The San Francisco call., 1909-03-13
MAYOR CONDEMNED
BY LABOR COUNCIL
Report Opposing Municipal Ex-
trayagance Is Adopted After
Lengthy Discussion

r7SSS5ee<S7uNos ture at the meeting
Sss5SS 90 of the San Fran
cisco labor council
last night was the report of the spe-
cial committee of five, composed Of E.
II. Lomansey. chairman; NJ. ]. Sullivan,
J. NJ Scott, B. B. Rosenthal and e. H.
Misner, appointed to inquire into
charges preferred in a letter to the
council by d O'Connell, an attorney,
against Mayor Taylor, the board Of
public works, board of supervisors and
board of education, charging them with
neglect in municipal affairs and ex-
travagance in the disbursement of pub
lie funds.
The report covers IS pages of type
written matter and deals with the six
charges of the OConnell letter, taking
up each separately. The first is that
the board of education caused $5,227 to
be taken from the treasury TO be used
by four officials to make an unneces-
sary trip to Europe to attend a conven-
ton of teachers and that the board in
creased salaries of teachers and cut
down salaries of janitors; also that a
portion of the money was used to pay
the fare and expenses of j. OConnors $
daughter, who accompanied the party
of four
MS GildIS6 Is lOullQ AAO1ii NllC ASSOAN'
to be correct, but the committee does
not agree as to the trip not being
necessary. The committee reports that
OConnor said that If there was to be
any kick the amount used by his
daughter would be refunded
Charge No. 2 that the board of pub
lie works reduced wages of janitors
and laid off men, was found to be cor
rect but the committee reported that
this had to be done because the finance
committee of the supervisors refused
to make the appropriation for the
amount of money required monthly.
Charge No. was as to the auto
mobile expenses for the use OF the
mayor and supervisors and other offl-
GERS for the fiscal year ending June 80,
1908. The committee says the records
show sT.544 was expended for the
mayor, sS,140 for the district attorney
and $9,127 for the supervisors, and that
while more than $4,000 all told was
expended for automobiles, 3anitors'
salaries were being cut right and lett
and some laid off.
Charges Nos. and 5 refer to the
city hall and the expenditure of money
to house officials, at a cost of 100000
a year, and in instances the city build
ing houses all at cost of from $4,000
to $4,000 a year, which VIII revert to
the owner at the end of three years,
in addition to the ground rent; TINS
when the city has many vacant lots
The charge sets forth that the
destruction of the city hall and the
erection of a new one is laying the
sure foundation for another graft
prosecution, which has been so costly,
! but nevertheless necessary.
The committee finds itself unable to
give an Intelligent opinion on the
1 question of rebuilding the city hall. but
! finds that the amount paid out in year
| ly rentals is unjustifable.
Charge number refers to the publ
cation of the Municipal Record at
cost of s425 a month at time when
men had wages reduced or were dis
charged for pretended lack of funds
and says the publication is in violation
of law and its reports "colored."
The committee finds that there Is
such a publication, but is unable to
state that the matter contained therein
! is colored.
The committee adds that when the
officials had appeared before the au-
thorities asking for just conditions fol
workingmen they were met with either
a fat refusal or a statement of lack
of funds, which was not being borne
/ but by the conditions of the treasury.
The committee says it is startled
with the era of extravaganza and in
competence in the management of the
! city's affairs" and adds that while il
! finds that the conduct of the officers
merits the invoking of the recall ii
deems 1T inexpedient at this time in
view of the approaching election.
A motion to concur in the report
have 1t printed in full and give a vote
of thanks to the committee led to a
long discussion.
Delegate Seaman wanted to know
| xu1a fha a If la w
yer had helped. He denounced it as
a political document that would have
/ as much effect on the public as the
| councils opposition to the bond issue
Delegate Sweeney thought the re-
port savored of politics and that its
adoption would injure the labor cause
as the council had usurped the func-
tions of court and by adopting, the
report would make itself ridiculous.
| Delegate Lomasney in a long speech
| sustained the report and denied that
any member of the committee was act
uated by politics or partisanship OF
had any desire to boost any person Oh
party.
DeIegae Furuseth said that there
were many matters in the charges
that had no business before the coun-
ell, yet while he, approved of that por-
tion which showed that labor was huri
| by reduction of wages he did not ap-
prove of that part which brought IN
the graft prosecution, as he thought il
| was throwing slur on the prosecutors
| OF graft. He believed that portion
| should be stricken out and the report
referred back to the committee. He
charged the council with dealing will
| everything it did not understand and
not dealing with that which it ought
| to Observation-Disclosures.
Secretary Gallagher spoke at length
in favor of the report and said thai
while ne did not believe that all in the
graft prosecution were absolutely pure
he believed in one man and that was
IIeney. Speaking of the neglect of the
| laboringmen to take the part they
should in politics he said they should
act. When another election is held the
candidates should be made to under
stand that If elected their official acts
will be watched and a big stick is be-
ing held over them. 'If you don't dc
that" he said. you will be raped
over the knuckIes and you will de-
serve it
The motion to concur was carried by
a large majority.