Los Angeles herald., 1905-10-29

into the past-and it is surprising what
four years can do or contain.
Four years ago San Francisco was
saying good-by to one who has been
characterized the best mayor the city
ever had"-James NJ Phelan. For two
terms he had served the people well.
and his administrations seem to have
reached the high water mark in
American municipal affairs.
A Fine Mayor
Phelan is a man of wealth and parts,
a publiC-spirited, hgh-idealed man,
strong, attractive and lovable. He is
still the head and front of most that
is best in the city; his money he has
poured out like water for its good. tle
is recognized nationally for all that
makes for better municipalities. His
means gave San Francisco the benefit
of the greatest experts on civic beauty
and his wealth will go largely toward
accomplishing the things that these
experts recommend. Phelan was may
or, and he was a good one
But there came a strike. And 1t
was a fierce one.
San Francisco Is a. cast iron union
town. If you draw a long breath there
the very atmosphere must have the
union label on it, or you are contami-
mated. 1t is the last chance" town;
mechanics and workmen generally, go
ing west, stick there, and only the blue
Pacific is beyond. They come only from
the east-west and north and south
are no source of supply. And the trip
over the mountains and plains and
deserts is a long and costly one.
Hence San Francisco is not overrun
with worlngmen, and as a usual
thing, there has been work and plenty
oil hl hiohpr
than in any other city in the United
States, and always there have been
more jobs than men to fill them.
Very Arrogant
AS consequence. the unions not only
became very strong and powerful, but
very arrogant. They sent forth word
that only union men could work in San
Francisco, and they boosted wages to
a fearful rate. They literally owned
the town, and non-union men had no
show whatever.
Then came this strike. 1t started with
the teamsters, and the 'longshoremen
took a hand. For once San Francisco
raised it's head and opposed the unions.
They We're astounded, indignant, raging
mad. The strike spread. The whole
city was in a turmoil. Rioting became
general.
Phelan acted. Unafraid. bold deter
mined, he fought the strike to a finish.
The warfare was terrific, but in the
end the strike was declared off. The
terms never were announced publicly,
but it is generally understood that the
unions lost.
Didn't Like It
This was a new experience to the
leaders and bosses of the union
lists, and they didn't like it. 1t
showed that their thrall could be
broken. They picked on Mayor Phelan
as the man who did it, and if ever a
person was execrated, despised and
condemned Phelan was. There are no
words to depict the opprobrium of the
unionist leaders toward this mayor who
knew his duty, saw it and did 1t.
But, though the strike was won by
the people, it was of a certain profit
to the unionists. 1t solidified them. 1t
drew them close together and ANAL
gamated in defeat elements that in the
high tide of success were turning and
rending one another. 1t gave them
power through their adversely.
DemoraIized Both Sides
And it also demoralized the winning
side. 1t rent the Republican party.
One faction of the party had opposed
the mayors action, believing in time
serving and trucking to the unions,
rather than stamping out evil, no mat
ter where seen. Another faction open
ly and joyously supported Phelan in
his great work.
At the same time the Democrats suf-
fered. The unions were recruited more
strongly from the Democrats than
from the Republicans. The closer af-
filiation of the unions and their draw
ing away from both parties hurt the
Democrats the more.
This left politics in San Francisco
in a queer condition. there We're two
Republican factions, a weakened and
more or less split Democracy, and
large element of laborites who were
"sore" on all parties and belonged to
none.
So matters stood in the campaign of
1901 and a mayor to elect
III
THE LABOR PARTY