Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-12-06
VETOOF MUNICIPAL OPERA HOUSE
BILL LOOKS LIKEERROR FOR ROLPH
Strings Attached to Donations Causes Mayor of San Fran
cisco to Take Action That Strikes Cord of Unpopuarty-
Supervisors Standinu Behind Executive
BY ERNEST N. SMITH
Special StaI Bulletin Correspondence

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 27.-Mayor
Rolphs veto Of the municipal opera
house bill has set the town by the
ears, and between the chorus Of dis
approval and the voiced determination
to override the veto Ii looks as though
Rolph has made his first serious po-
litical bIunder.
In the fulfllment of the scheme
now under way for a magnificent civic
center, some of San Francisco's
wealthiest citizens, who are music low
ers, conceived the idea of erecting one
of the finest opera houses in the coun-
try and endowing 1t with the moneys
so necessary in such an undertaking
inasmuch as II would be a conspicu-
Gus failure as a money-making instt-
tuition. Such men as Joseph Redding
and William II. Croker set them
selves to the task, and in the end
raised over $500, 900 toward the build
ing. The site, owned by the city, was
therefore also in the nature OF gift.
The people who raised the money pro-
vided two things; one that the board
Of governors should be. self.perpetuat.
ing, and that the donors should have
first choice OF the boxes or seats,
these being, allotted in proportion to
the amounts each person subscribed.
The money raised, the site selected,
the proper bills and ordinances were
prepared and passed by the superyis-
ors and sent to the mayor for ap-
prevail - l. k-> II. 5-5..s4z5. u
The mayors announcement that he
had vetoed the bill came like thuT-
derclap, and thoroughly angered the
city as q whole His reasons were
that the donors of the money wanted
first choice of the boxes and seats, and
another reason urged was that the
board was self-perPe tuating instead OF
being appointiye. The newspapers
were almost unit in demanding that
the supervisors override the veto, but
meanwhile the donors angrily declar-
ed that they were through and would
withdraw at once and would consider
the proposition no longer.
Mayor Rolph contended that the
money should be given with no strings
attached, else he could not legally
set aside city property. Official at,
torneys showed how very incense
quential change In the law could ad.
Just this matter. II was further shown
that the donors of the money did not
ask for the boxes free so long as the
building stood, but simply acquired the
right to have first choice, and paying
for them at the performance or sea.
son rates. /
As for the self perpetuating board
Of governors, 1t was proposed TO keep
the opera house out of politics; and
as precedent the governors Of the
public library system of San Francisco
was already run upon that plan. The
general concensus of opinion there
fore was that the mayor had been
very badly advised.
i After the first outbreak Of wrath
had subsidized the donors of the money
decided to await developments and
pressure is being brought to bear upon
the supervisors to pass the bill over
the mayors Veto. -,.s..s5S.s z
Here 1t began to look as though
politics had crept In because the four
labor representatives of the board an.
nounced positively that they would up
hold the mayor, and 1t was rumored
that the labor organizations, at the
behest OF Mccarthy and others, would
commend the mayor in his stand.
Why labor should seek to down an
enterprise which would put several
hundred thousands of dollars in the
pockets Of the laboring men is as yet
a mystery, unless politics is seriously
involved and Rolph has listened to the
demands of the laboring vote. 1t is
certain that the very people who do
mated the money would be the very
ones, and probably the only ones as
a whole who could take the boxes and
highest priced seats at any perform
ance. Therefore It is a pretty small
affair to defeat splendid object SIM
ply because these people want the first
opportunity to buy the seats after Civ
ing 100000 toward a building.
However that may be the mayor
stands pat, the four labor supervisors
stand pat, and every other supervisor :
must be gotten into line to override
the veto. If it can't be done the !!
donors are through, and in the very /
center of the magnificent group Of
buildings comprising the civic center
will be vacant lot, in which might
be buried the cherished hopes of the
music lovers and public spirited citi-
zens of San Francisco.