisco
He has been the directing head of business en-
terprises OF large extent and has been uniformly
successful in his management of them He un-
derstands finance and administrative work thor
oughly. He has been doing that kind OF work
with conspicuous success for many years. He will
carry to the office judgment ripened by the actual
performance of work essentially dssimlar to that
which the Mayoralty will entail and consequently
from the very start he will be ready to perform with
sagacity and promptness every duty that arises
whether in the ordinary routine of the office or from
some question Of the bond issues
In addition to the superior personal quahca-
tons which Mr.. Crocker has when compared with
his opponents, there is another advantage on his
side which should not be overlooked by any voter
who has sincere regard for the welfare of the
city. Mr.. Crocker is backed by well-ordered and
harmonious party. There are no factions contend
ing around him for control of the Offices or for
participation in what they look upon as the spos
of office. He nominated by convention that
was genuinely representative of the rank and file
Of the Republican party, and he stands therefore
as the representative of the party as whole.
pledged to nothing beyond the welfare of the city
as expressed in the Republican platform No boss
had anything to do with nominating him. He was
the choice of no faction. He was opposed by no
faction. He enters the campaign free and un-
trammeed and he will enter office with an equal
freedom.
Contrast that showing of the forces back of Mr..
CrOcker with those that are not only back of the
opposing candidates but are in front of them and
on all sides of them at the same time and it will
be seen that the political advantages possessed by
Mr.. Crocker OF themselves sufficient to win for
him the support of independent voters He will
never be called upon to distribute oaves and fishes
for the feeding of hungry factions He will be
able TO give the city strictly business admins
tration, and can be counted on to do So He is
therefore entitled to the votes of independents as
well as to those of his own party. In fact the
vote on the bond proposals gives reason for be-
lieving he will receive many votes from men who
in the last municipal election voted for the Demo-
cratic ticket or for the labor ticket The demand
is TOR business administration, and that being
SO Henry J. Crocker is clearly the man whom the
civic patriotism and common sense of his fellow
citizens will call to direct the municipal admins
tration for the ensuing term