The San Francisco call., 1910-11-27

"
that he was determined to press his
inquiry until he had uncovered the
real authors of the tales of corruption.
at have asked the grand jury to go
forward with this investigation, said
he, land I sincerely hope 1t will. The
time has come in the city of San Fran
cisco to expose the man who circulates
false rumor, be 1t against some repu-
table business house, against his
neighbor or against some public off,
cial.
These reports get their start from
political enemies. They are whispered
through subterraRean channels. 1t is
a device of those who can find no real
weapons with which to attack. They
start these scandalous stories, know
ing they will spread, putting them
af1oat and boosting them along. Then
Smith hears. them. He tells Brown,
and away they go.
Now am told that these tales were
recently repeated in two quarters. I
have heard that Thornwen Mutually,
William Abbott and Luther Brown of
the United Railroads were among
those to whom they were recently con-
fided
WHERE THE STORIES STARTED
II am told, also, that these tales re-
Gently came to the ears of George
Pippy. He, I understand, received the
tale from John Rothschild. and he, in
turn, am Informed, heard them
from Leon Liebes. 1t has come to me,
further, that Mr.. Liebes received these
stories from a newspaperman on a
ferry boat. Now we are pretty sure
where the newspaperman got them
and believe we cam trace them to their
source
The idea seems to have been to
whisper me down and out. Now l want
to say that, as far as l am concerned
they can not hurt me. I resolved TO
act, however, when L thought these
tales had gone too far in their charges
and when it appeared that great in
jury was being done the city.
While have Individual pride, feel
this thing very keenly from a civic
end. am not a fit man to preside
over this city if I am what they charge
Why, these charges would make be out
thlef | want to say that If such
were the case 1 should be cast out of
this office with the greatest possible
dispatch and sent across TO San Quen-
tin. / want to say that If am guilty
OF any wrong whatsoever 1 should be
hung from my position as mayor OF the
city into eternal disgrace. 1t is not
right that these stories should be set
ahoat 1t is not right that they should
pe repeated. And / mean to put an
end to the whole business
DEPENDS UPON HIS SALARY
"As mayor of the city and county of
San Francisco, I receive a fixed salary.
AS president of the building trades
council [ have a right to a salary,
which, now, however, goes to Others
who are attending to the work for me.
l am wholly dependent, therefore, for
my livelihood upon my salary as mayor.
That is all l get and that Is all will
ever get as long as am in the mayors
chair. The man doesn't live who could
me anything beyond the emoluments
of this office. I would like to see the
color of the hair of the man who
could give me wrongfully as much as
cut of tobacco
L have tried to act with dignity in
this matter I have tried to refrain
from any hasty action. But when they
stopped to charge me with theft. I
thought that the time had come when
further silence would be a mistake
therefore determined to publicly ask
Tor an official investigation from the
grand jury. which is an arm of the
constituted courts of the country,