The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, May 25, 1898, Page 8

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 1898 One Man a Czar and Many Pernicious Grants of HE day for Freeholders of this city to decide whether they shall defeat a proposed organic law is near at hand. The Call, pursuant to the pollcy that has led it to permit a free discussion of the strong and weak points of the new charter, to- day presents some further facts that militate against the instrument which is to be voted on by the people. It is well to view the defects carefully and .decide the matter Aftertakingacalmviewof theobjections presented, some of which follow in de- tail, the reader will be prepared to say whether an Instrument open to so many objections is the preper thing for the government of the growing city of San Francisco. The discussions which appear pre- sent the case in a variety of phases, so | that people in all ranks of life may have an opportunity to see not only how the document affects their par- ticular interests but how it influences the welfare of the entire population. McGOWAN SHOWS DEFECTS A Logical Portrayal of Weak Points in the New Charter. The following synopsis of the pro- posed new charter was written by ex- with wisdom. | Power. of the constitutional questions in- volved in the proposed charter for the reason that the gubject, In order to be treated exhaustively, would require a great deal of Investigation which might result in little of real practical value. Whether the proposed charter is liable to be disemboweled by the Supreme Court soon after its adoption can only be determined by future developments, The subject is so uncertain and sur- rounded with so much that is specula- | tive, that a legal opinion, while it might throw a great deal of light upon it, would, after all, leave the questions | involved practically as obscure as ever. | I will, therefore, devote this state- ment to a brief exposition of practical objections to the proposed charter. For this purpose the instrument has been considered from a utilitarian stand- point, with strict reference to its avail- ability as a working statute, which, if adopted and ratified by the Legisla- ture, would provide San Francisco with a rational, safe, conservative and ef- fective government. POWERS OF THE MAYOR. The theory of the proposed charter 1s plain. It has been framed upon the principle of centralization and individ- ual responsibility. Practically, all po- litical power has been placed In the hands of an official called Mayor. That official is the creator of and is made an irresponsible check upon every depart- { ment and function of the government. He is elected for two years and {s pald a salary of $6000 a year. It is provided THE NEW CHARTER MISTREATS TEACHERS Principal Philip Prior Shows Many Defects in the Proposed Organic Law. A circular has been sent to the teachers, signed by Messrs. Mark, Denman and Mrs. Burl School De tment should the charter ba with the statement th It star £ ores the fact that while this may be the hers are employed by the city and e any the 181 &s In all others ik at the e nothing could be done for the teachers in the matter of annuit other employes of the city and coun , in which an effort is made to show that no harm will come to the adopted. schools are State Institutions, and e with regard to the schools, the bunty, and can be treated in this matter An attempt is also made to mislead the teachers with reference to thepayment aries. It v be true th e teachers are a continuous body and hall be paid on the fift! month, but it is nowhere stated that shall be hired by the year and that there shall be twelve monthly payments been hired elsewhere during good behavior, and were pald in some on the first of every month. r ten months and in others for eleven months, and they were paid It may be true that the teachers are employes of a State system, but it is not true that they are employes of the State; far from it, sm other s y are emploved sed by safd board. Hence the ru board a ally to the Board service.’ engaged in working the will be so cons 1 by will ¢ ame a: the courts. s, in several r the year 1896 z fen > propo! this mc have lost culty by declaring a vacation of one How has it been with the teachers under the present faulty, but have they ever lost one cent? Ladles and gentlemen, le been, as has been shown els poses gener the Board of Education of San Francisco of the charter read 1 for a greater time than that covered by his actual achers will lose pay when they are not actually any other employes of the city and county. This and can be that applies to the employes of any ucation. “No deputy clerk or employe of the refully examine the statistics given in the paper he will on $28 for each child instances, in average daily attendance been too small to meet the ex- hed, according to this report, the for this year will reach a much higher figure. n force during these years the teachers would ucation would have got out of the diffi- month. system? It may be » one deceive you. While the proposed charter has T here, extravagant in its demands for school pur- Ily, it has been very niggardly in its treatment of the teachers. Senator Frank McGowan. Mr. Me- Gowan represented Humboldt County in the State Senate and Assembly for ten y He was chairman of the Senate J rittee for two forms, and & lawyer of the Senate bec thoroughly familiar with San Francisco charter and other requested by The on of the proposed the following, legislation. Bein Call to give his opir charter he prepared which r many new and Interesting objections to the instrument: For the purposes of this statement it will be assumed that every portion of the proposed new charter is constitu- tional. As a matter of fact, however, this is extremely unlikely. If the in- strument in all its parts were subj ed to close legal scrutiny it would prob- ably be found that a sufficient number of its most important features are in conflict with the constitution and gen- eral laws to make it practically inop- erative. The constitution provides that all charters framed under the provi- sions of section § of article XI shall be consistent with and subject to the laws pt in “municipal af- ( . 6, Art. XI, amendment of The question whether “munici- pal affairs” applies to any subject upon which the Legislature chooses to le; islate is an open question. Our Su- preme Court has not yet interpreted the words “municipal affairs’” in such a manner as to make the I'me of de- markation between general laws af- fecting ‘‘municipal affairs” and other general laws plain to the legal frater- nity. For Instance, sections 6 and 7 of chapter 2, article I of the proposed charter pres bes method under ihe operation of may be obtained from municipality. The system thus the outlined is in conflict with the statute enacted in 1897 upon the e subject. , page 135) therefore, ature possesses power to en- act a general law regulating the grant- ing of street railway franch either as a statutory enactment or as a chap- ter of the Code, the provisions of the proposed charter upon the same sub- ject are unconstitutional. What has been said with reference to sections 6 and 7, supra, may be said with respect to the system set up by the proposed charter for the improve. ment of streets and sewers. There are general statutes upon the subject of street improvements. (Statute 1885, p. 147; statute 1889, p. 70; statute 1893, p. 33). While chapters 2 and 3 of article VI of the proposed charter resemble these statutes in many ways, they con- flict in important respects with them. Here again the same guestion arises: Jf the Legislature has power to pass general street laws under the consti- tutional amendments adopted in 1896, one of which contains the phrase “municipal affairs,” the provisions of the charter with respect to the im- provement, opening and widening of etreets and construction of sewers are unconstitutional. I have not entered into a discussion | that the Mayor, who shall be elected in the year 1899, section 36, article 16, shall appoint & firc commission and a police commission consisting of four members each, an election commission, a Board of Health and a park commis- ing of five members each, ducation consisting of four members, a civil service commission consisting of three members, and a Board of Public Works consisting of cons! ard of Into the se boards and commissions the charter places the en- tire administrative government of the city and county of San Francis The Mayor is authorized to remove any commission or board or member thereof at his pleasure. He iIs merely required to give his reasons in writing to the Board of Supervisors. (Section 20, ar- ticle 16.) | As may readily be percelved this makes each board or commission prac- tically the abject slave of the execu- tive. With the power to remove at pleasure, the entire independence of every administrative bureau f{s de- stroyed. Not only is the Mayor thus empowered to create officials and rule them at pleasure, but he is practically invested with the authority to fix ap- propriations for the various depart- ments. The Board of Supervisors is authorized to pass an annual appro- priation bill or budget. (Section 3, chap- ter 1, article 3.) The Mayor may, within ten days thereafter, veto this bill in whole or in part, and the concurrence | of fifteen Supervisors is necessary to pass it or any item over his veto. (Sec- tion 4, supra.) The proposed charter, therefore, places in the hands of the ex- ecutive more than two-thirds of all the patronage and all the appropriations of the city and county. The Board of Public Works is to have charge of all work upon the public buildings and the grounds, streets and sewers. (Article 6.) While this board is certain in practical operation to be little or nothing more than a commit- tee of the Board of Supervisors its members will still, under the rod of the Mayor, be in a position to absolutely control every plan of public improve- ment. The Fire Commission is invested with authority to appoint members of the fire department and control and regu- | late their functions. | The Police Commission is invested with authority to appoint a chief of police, police captains, lieutenants and | sergeants and one police officer for each | five hundred inhabitants of the city and | county. | The Board of Health is given juris- | diction over all the hospitals, alms- houses and other institutions of that character in the city and county. The Board of Education is authorized | to appoint and dismiss the employes of the school department and administer the funds appropriated for the public | schools. The Park Commission 1s invested with authority to carry on the improve- ment of Golden Gate and other public parks. The FElection Commission is to take the place of the present election com. i mission and is to exercise all its powers and duties. In the hands of the Civil Service Commission the proposed charter places the power to regulate and control of- ficlal appointments. The system of ex- aminations is to be similar to that authorized by the civil service statutes of New York and the United States. (Article 13.) It is a curious circumstance that no single Mayor elected after the year 1899 will have the power to completely change any one of these bureaus ex- cept the Board of Public Works and the Civil Service Commission. The terms of the members of all the boards and commissions expire in one, two, three and four years. So during his officlal tenure no Mayor after the first one elected could appoint more than two members of any board or comm sion. He could not change the pe sonnel of any so as to interfere with its administration, except the Board of Public Works and the Civil Service Commission, each of which cons of three members, who go out of o 2 in one, two and three years. Hence every Mayor would, during the last year of his term, be able to change this board and this commission so as to control it. The purpose of this arrangement has been illy concealed from the eye of the reader. Undoubtedly the object is to invest every Mayor under the charter with the power to control important patronage during the last year of his term and to enable him with it to se- cure his re-election. No other construc- tion can possibly be placed upon the arrangement. POWERS OF THE SUPERVISORS. As a setoff to the immense powers which are conferred upon the Mayor, d charter reduces the Board ors to a position of practi- cal inactivity in the city and county government. Nearly every semblance of authority is taken from the legisla- tive branch of the government. The instrument authorizes the board to pass ordinances, but it permits not only the Mayor but the people to veto them whenever they meet with public disap- proval. Sec. 20, chap. 1, art. II, provides that whenever a petition is presented to the Election Commissioners asking that an ordinance set forth therein shall be submitted to a vote of the peo- ple it shall be the duty of that commis- | slon to order an election. If the pro- posed ordinance is passed by the peo- ple it cannot be repealed or amended by the Board of Superviso All ordi- nances granting any franchise for the supply of light or water, or for the lease or sale of any public utility or for the purchase of any land of more than 50,000 in value, must also be submit- ted to a vote of the electors. The Su- pervisors cannot even initiate amend- ments to the charter, but that must be done by a petition of the voters. (Seo. supra.) BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS. In connection with the Board of Pub- lic Works the Supervisors are author- ized to participate in the improvement of public streets and sewers, but they have no real power in the premises. All street and sewer work Is Initiated by | the Board of Public Works, which is | required to secure the co-operation of | the Supervisors only to the extent of | their approval as the legislative au- thority of the city and county. The way in which the proposed charter has commingled the jurisdiction of this board and the Supervisors will give rise to'no end of litigation. Neither board is apparently given authority to do anything of its own motion. Millions of dollars will have to be expended in obtaining judicial eonstruction of their respective powers before the subject of public improvement will be made clear. An attempt has been made to consti- tute the Board of Public Works a com- | mittee of the Supervisors and to place in its hands powers similar to those | now exercised by the Superintendent of | Streets, City Engineer and Street Com- | mittee of the latter board. Materic] for | the most impressive comment which | can be made upon this system is found | in the first section of article 6, chz rter | 1, of the proposed charter. At present the Superintendent of Streets recel | a salary of $4000 a year, the City | &l En- neer a salary of $400. The Street Com- | mittee, consisting of five members of | the Board of Supervisors, receives sal- 0000000000000 QwWO00000000O000000000000000000000DTOTOCNORO0000000000000000C00000000C00000000000 800000000000000003 o CHARTER ABBREVIATED. o Short Cut for Those in a Hurry. The following is an abbrevia- tion of the new charter made by the Continental League, whose officers’ names are affixed: CHAPTER L Article I—A Mayor may be elected every two years. Article II—All ex-Mayors shall hold office for life in the Board of Supervisors. Article III—To prevent ex- Mayors from outnumbering the Supervisors the people may elect six more Supervisors. Article IV—The pay of the Supervisors, $100 per month, being inadequate for ex-Mayors, therefore, recognizing their matchless ability in advocating and influencing the members of the board in favor of the claims of the garbage, crematory, gas, electric lights, telephones, street railways and other corporations, they are hereby allowed to charge all the traffic wiil bear. CHAPTER II Article I—The people may hold conventions, nominate and elect a few officials, but the Mayor must suspend them when- ever it suits his convenience. Article II—There shall be two classes of officials elected. class shall have permission to se- lect their assistants, notably the Mayor, while the other class must accept their assistants and employes from the competitive scheme Commissioners, who must be able to peddle their questions and answers to their relatives and ring patrons, han- dicap the elected official, de- stroy the efficiency of his de- partment; then the Mayor must remove him for cause. Article 1I1—The Board of | Public Works must open a reg- istration department, employ registration clerks, whose duty it shall be to notify the Mayor | and his partisan friends that reg- istration for employment on public work is in order. When fix their compensations. (Article 6.) This plan contemplates an expenditure in salaries nearly twice as large as that now paid for discharging the same du- | ties. No check as to the number of em- ployes is placed upon the board. Its | judgment is to prevalil in all such mat- imits the ters. At present the law number of deputies in the Street De- partment to sixteen, as well as the number of employes who may be en. gaged by the Street Committee. would seem, therefore, that in creating this board, which, as already stated, is practically a committee of the Super- visors, the proposed charter does not contemplate an economical administra- tion of the laws authorizing street and sewer improvements. The Supervisors have been invested with only one real power. They are authorized to annually pass the budget and to fix the tax levy, but any item of be vetoed by the the budget may Mayor, who may also veto the tax levy. LEVY AND COLLECTION OF TAXES. By section 14 of chapter 1, art. 8, 1t is provided that the Supervisors shall fix the amount of municipal revenue and provide for the collection thereof. Does this so-called authority go be- vond and include a power not express- ed? It may be conceded that the board might designate the time within which taxes may be collected, but what power would the board possess to impose pen- alties on delinquent taxpayers, and if this power is not conferred, how are the taxes to be collected? It has been held by the Supreme Court heretofore that the Board of Supervisors could exercise no power except those special- ly conferred, and in numberless cases “that the mode is the measure of the power.” If this be the correct princi- ple, then the only mode of collection is as shown in chapter 5 of article 4, they are registered and given the preference for employment the workmen can tumble over each other to get registered and that's all they will get. CHAPTER IIL Article I—The money neces- sary to be raised by taxation to carry out the provisions of this immaculate charter shall not ex- ceed $1 on $100 valuation, but the valuation may be increased 100 per cent in order to meet the expenses that will accrue when the Mayor and his ap- pointees get full swing. Article II—The city at present being practically out of debt, the Mayor may, after complet- ing his appointments, control 15 per cent of the votes—vote to issue bonds to any extent in or- der to be abreast of the times of all those magnificently governed stern and European cities, people are groaning over the burden of taxation caused by the issue of bonds. Article III—The property- owners, in order to meet th increased taxation, will have an excuse for raising rents; there- fore if this immaculate charter is adopted the rent-payers can take their medicine and saw_wood. The executive committee, AMOS CURRIER, F. D. WORTH, President. HAMILTON J. RIGGINS, Secretary. ] [} CO00C0ULO0O000000C00D aries of $100 per month each, for which they are required to perform their gen- eral duties as Supervisors. The proposed charter creates a Board of Public Works, consisting of three members, each of whom receives a sal- ary of $:000. The board is authorized | to appoint a secretary at a salary of | $1800 and such clerks, superintendent inspectors, engineers, surveyors, depu- ties, architects and laborers as may be necessary to carry on its work, and to | | | oo | are that he * OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOQ_OOOOOOOOOOOOO 0000000000000 000000000000000000000000C00000000000000000000 |in the city which defines the duties of the Tax Col- lector. Section 2 of that chapter pro- vides that he may appoint an attorney to prosecute actions for the collection of delinquent taxes, and may agree to pay him as compensation a percentage not to exceed 15 per centum of the amounts recovered. This is the only mode of collection provided for. Section 2 provides that the Tax Col- lector shall pay into the treasu wthout any deduction for commissions, fees or charges of any kind, or on any account, the full amcunt of all taxes, assessments and moneys received by him. This applies to all revenue to be collected for city and county purposes. In attempting to inaugurate a new tem and time for the collection of municipal revenue, the charter thus cuts loose from the provisions of the Political Code of the State and gives us nothing in its place. The State revenue must still be col- lected under the Political Code of the State, and under its provisions the ‘Assessor will go on and collect for the State after making his assessment (on and after the first Monday in March in each year), the taxes due on personal rty, the owners of which possess oroperty, lI:IO realty; but how can he collect the city and county portion, even if di- rected by the Board of Supervisors, for | the duties of the Assessor, as defined 9 of chapter 1V of articleIV, ‘shall assess all taxable property within the city and county at the time and in the manner prescribed by the general laws of the State.” “No power is conferred upon him to make collections as prescribed by the general laws of the State, and if he attempt to exercise any power other than the power conferred by the char- ter, he would undoubtedly be liable to the person or persons who suffered damage at his hands in the enforced collection, or in the sale of their prop- erty in payment of the alleged tax due thereon. Then ai by section n in section 2 of chapter V (supra) it is made the duty of the Tax Collector to collect all licenses. The name of the officer designates his duty, but he is charged with all taxes levied upon real and personal property with- and county, and charged with and debtor to the city and coun- ty for the full amount of all taxes due upon the delinquent tax list, and in no believe in reciprocating. corporation or individual. | the twelve-hour law passed. | he is sure of his position. San Francisco, May 24. out of the laboring man’s hands. charter and give each man an equal show. T STREETCAR MEN NOT “CORRALED.” To THE EDITOR OF THE CALL: The cowardly fight the Examiner is making in behalf of the charter is more than I can stand in silence. to run everybody down to gain a point, so when a corporatlon tries to do what is right I The public has known me for twelve years and knows what | have done for labor. 1 defy any man to say truthfully that I have been “corraled” by t does not seem to me decent Twelve years ago | obtained a position as conductor on the North Beach and Mission Street Railroad. We then worked sixteen hours a day for $2 25. the men in the employ of the Market-street Cable Company obtained $2 o per day for only eleven hours’ work, four or five of us concluded that it was time to organize a pro- |tective body, with the result-that the Knights of Labor came into existence. was organized, went to Sacramento, made a gallant struggle and won its point in getting Later, when A committee I myself collected $1776 to carry on that fight. Under these circumstances 1 do not propose to be considered as “corraled.” I worked for tha election of Bryan and was asked no questions by the company. Men on the Market-street line receive better treatment than those in the employ of any other company in the United States, and as long as a man does the work assigned to him Nevertheless, the Examiner states that we are “corraled,” and that we have the aiternative of voting for the charter or being discharged. Now, | am a poor man, but I will wager $50 that the Examiner cannot prove its assertion. Let it put up its money or cease making such a charge. The charter is proposed by a few poli- ticians for the purpose of putting their friends into office for life and taking everything [ therefore appeal to laboring men to vote against the I believe this statement will fully prove that we are not “corraled,” and that the company does not restrict our vote, but permits each employe to be guided solely by his own judgment. JOHN DEVENEY. place is it specially made his duty to collect the taxes except the collection of delinquent taxes, and for that pur- pose he is empowered to appoint an attorney. While this failure in express words to give the Tax Collector power to col- lect taxes may not be a serious legal omission, it illustrates how omissions have been made that may with the other provisions named lead to litiga- tion, and defeat the purposes of the framers of the charter. THE STATE'S TAXES. The State collects its taxes in this city and county by the Tax Collector in two installments, and the taxes on personal property, the owner of which has no realty, by the Assessor at the time of making the assessment,and pre- SHALL THIS YOKE BE WORN? From Many View Points the New Charter Is Condemned. nue system which applies to the city and county of San Francisco, and no- where gives a Mayor of a city and county the right officially to approva or disapprove a tax levy, and no such right exists.” This decision announces & rule which is changed by the charter. The char- ter makes it the duty of the Board ot Supervisors to provide for the collec- tion of taxes for city and county pur- poses, and, if adopted by the peopls and approved by the Legislature, it will withdraw the collection of taxes for city and county purposes from tha provisions of the Political Code with- out providing any substitute except by litigation, if at all, and in any event imposes the expense upon the city and county. NETWORK OF VICIOUS ERRORS. Because Based on Wholly Unsound Principles the New Charter Must Tt is stated that “‘the new charter 's Fail. based upon our past experlence, and that certain theorists oppose it because it is not like the local government of English citie: Our past experience of bad foundation, but if the Freeholders corruption, inefficlency and politics is a had produced an organic law half as simple and half as effective as an English city charter there would have been no complaint. James Bryce says that the failure of the United States, and he is indorsed by every government of cities Is the conspicuous distingulshed writer, professor and municipal reformer who has dirccted his attention to the subject. San Francisco is no exception, and no Now all true reforms are based on theory. a ship without a rudder. He is a mere wound without any consideration of the The question is not where does the theory come from, but is sound and is it supported by sufficlent ers and base their theory on our rotten evidence that our defects are due to the Supervisors, and they also affirm that the power of the Mayor. principles of all successful government. Not a single successful instance can be has presented a continuous example of one doubts that a reform is necessary. A reformer without a theory is like quack who puts a poultice on & surface disease beneath. its principle facts? The Freeholders pose as reform- past experience. They affirm without weakness of the Mayor to control the the true remedy consists In increasing This theoretical remedy is contrary to the accepted It is undemocratic and unrepublican. quoted in its favor. No city in the world good economical administration under an autocratic Mayor, and this fact proves conclusively that the theory Is itself unsound. Our theory on the contrary affirms that no individual action can possibly replace the concerted action of the people. This theory i American. It is the theory of Jefferson and Lincoln—the theory which is the foundation of all free government, the theory which Is universally acknowledged to be sound In prin- ciple and successful in practice. Applied to city government it has been uni- formly successful in England, Ireland and Scotland; in the half-educated clites of Italy; In the mushroom cities of Australia founded by convicts; in the citles of New Zealand and in those of Canada both old and new, French and English. Nowhere has it failed, and the city which proposes to discard Its consideration and blindly adopt the one-man power, which is a remnant of middle-age tyr- anny, must be content with failure and will be compelled to take a back seat in the car of social progress. I have lived too long and have participated too much In public life to care for personal abuse. It is to be regretted that Mr. Hearst has intrusted the man- agement of his journal to a half-educated editor who knows no more about good municipal goverament than a cow knows of a hollday; who acts as if a bloated circulation were the test of wisdom and the proof of infallibility; who forgets that his last charter for this city was beaten only a few months ago and that his charter candidates, from whose rejection he predicted misery and woe, were all mowed under by the citizens of San Jose. Personal attacks from such a source prove the desperation of his cause, and when all reasonable tactics fail personal abuse becomes the only resource left. Now, sir, I am nearing the end of a long and active life, some of it spent in the administration of the best municipal As a citizen of my adopted country I claim the right of free speech. laws the world has ever known. I have earned everything I possess during a twenty-five years’ residence in San Fran- cisco. am denied a vote in municipal affairs it have been separated by an unrighteous the imputation of having an ax to grind. My acts and opinions are my own. I am a freeholder and I pay my taxes. I claim to be a citizen, and if I is because taxation and representation regulation. My age protects me from I owe no allegiance to any human being—to any corporation or to any public jour- nal. I have fought this question almort favorably entertained by the Mayor, who enabled me to find a publisher. single-handed. My first proposals were To the editor of the Overland Monthly my thanks are due for the first publication of my views. To Mr. James H. Barry I am indebted with unstinted space in his energetic and progressive journal. for appreciation and support Under the au- spices of Mr. Hearst himself I was permitted to expose the evils of individual and the advantages-of corporate appointing power. But free dis ssion was soon put an end to by the editor, who evidently feared that an exposition of the truth would expose his ignorance. When the Freeholders refused to hear addressed to them, and last, but by no me the Bulletin published the letters I means least, The Call has afforded me the fullest opportunity to address the citizens in this momentous crisis of the city’s history. That I have converted many thoughtful citizens is due to the truth of my doctrines and the facts I have presented in their favor. Adopt the new charter and there will be an immediate suspension of reform, the same corruption and ineficiency will continue and expenditures will rapidly increase. mit you to nothing but deliberation and I seek to com- delay. The question of a good charter is one for statesmen to determine, and cannot be settled by an incongruous Board of Freeholders. haste slowly. The subject is full of complications and it will be wise to make DR. J. H. STALLARD. scribes the penalties, costs, etc., on de- | linquencies and provides for their col- | lection. The charter makes it the duty of the Board of Supervisors in connection | with taxes to provide for the collec- tion thereof (section 14, chapter I, ar-| ticle III); that is, to fix the period of time within which they are to be col- | lected for city and county purposes, and | inferentially designates the Tax Col- lector to collect the same; also the time at which they will become delinquent— for the charter confers authority to that extent—simple declarations. The question as to how the collection of taxes for the city and county is to be enforced until they become delin- | quent is a problem which the charter | makers cannot solve. The cost of legal | services will have to be estimated and‘ an apprepriation made therefor if that | mode of collection has to be resorted | to and collections are to be made by an attorney of the Tax Collector; and the | city and county will have to calculate | upon losing on the major portion of the revenue from taxation about 15 per cent upon her estimated revenues from that source. The charter in no place provides for the collection of taxes in the manner prescribed by the general laws of the State, and without that provision where are we? No other provision is made to take its place. The Legislature in passing laws pro- viding for a change of time of assess- ing property or of making collection of taxes different from the provisions of the revenue laws embraced in the | Political Code always recites and makes | applicable the other provisions of the | Political Code as to the mcde and man- ner of assessing; and the collection of taxes Is enforced by penalties under the provisions of the code. This was the course pursued by the Legislature in passing the act for the assessment and collection of taxes upon | personal property for city and county | purposes In San Francisco at a differ- | ent time than the collection of taxes on personal property for State purposes and real estate and improvements. (Statutes 1873-74, page 477.) In this act the manner of assessment | and collection as provided for general- | 1y by the Political Code was changed, a different date fixed for making the levy and collecting taxes on pér- sonal property for city and county pur- poses only; but all other provisions of | the Political Code as to assessments and the collection of taxes, etc., were made applicable. . The decision of the Supreme Court in the case of 1. J. Truman et al. vs. Board of Supervisors (110 Cal, page 128), recites that “The Political Code furnishes & uniform and complete reve- | has been formed exciusively to As the charter cannot be amended by the Legislature (section 8, article II of the constitution), the power is not con- ferred by the charter to insure the col- lection of taxes for city and county purposes, except by litigation. e CIVIL SERVICE DEFECTS. Many Weak Spots Are Pointed Out by the Loecal League. The following is the address of the Anti- Civil Service League of San Francisco against the adoption of the proposed new charter: “Fellow-citizens: In a few days you will be called upon to vote for a charter to govern this city in the future, and be- fore doing so it will be well that you scan the instrument closely before you commit yourselves to the cunning politicians who, instead of being vour servants, seek to be- come your masters. In the first instance 100 members were selected toframea char- ter, and from that 100 fifteen wereselected who resolved themselves into a mutual admiration committee, so to speak, each representing some corporation interest. In other words, ‘If you vote for my meas- ure I will vote for yours,’ and the present instrument is the result, and we are called upon to vote for it on the 26th inst. In- stead of the motto, ‘Remember the Maine,’ on that day we hope you will lay aside all business cares and ‘Remember the charter’ and don't forget to vote against it. There are so many objections to the charter it is unnecessary to enumer= ate them, as some of the papers have al ready mentioned them, and why the char- ter should be defeated. This organization civil service. and we confine nurcgyl?jzgf tions to that alone. In the first place we are told that our merchants are all in favor of civil service. Who are those merchants? Go downtown any day and three out of every five will tell you they live in Oakland, ~ Alameda, San Rafael Sausalito or Tiburon. In the next In- stance we are referred by way of example to the perfect manner the civil service operates in theSchool, Police and Firede- partments and other branches of the Gov- ernment, while at the same time the press of our city is calling our attention to the inefliciency of these very departments. In conclusion, fellow-citizens, without giving the name of all the Commissioners appointed by the Governor, nor those that already exist in this city, City Hall, Elec- tion. Police, etc., and various others too numerous to mention, which the people are directly interested in but have no voice In thelr selection, the new charter adds to these many others and what might be termed the ‘Mayor’s Commis- sioners,’ which would almost Include nearly every office of any consequence in the city. We may as well establish a monarchieal vernment at once and cease having elections.” The Anti-Civil Service League.