The San Francisco call., 1910-11-26

About three months ago an article
was prepared for the Improvement club
section OF The Call in which it was
intended that the time was then ripe
FOR the agitation for greater San Fran
cisco and that the civic bodies about
tbs bay would be the means Of bring
ing about this result. In the meantime
The census man by his report has awak-
ened the people 10 the realization that
consoIida ton IS not only feasible, but
IS advisable and necessary
CONSOLIDATION WILL GET FAIR
New Orleans is conducting an active
campaign Of publicity IN the east. 1t
behooves san Francisco TO do its ut
most to overcome the efforts Of New
Orleans. Let US not laugh at or ridi-
-cule the poverty OF New Orleans.
New Orleans has been pointing at the
political and moral condition Of san
Francisco. Such an attack is unjust.
Nevertheless we may as well look the
situation squarely in the face. We can
not reason our opponents out Of their
position. but we can completely refute
their arguments by showing the I'M
possibility for the existence Of such
conditions and by demonstrating a
spirit or intense civic enthusiasm.
one very effective way Of doing this
is by the representative bodies about
Inc BAY Immediately pledging their
cities 10 the formation of 2 greater and
better san Francisco
We raised SA000.000 in less than two
hours Let Us in like manner increase
our population from 416.0O0 10 677 900
Hz- 2 u the ~nnTpEanrzTiVe bodies
% the cities about the bay. at great
Sasss meeting, pledge their cities TO
grezTer san Francisco.
The formal details may be perfected
later This would arouse renewed and
enthusiastic interest in the fair itself
Consolidation is inevitable. It may
5ust as well come now when there is
sScng incentive for il.
ORGANIZATION PERFECTED
In truth there exists now an organ
station consisting of delegates from
ell the civic and other representative
bodies Of the bay and peninsular cities
having for its sole purpose the forma-
ton Of 2 greater San Francisco. This
organization was formed shortly after
the fire in the temporary office build
ing Of the California Promotion COM
1nittee IN Union square.
It's organization. at a time when San
Francisco was PROSTATE and in ashes,
was ironical in the extreme However,
II denoted an almost superhumsn con-
hdence Of a people in the future OF
their CITY. The dreams and labors of
those patriots who formed the Greater
san Francisco committee are now about
70 bear fruit.
After four years of organization and
educational work carried out quietly,
but. nevertheless. continuously and ef-
fectiveIv. these patriots can now show
77e-f MI sorc ,5grc-
tion that they have perfected
Representing six counties. comprising
delegates from 43 Of the largest civic
and commercial bodies about the bay,
the Greater san Francisco committee.
consisting Of the caltber of men that ii
has viii sweep away all opposition.
PLAN OF GOVERNMENT
Plans are now being made for call
ing the body together. The legislative
committee is now busily engaged in
examining tie Iaw 10 determine wheth-
er. consolidation should be accomplished
through constitutional amendment or
through legislative enactment. The
rIan is to provide law by which cities
or consolidated cities and counties may,
uHon petition OF their people, appoint
Teeholders to prepare a charter for
the-cities so petiioning.
Upon the submission Of this proposed
charter to the cities concerned, If q
majority of the electors approve, the
charter will become operative for
those cities thus ratifying the charter
This proposed law will be introduced
1T the coming session Of the legisls-
fure. There are no legal difficulties in
the way Of consolidation The consti-
tuition and codes Of California are very
similar 10 those Of New York. In fact,
1hey were taken from those Of New
York.
IN the same way that Brooklyn and
other cities were united TO New York
can Oakland and other suburban cities
he joined to San Francisco.
DEVELOPMENT Is MARVELLOUS
TIE necessity and wisdom of con-
SoIicatfon can not be questioned There
comes q. time in the lives of communi-
ties, Just as in the lives OF individuals
md corporations, when combination
De comes expedient for the general well
fare and convenience OF the communl-
ties Concerned
Suca a time in the lives Of the bay
and peninsular cities has now come.
Los Angeles. Seattle and Tacoma have
shown marvellous growth during the
last 10 years. but they have grown
mostly through annexation. San Fran
cisco alone, of all the growing cities
Of the United States. has expanded from
within and not by annexation from
without
san Francisco. with her - square
miles # ground. only portion of
which available for settlement, has
CONTINUED to grow without annexing an
Snch oi territory. For 20 years the
other Hrge cities of the country have
CONTINUED to grow by spreading their
mantle over all the territory IT could
cover; Few York, Chicago, Philadelphia,
Boston. St Louis, Cincinnati, Los
Angeles Seattle, Tacoma, Oakland
ana Berkeley, each of them has grown
by hhe annexation Of contiguous SUBJ
urbsl
Fire. plague. panic. strikes, polltlcai
corruption have failed TO stop san
Francisco in her onward march.
10, nf