Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-02-24
POLITICAL cH1r-cHAT.

breeziest kind. 1t comes in rapid waves, and
each undulation is freighted with a new con-
lecture or statement. The mastering of the
forces for the coming city election is seen in
every ward, and the rattle of the political
drum, and the shrill call of the party fife
constantly pierces the air.
In the first place, it is admitted that the
election is one of exceeding Importance that
upon its result the prosperity and safety of
the city may largely depend. It is admitted
on all sides that now, of all times, there is
demand for the most undoubted ability. the
most clear-headed of men, and those whose
knowledge of and interest in Sacramento is
beyond all question.
For Second Trustee there are, to date. two
gentlemen in the 6eld-William F. Knox.
the present incumbent, who has announced
himself as an independent candidate, ard
william Minis, OF Yolo. who is the nominee
OF the Workingmen's party, upon which the
democracy smiled in Endorsement 1t is said
that MIR. Knox was refused the Democratic
nomination because he was recognized as no
longer Democrat, it being alleged that he
has recently voted the Republican ticket.
NJ MIR. Knox, as one of the members of the late
Sacramento Valley Drainage Commi sion,
did vote for Chris. Green, Republican, for
Secretary Of this Commission. The Commits
sloners were all Democrats-though the mat
ter IN hand had no political significance re-
| quiring that they should be of one party, but
they were. Mr.. Knox voted for Mr.. Green
as a concession to the Republicans. and now,
his friends say, he is to be punished for voting
for Republican who, by the way, was the best
selection that couldhave been made, andproved
an efficient Secretary and served for nothing.
1t is asserted by some that Mr.. Knox has
voted the entire Republican ticket of late,
| and it is certain tnat he did vote for George
| &. Perkins, and therefore, say many Repub
lican friends, he can take the test established,
and, they add, that certainly he is as good. if
not a better Republican than many, now
stalwarts, who but few short years ago
were shining lights in the ranks Of the De-
mocracy, running the conventions and accept
| ing the nominations of that party for Office.
| They say that of all the loud voices in the
interest of pure Republicanism those of
the chronic boilers of by-gone times are the
loudest. All this and much more say
| the Republican friends of Mr.. Knox, who
! desire to see him nominated by the Repub-
lican Convention. These citizens, thus hold
ing, are very numerous and thoroughly
representative of the best interests of Sacra-
mento. They declare, on being g inter-
viewed, that they want Mr.. Knox because
of his experience and competency as Street
Commissioner, and because it Is for the best
interest of the city that he be retained still
another term in the position he now holds.
A review of the field shows the city to be
divided into two elements just now-the
Knox and the anti-Kno factions. If on
Thursday" say the Knox men, . the Repub-
lican Convention dominates other than Mr..
Knox for Trustee, then the opposition to him |
is divided, and his strength as an independent |
candidate is increased. If this is not true"
say these gentlemen, "then more Republic |
cans will vote for Mr. Knox anyhow than |
there are Workingmen's party followers who |
will vote for Minis, and these, with the |
Workingmen dissatisfied with Minis, and the
Democrats who agree with them in that dis
satisfaction, will secure the election of Knox.
Or" they add, If this last prophecy is not
true, then the inevitable result will be that
the division of the Republican strength be-
tween Knox and the regular Republican NOM
inee will insure the election of Minis" Thus
they frd reason, in any. view of the |
case, for Republican nomination of Knox.
However much some may be inclined |
to scout these conjectures, he is a |
blind man who moves among the people |
and cannot see that there is much dissatsfac-
ton on these points. Dissatisfaction by the
Workingmen, who do not look upon Minis
as a representative of them. They say, aud |
boldly, that one of the chief objects of the |
Workingmen's organization was to eliminate /
from politics the old politicians and office 4
holders and party hacks, and they assert that |
MIR. Minis has been an oifice-holder or office
seeker and party politician for the best
part of quarter of a century, and has at no |
time manifested any love for the Working |
mems party, but stumped the State
against its nominee for Governor within
year. But the political chit-chat goes
further and declares that Minis has |
no earthly claim upon Sacramento,
coming here only as a State officer, and not
thereby losing his residence during his term
in the county from which he hailed. Some
go SO far as to say that Minis chief clerk, |
Judge Henry, who came here with Minis
from the same county, was taken up and
made City Police Judge, and that the little
game now is to elect Minis, his principal, a
Trustee, so as to influence Henry, his late
deputy, as Henry is one of the Police Com
missioners, and two or three members of the
Workingmens Central Tor managing) Com
mittee wait positions on the police force. 1t
is fair to say that Judge Henry's friends deny
that he is the kind of man to be influenced
in that way, but the others nevertheless re-
assert the charge of the little game. and say
that Judge Henry's backbone makes no DIFF
ference III the plan to run Minis in or in the
purpose in view.
As to Chief of Police the feeling is growing
stronger for jackson. 1t is generally con-
coded that his nomination and election
would mean radical reform in the police de-
partment and reorganization of the force as
regards its effectiveness. 1t is said that the
Columbia Club indorses jackson, and will go
for him solidly. Matt. Karcher, the Work
ingmen's candidate, has been member of
that party since its organization here,
and his nomination is held to be a consistent
act, but it is urged that his election is simply
a part of the game to toist Minis upon the
city as pensioner, and further the scheme to
put certain clique upon the police force.
Large numbers of citizens, who admit
Karcher's capacity and ability as a Chief,
assert that his election would give no assur-
ance of the reforms sure to follow Jackson's
election-reforms which would make the
force independent of all influences but those
emanating from legal heads, the commission
ers and the Chief. t
Much gossip and comment is tobe picked
up regarding the nominations to be made on
Thursday by the Republican Convention,
but it is as yet too conglomerate to be
formulated, and the most that can be said is
that it is very much mixed matter.