The San Francisco call., 1910-07-30
MACHINE HAS
A new Scheme
Defeat of Islais Creek Prom
ised to Win Votes for
Anderson

That the nomination and election
of Alden Anderson will insure de-
feat for the proposed Islais creek
and India basin improvements is one
of the promises hung out by the ma
chine managers to catch votes for
their candidate. They promise in
effect that If their man is made gov
ernor Of California he Will nullfy
the acts of the last legislature and
stand between the people of San
Francisco and the contamination of
one of their most cherished hopes
The machines promise to prevent
the Islais creek improvements
through the nomination and election
of Alden Anderson is by no means
general pledge. 1t has not been
flung broadcast from the windows
of the several Anderson headquar-
ters and it is not of record that Leon
Dennery has used 1t as a persuader
in connection with his job of deliv-
ering the union labor party vote to
the machine candidate. That prom
Use has been made to individuals and
concerns where it was believed it
would do the most good without be-
coming a matter of common knowl-
edge.
REFORMER CONVERTED
The promise to defeat a great San
Francisco project was not without
its effect. One of the jokes of the
political rialto is the story of a
Johnson supporter whose conversion
TO Anderson by the anti-Islais creek
= promise was so thorough that he ac-
cepted rowing mission and a roll
of machine money with which TO go
out in the field and coax other re-
formers to vote for Anderson and
against the Improvement of San
Franciscos harbor and to prevent
the people of San Francisco from
protecting themselves against the
evils of a privately owned water
, front The convert, so the story
runs, was sent afeld but quickly
became embroiled with another An
derson supporter over the relative
merits of Anderson and Johnson and
abandoned the job of making votes
against San Francisco and for An
derson.
The Islais creek Improvement
bond proposition was given the in
dorsement of an overwhelming pop
ular vote in San Francisco. The
vote of organized labor was almost
a unit for the proposed condemna-
tion and acquisition of some 63
blocks of submerged lands. whereby
the water front vested in the state
would be virtually doubled and the
, shipping of this harbor would be
forever protected against the evils
of private ownership of wharves.
The proposition was fought vicious
ly in the last legislature, and in
spite of the San Francisco vote
majority of the San Francisco dele
cation in the lower house was lined
up against its submission to the
voters.
SCANDAL DEVELOPED
The opposition to the Islais creek
project developed a scandal in the
legislature. Senator Leroy A.
Wright, chairman of the senate
committee on commerce and navi-
cation. who was not in favor of the
original proposition, abandoned his
own plan and espoused the plan
proposed by San Francisco, declar-
ing that he did so because he be-
lieved that the opposition was using
money to influence legislation.
The Islais creek and India basin
Improvement proposition passed the
. legislature in the shape of two
bills. One of these bills authorizing
a bond issue of S1,00O,000 for
, sinking fund will be submitted to
the voters of the state at the gen
eral election in 1910. The other
bill directs the board of harbor
commissioners TO begin action in
, condemnation to secure title in the
state to the lands included in the
proposed Improvement scheme
Operation of the bill which has
become a law is of course conting-
, ent upon the second bill. which will
become a law only after ratification
, by the people. A promise to defeat
the Islais creek improvement in
wolves either the defeat of the bond
proposition at the polls, or in the
event of its ratification compelling
a hoard of harbor commissioners to
defy the law and the will of the
people.