OUR SAN FRANCISCO LETTER.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12897, 31 August 1907, Page 6

OUR SAN FRANCISCO LETTER.

(i. ou ora own coKREsroxnENT.)

SAX FRANCISCO, July IG. San Francisco keeps up hor reputation. Tho political situation will afford themes for many a comic opera plot in the days to come, but at tha present time there is ni'ught but work for the tragedian in tho outlook.

Mayor wSchmitz, convicted of extortion, ■nr.s sentenced by Judge Dunne to the full term provided by law—fire years in Stat, prison. In 6oathing language tho Judge upbraided the Chief Magistrate for his crime, pointing out how he had fniled to eriusp the opportunities ifforded him, and had violated public confidence and esteem. Tho Moyor repoatedly interrupted what ho called tho "lecture," and insisted that Judse Dunne bhould sentence him without remarks of aiij kind. Tho scene in court was described by those present as remarkable. iSchmita churned the right of m American citizen in his protest, and tho Judgo wet> forced to wait until the Mayor g«ve him opportunity to proceed. This happened several times beforo the kiteiul words, 'live yearn in 6t«te prison" were uttered. The attorneys for the convicted man at once appealed against tho-entojice, and, though tho Mayor has l*>en refused bail, end is now an inmate of the city and county £aol, it may bo y_ irg. certainly niontns, before tho technical obstructions are cleared away. It is not unlikely, in tho opinion of tome lawyers, that tho Supreme Court of tho &tuto of California will grant a new trial, for Judge Dunuo is alleged to have cried in many respects while conducting tho trial. * Howevta that may be, tho peoplo of San Francisco realise that the days of Mayor cschunitz oro numbered as g leader, and his declaration that he will bo a candidate tor re-election it the polls next November has caused considerable mirth. The convicted man clninis ho will then be vindicated.

Jt is a difficult Uisk to tersely do-scribo tho imbroglio resulting from tho court proceedings. Mayor Schmita has quite a personal following, nnu nearly all the oflfee-holdcrs are his appointees. Proclaiming his innocence of the crime of extortion, the Mayor has given notico that he is still the executive of the city end county ol San Francisco, and that he will resist to tho utmost all attempts to replace him. Tho ''gralt prosecution"— .13 those engaged in cleansing the city are termed—have the supervisors completely under domination, for .the charges (confessed to) of bribery are bunging over their heads, and they, havo to do exactly as they aro told. As soon as Mayor Solmiitz was sentenced, Judge Dunne notified the supervisors of the vacancy in ofljeo. and one of the boodlors on ihe Board was selected to act temporarily. This caused 3 storm of public disapproval. Alter a few days another boixiler was exchanged for the first, owing to sonio legal entanglements, and tho pooplo wero still further incensed when this worthy admitted under oath in one of the trials that he had accepted several thousand dollars from one ot the public service corporations. The prosecutors . have had quite a task in selecting a Mayor. They have the power, for the supervisors will elect their choice. Many citizens havo refused to consider the offer of the position. The struggle between capital and labour has resulted in increased difficulty in selecting a representative of the people who is not radical 011 either one side or the other, so sharply defined are the issues. And then there will be a municipal election in November. The Mayor selected ay this time will only servo n tow months, unless ho is chosen to succeed himself at the polls. It will be impossible in. such _ short period of time for an energetic man to surmount many of the difficulties in his path. Tho city is torn and rent morally and physioally— morally by reason of the disclosures of corruption, tho confessions, and the interminable legal entaugloments pertaining to the Mayor's chair, and physically because of the damage and destruction caused by earthquake and fire on the eighteenth day of April, 1900. The streets ore still in a deplorable condition. The sewers are not rebuilt. Public schools have to be constructed, and municipal questions unlike those that have raced other communities, hove to bo tnot in tho city of the Californian slope. The car strike has evolved itself into a question of endurance. Heavy losses to business have resulted. Patrick Calhoun, President of tbo United R-ail roads Corporation, and under in* dictment for Tbribing the supervisors, has admitted that tho struggle has cost him over one million dollars. Tint sum, apparently, be doubled before a settlement will he reached. The men hare lost hundrods of thousands of dollars in wages. Th© people have been inconvenienced, and, even some of tho suloons that , grace (P) nearly every corner have closed their doors as a result of the depresaion in trade. On top of tho disturbed conditions come rumours that labour troubles are to start in tho building trades. The telephone operators are still on strike for recognition of tho* union, and the service is badly crippled. Altogether the people are on edge. They will not be surprised at anything that happens. Tho highly-touted Bill Squires of Australia, pugilist of note in the annals of tho island-continent, made a Fourth of July holiday for ono Tommy Bums, a Canadian of power with tho gloved fist. In tho first round Mr" Squires was given the sleep potion, much to the disgust of thousands who travelled miles to see "tho "exhibition," and whose dollars are now lining th. pockets of the promoters and principals. Certainly the Australian champion found no comfort in the paper reports of hurprowess (after the battle!). If ever a man was "roasted by biting pens, Squires was the individual, and those who were responsible for foisting him on a gullible public also received their duo. The Australians and New Zealanders in this section of the world lost thousands of dollars as 1 result of tho contest. Tho defeated man declared he was going to return home by the first boat, but it now looks as though ho would tempt fate once more.