Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-12-12
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OREBODINGS OF disaster
should San Francisco elect
--s mayor from the ranks of
union labor have not been full
filled, says Francis John Dyer
IN The World Today. 1t IL
u now nearly two years since
Eugene f. schmitz, orchestra
roder and president OF the Musicians
.,a,on was sworn In as mayor of San
roncisco Many conservative and
.,alI.meaning persons believed that
Want 10 foreshadow a local reign OF
.orcby, period of two years, IL not
Ear during which the rabble would
dominate public affairs. when strikes
..on,d be frequent and the whole COM
nunIty terrorized.
I, may be possible that had the radi-
,,ls been given full control, the fears
:, oven the most timid would have
boon realized But the results, while
mi wholly satisfactory have not JUS
,Iaed those fears.
sin. Mayor Schmitz has not proved
o. no the IDEAL public servant, He has
soien too readily into the ways of the
.nrocticalp politician. His sudden rise
.lor, obscurlty awakened his dominant
anhitIon and the adulation of syco-
aSontic asplrapts for sinecures In the
ii"SlIc service convinced him that he
tsd been pre ordained a political Moses
uho should lead, not only the hosts
oiiabor but the great people through
Enthusiastic campaigns to the most
Offering successes.
FIRST BLUNDER.
EARLY IN his term of office Mayor
ethmitz made a serious blunder. He
ignored the three members of the board
N supervisors (the governing body
Of the consolidated city and county,,
who we're the only other successful
candidates on the labor ticket, and
So gained their i'll will.
There had been a clamor against the
cost OF the city government, and
sohmltz. in pursuance of his pledge TO
save money for permanent improve
nents from the annual income OF near
" SO 900 900, vetoed items In the budget
ageregating something under 100000,
The supervisors overrode his veto
and accused him Of bad faith, pointing
owl the fact that during the delibera-
tons Of the finance committee In maxi
Ing up the budget the mayor had sat
with II and had not raised his voice in
protest against q single item which
he afterward vetoed. 1t was also re-
marked that the mayor had aimed
his scheme of retrenchment only at
those departments OF the city govern
cub oh hA huA
terms,
When the finance committee took up
the consideration Of the budget for the
following year, the mayor did not at
tend rs meetings, but he again vetoed
various items In the budget and the
Supervisors calmly passed them over
rhk veto although no doubt some of
them might Justly have been cut out.
The events which led up to the
formation Of a local labor party must
be kno,..n In order to make conditions
clear More than two years ago,when
the city was enjoying a business revival
duo largely to extension Of trade In the
oaen) the Transfers union went out
on strike. This action had not been
taken without ample warning, and the
interval had been improved by the en-
pl0yers on one side and the laboring
men on the other 10 perfect prepare
tons for a long struggle,
The Employers association was pit
ted against the Transfers union,
backed In a sympathetic strike by the
City Front federation, the Porters' and
Packers union, and other organlza-
tons, The employers engaged men
wherever they could get them to drive
team at high wages. The strike
Sympathizers cut wagon traces, pulled
drivers from their seats, famed horses
and Killed some "scabs."
HOW PARTY WAS FORMED.
The Employers association demanded
police escorts for Transfers and got
them The unions protested, but in
vain and In time the employers, with
police help, broke the strike. The
terms Of settlement were never made
public, but the unions made little direct
gain, II any at all. The real benefit
came from a specialization of senti-
Heht and consequent activity in or
eani2aton.
People who sympathized with the
wrongs Of labor but who did not APP
prove Of strikes and strike violence,
mad often urged the laboring men to
seek at the polls that redress which
was given grudgingly or wholly denied
70 Them by employers and lawmakers.
Ihs advice was taken after the big
strike had been brought to an end with.
Out any results Of value In the adj
yancement Of the cause. A political
party was formed, A full local ticket
was put up. A determined campaign,
WIN very little money to back Il, was
garrled on, Circumstances favored the
cause Of labor.
Both Republicans and Democrats
hau made unfortunate selections to
nead their tickets. which were Ear from
snausIactory In other ways. strong
wpubhcdn faction went to the support
oehniil, who with his fine physique,
SNn couEtenance, ready smile and
neaIly hGrdshake, proved to be a good
eampagueL
ms labor friends concentrated their
,,snensth on the head OF their ticket and
uhe result was that the city awoke, on
T.. NV morning after election and rubbed
w eyes N aOaznf,anf 40 eco t,o. .bo