The San Francisco call., 1910-11-12
OF WEEK
AMONG The CLUBS
Discussion of the Amendments
Takes Up Attention of Most
of the Improvement Bodies

During the last week the improve
ment clubs have given over their meet
ings to a general discussion of the pro-
posed charter amendments. Never be-
fore have the people of the city been
so well instructed through their i'm
provement clubs as to the significance
of proposed organic changes in the
law.
: The get together committee, repre-
senting the Civic League of Improve
ment Clubs. Merchants association
Downtown association and Real Estate
board, has been meeting every day dur
ing the last week for the purpose of
laying out a campaign of education
with regard to the proposed charter
amendments.
The recommendations of these or
ganizations will appear in every news
paper in San Francisco during the
next two days. In addition to this
every voter will receive circular let
ter concerning the charter amendments.
The Civic league has issued d bulletin
explaining briefly its reasons for favor
ing or opposing the various amend
ments.
Copies of this bulletin may be had
at the office of the league in Bush
street. The Merchants association has
also issued a bulletin explaining briefly
but fully the good and bad features of
each amendment. Copies of this bulle-
tin may be had at the office of the asso-
clation in the y Merchants Exchange
building.
The amendments Endorsed by these
organizations are: No. !. to bond the
city for $4,000, 600 for the Panama Pa
cif1c exposition; Nos. and s. providing
RI baI
mary; No. 8, providing that half the
supervisors and county officers be
elected every two years; No 10, regard
ing absence from the state: Nos. IL and
u, providing for construction of tun-
nels and viaducts: No. IA, making the
city liable for damages caused by de
fective street work; No. 15, providing
for issuance of 10 year assessment
bonds in payment for street work: No.
II. permitting the Academy of Sciences
to occupy space in the park; No 81,
making amendments effective July J.
1911; No. %, granting pension to retired
firemen: %, increasing salaries of su-
pervisors TO $500 per month; 35 and 36.
relating to salaries in office of county
recorder and assessor It is be-
lieyed that the passage of 35 and 36
will result in saving to the city in
stead of increased expense.
The organizations oppose No. 2 be-
cause it makes the library subject to
political patronage; No. s. because it
opens the avenue for high taxes and
extrava gance; No. 4. because it author
ICES the city to trade or dispose of city
property without restrictions or proper
proceedings; No ;, because it makes
publication in the Municipal Record
equivalent to seven days in a paper
of general circulation; No. s, because
It enables per cent of the electors to
submit laws to the people, the percent
age is too small, and would result in
numerous expensive elections: No. IS,
because it would permit of confisca-
tion of property for street and sewer
work; No. 16 because a free public
employment bureau Is not needed ex-
cept to build up A political machine;
No. IS. because it reduces the pos
sible efficiency of the fire department.;
19 and 90, because they would prevent
any competition with the United Rail-
roads in the extension of new lines; 81
because amount could not purchase
Fairgrounds and parks. these should be
secured through bond issue; %, be-
cause Golden Gate park might suffer
if this amendment were passed, and
the park commission can now do what
this law would compel them to do; 23
because this compels certain work to be
done by day labor which would result
because it increases the allowance of
the civil service commission at least
$4,000 a year without any apparent
necessity; 25. because it reduces the
office hours of city employees from $50
a. m. to p. IN. to 9 a. m. to n. m,
and provides for Is days vacation on
pay even for persons employed by the
day. hour or piece; 30. 81, 30. 33, 34 3S
and 49, because the salary raises in
volved. together with other additional
expenses, would increase taxes over
$1,000. 600: 81. because it appropriates
for specific purposes sources of income
which are indeterminate rather than
percentages or specific sums.
The Civic league, while agreeing
with the other bodies upon all the
other amendments, differed on Nos
and %. 1t approved No. 6 because of
the provisions for the initiative and
referendum, notwithstanding that
per cent of the electors could submit
legislative matters to the people by
elections. 1t approved No. % as the
only means of making certain that
other parks than Golden Gate park
should also be well provided for.
BUENA VISTA CLUB
The Buena Vista Improvement club
at It's last meeting indorsed amend 1
ment No. % providing for division of
the park fund.
POINT LOBos CLUB
The Point Lobos Improvement club
at its meeting Wednesday night op-
posed amendment No. 22 and decided
to send a circular to all improvement
clubs stating the reasons why.
MISSION ASSOCIATION
The Mission promotion association
held a mass meeting Thursday even
ing to duscuss the proposed charter
amendments. 1t approved amendments
Nos. 1, g. 7, s, 10, II, l., Is. II, 10, 90,
%, 81. s2S, %, so, 81. 35, SO, 3S and 3s.
II disapproyed of Nos. 2, 8, 4, 5, 9, 13.
IA. Is. 1s. 81, %, %. 25, 26. 80, SO, "a
and 81. It was decided to have cards
printed with the associations recon-