New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-08-22
CALIFORNIA POLITICS.

rent with factl0nS WHICH nc 50 DldIcnly ABOUT
each other that patient seeker after truth
has need of all his wits. There is no Gov
ernor nor other State executive officer to be
chosen: but the Legislature to he elected this
Fall will determine the choice OF United
States Senator to succeed the Hon. Eugene
Casserly. whose term of office expires March
4. 1879. In most of the counties, towns, and
cities, too, important local elections will be
held. OF these, that of San Francisco which
now controls about one-fifth of the political
power of the whole State, Is the most
notable. The California metropolis is gov
erned by consolidated city and county board
of officers; and an election in that city is always
closely contested. The Supervisors, who legis-
late for a large constituency, are now specially
favorable to the Central Pacific railroad
interest; and when, two years ago, the Board,
"a then constituted, should have been changed
nv a popular election, the Railroad Ring pro-
cnred the passage of a law by the Legislature
extending the terms OF the outgoing super
visors twoyears. The boldness of this move was
covered by similar extension OF the terms
Of about one-half of the city officers; so that
| this year, instead Of choosing part OF Board
of Supervisors and half of the large number
| of executive officers Of the city, San Francisco
| elects a full board of municipal officers, from
the Mayor downward, twelve Supervisors, and
large delegation to the Senator-choOslng
Legislature. Therefore about sixty important
offices are to be filed in the city and county.
There are three tickets in the field: Repub-
lican, Taxpayers and Democratic. Some can
didates are on more than one of these tickets;
but, for all practical purposes, each organiza-
is perfect i'll itself.
What is true of San Francisco is largely
true of the State But 10 is difficult for an
outsider to understand the bitterness of the
contest. The Central Pacific Railroad, an i'm
mense, powerful, and ambitious corporation, has
gradually risen from an obsequiOus suppicant
in the Legislature to become an imperial die
tatOr at every caucus, and an owner OF Sena-
tors and Representatives in Congress. 1t
has penetrated every avenue of party
politics. and has oppressed trade, agri-
culture and commerce by carrying out
policy of management which is as short
sighted as it is selfish. In San Francisco this
corporation has fretted and trifed with the
people for years, demanding grants of city
lands, subsidies and special favors as chang
ing conditions of putting the depOts some
where about the city front; and yet, to this
day. the question of final location remains an
unsettled element IN local politics the simple
citizens being meanwhile terrified with the
bugaboo of a rival metropolis on Goat Island
or across the Bay at Oakland.
Another element of distraction in California
politics is Gorham-the Hon. George G. Cor
ham, Secretary of the United States Senate,
II - l.,.N
brilliant and successful politicians in the
country. Gifted with extraordinary acumen
and powers of persuasion, he deserves to rank
in politics with that questionable hero in Ger
man literature, Reynard the Fox. He has
great following linked to him with hooks Of
steel; for, as an eminent authority has said of
Reinecke: "WhOever can succeed in any new
condition of society, can succeed only in
virtue of fulfilling the terms which society
"exacts of him and if he fulflls them trium-
"phantly, of course it rewards and praises
him. He is what the rest of the world
"would be if their powers were equal
to their desires" 1t is but sorry
state of society in which such a statement is
true; but it is absolutely true of California
politics. heretofore the meanest in the broad
Republic. In a State where everybody seems
TO be reDding every other body, a man who by
the sheer magnetism of his personal presence,
the subtlety of his logic, the bOldness of his
plans, and the bright candor that walls his
occult purposes, can take captive vast
political machine, achieves great success.
He is what the rest of the world would be if
their powers were equal to their de-
sires. Such man is Secretary Cor
ham, who secured the Republican nomi-
nation for Governor in 1867, was defeated
by bolt, speedily retrieved his position and
was chosen Secretary of the United States
Senate, secured large interest in the distribu-
ton of the Grant Administration favors in
California, got possession of the Republican
organization of the State, enlisted the powers
of the Railroad Ring on his side, and now
proposes to be United States Senator. Is it
any wonder that he has followers, numerous
and faithful, who believe in him as though
he were a peerless paladini IL he were de-
feated in his senatorial campaign, an admiring
and impartial observer would feel the same
pang of regret with which he might witness
the discontinue of Reynard the Fox.
The success of Gorham and the Railroad
Ring would be gall and NORWOOD to large
fraction of the Republicans of the State.
Portentous indications of the power of these
two interests have already alarmed the
"purest and bestn throughout the State; and,
in many instances, independent movements
have begun. The Taxpayers organization
in San Francisco is a legacy from the old
Peoples Party which was called into exist
ence by the Vigilance Committees OF earlier
days 1t now proposes TO elect a city govern
ment and legislative delegation which shall
be INTERNATIONAL; and "anti-railroad.' we take