"The System," As Uncovered by the San Francisco Graft ProsecutionHichborn, Franklin
History
"The System," As Uncovered by the San Francisco Graft Prosecution
Hichborn, Franklin
Political corruption -- California -- San Francisco; San Francisco (Calif.) -- Politics and government
from justice, and that when Jake Sharp bought the New York
Aldermen he did not also buy the authority which filled
vacancies in the Board. As the situation in this city is
unique, so, also, must be our methods of dealing with it. It
may be that every Supervisor ought to be promptly indicted but
it is certain that that is the one thing most ardently desired
by the innumerable company of grafters outside the board. And
it may not be but to help them."
[237] Keane had two champions on the board, however. Supervisors J.
J. O'Neil and O. A. Tveitmoe. They resisted Keane's discharge,
denouncing it as unwarranted and cowardly. Mayor Schmitz
vetoed the resolution removing Keane. The Supervisors,
however, adopted the resolution over the Mayor's veto.
[238] The San Francisco Call, in its issue of June 10, 1907, said of
Schmitz's continued hold on the Police Department:
"The Call has never attached much importance to the well meant
efforts of the various citizens' committees to persuade Mayor
Schmitz to reorganize the police force and the governing
commission of that body. It is easy to understand that Schmitz
might engage in some such transaction or bargain if he could
be shown his own advantage therein, but that he would
surrender control of his most valuable personal asset at this
time or, indeed at any other time, was scarcely conceivable in
view of the character of the man. This is said advisedly. It
is notorious that Schmitz all through his long session in
office has treated his control of the police not as a public
trust for the common good, but as so much personal property to
be used to the limit for his private advantage. Therefore,
when Schmitz, in the first instance, gave a committee some
sort of pledge that he would comply with its desire or
requests, there was a very natural suspicion that the terms of
the bargain as a whole had not been disclosed. There was the
insistent inquiry, 'What does Schmitz get by the bargain?'
"That question has never been answered from the inside and
probably will not be answered, but the committee very shortly
quit in disgust, realizing, doubtless, that Schmitz wanted
something it could not grant as a consideration for his
abandonment of power.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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