t to be changed was our absurd liquor license. We had by far the
lowest tax of any city in the Union, and naturally had the largest
number of saloons. I tried to have the license raised from eighty-four
dollars to one thousand dollars, hoping to reduce our twenty-four
hundred saloons. I almost succeeded. When I failed the liquor interest
was so frightened at its narrow escape that it led the people to adopt a
five-hundred-dollar substitute.

I was led to undertake the correction of grave abuses and confusion in
the naming of the city streets. The post-office authorities were greatly
hampered in the mail delivery by the duplicate use of names. The
dignified word "avenue" had been conferred on many alleys. A commission
worked diligently and efficiently. One set of numbered streets was
eliminated. The names of men who had figured in the history of the city
were given to streets bearing their initials. Anza, Balboa, and
Cabrillo gave meaning to A, B, and C. We gave Columbus an avenue,
Lincoln a "way," and substituted for East Street the original name of
the waterfront, "The Embarcadero." In all we made more than four hundred
changes and corrections.

There were occasional humorous incidents connected with this task. There
were opposition and prejudice against names offered. Some one proposed a
"St. Francis Boulevard." An apparently intelligent man asked why we
wanted to perpetuate the name of "that old pirate." I asked, "Who do you
think we have in mind?" He replied, "I suppose you would honor Sir
Francis Drake." He seemed never to have heard of Saint Francis of
Assisi.

It was predicted that the Taylor administration with its excellent
record would be continued, but at the end of two years it went down to
defeat and the Workingmen's party, with P.H. McCarthy as mayor, gained
strong control. For two years, as a minority member, I enjoyed a
different but interesting experience. It involved some fighting and
preventive effort; but I found that if one fought fairly he was accorded
consideration and opportunity. I introduced a charter amendment that
seemed very desirable, and it found favor. The charter prescribed a
two-year term for eighteen supervisors and their election each alternate
year. Under the provision it was possible to have every member without
experience. By making the term four years and electing nine members
every other year experience was assured, and the ballot would be half
the length, a great advantage. I