The San Francisco call., 1905-03-08
GOOD STREETS
FOR OAKLAND
Frank K. Mott Says That He
Believes That They Can Be
Had From City Revenues
M MUNICIPALITIES NEEDS
Twenty Dollars Cannot Be
Made to Do Forty Dollars
Worth of Highways Work
Oakland Office San Francisco Call,
10l6 Broadway. March Z.

oakland Office San Francisco Call,
10l6 Broadway, March Z.
The people Of the annexed district,
now the First Ward, listened to the
candldates of the Republican party to-
night Robert Cuthbert presided, and
there were short addresses by a num-
Der OF candidates, including Abe P.
Leach, for City Attorney; A. H. Breed,
for Auditor; Charles D. Bates Jr.. for
treasurer; Frank X. Mott, for Mayor,
and Alex McAdam, for ward Council
man. This being McAdam's home
ward. he was given round of cheers
When he told what it was hoped to
accomplish for this newest section OF
the city
Frank <. Mott announced his gen.
eral plan of improvement, in which he
SAID he was for good streets and be-
ileved that they could be maintained
from the revenues of the city. Some
Of Mr.. Motifs sentiments were express
cd as follows:
Ior me 70 get in touch with many of my
iellow citizens. who without doubt as
keeniy interested in the progress and i'm
proNement OF Oakland as l am Most of you
are thus concerned for the reason that
| am Your interests here mine
iour aones arc your businesses are benehted
by good government injured by poor gov
ernment as mine We meet on common
iootihg, and We go ahead or fail behind IN
the march together. That which helps you
helps ME and il is just as important to me
that the city should be we'll governed as IL is
to any man within hearing distance OF my
voice tonight. l desire to impress this upon
You Cor several reasons, the most important
OF which at the present time TO me is the
bearing II has upon my relations to the voters
OF this city as nominee for the responsible
selfish motive If You please. and so it is to a
certain extent. but there is another aspect.
Is b not IaT 5na nnon the
general orosperity of his home city will see
to ii that his acts in an official capacity shall
not only reflect credit upon himself, but snail
be guided always by desire to conserve
the best interests OF the whole community.
Now how can that be best accomplished?
The Mayor of Oakland, under the municipal
charter, has large powers OF supervision and
direction. He may indicate policies with re-
is his duty to thus supervise and direct. He
should be a close observer of the public needs
the operations of the municipal officials His
advice should be sought and should be given
ton In short he should be the peoples direct
representative in the municipal organization.
Following that line of action II would be my
effort as Mayor of Oakland to readjust some
of the financial arrangements in order to pro-
cure for necessary improvements larger
share of the tax levy than has been allotted
Department The demands for clean. we'll
kept tho1oughfsres g ares Sems rrst 9 on @ my dgd list
all argument one of the prime needs OF the
city Your district Is no execution. 1 am
satisfied that more money should be spent
the streets. that way can be found to
get It without increasing the tax levy. and
that a way will be found during my ad-
ministratfon. This is one of the items that
appeals most strongly to me. 1 say this in
no spirit OF petty criticism. 1t is a subject
to which l have given much attention and
there is no for whom l stand aside in
this effort at improvement.
In further emphasis of my attitude toward
municipal affairs / again place myself square
" on record as favorable to the expenditure
of public funds Iegitimately in the acquisition
of betterments. that is to say, of permanent
improvements. I for a progressive ad-
rninistration, and by that L mean a policy
that will make for the citys advancement
with every dollar that goes out Of the city $
treasury We want to go ahead We wan
that spirit to permeate not only our public
officials and employees. but the citizens at
large and the City Hall should be the nucleus.
I am not going to promise to do lot of
things that / know and you know cannot be
dne l am not going to tell you that as
Mayor of Oakland 1 shall make $50 do $40
worth of work. But what l do tell you is
this plainly, fatty and unequivocally, as
Mayor of Oakland I shall demand intelligent,
careful and honest OF the taxpayers
money. No man in this city has right TO
promise more than that. for more he could
not do and more you have no right to ask
him to do.