Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-10-02
OR1G|TV/AI DEFECTIVE -

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| but by force Of circumstances be had bee
| induced to accept the presidency of hi
club, and being once in he proposes
to bear himself so that his enem
should beware of him. As t.
Bill Higgins share in the fight, he didn't be
lieve he had anything to do with it. Neve
saw him in his life never had any thing t.
do with him, directly or indirectly. TIT
ward clubs had been duly organized by tn
County Committee. When the committee
met and broached the project of appoint
ing delegates to the Convection, the Presi
dents of the clubs got together. and all bu
four ous OF eighteen protested against tn,
action Of the County COMMITTEES. Theil
protest was ignored the committee ever
refused to open their letter, and in reply
to a proposition for some measure thai
should insure harmony in the party ranks
the committee said, . II you boilers wan
any compromise, you can come in on oul
terms. Undoubtedly the movement of tbs
CounA Committee was instigsted by de-
sire 60 serve The interests of the water
company, and it was engineered by man
who, II not the attorney. at law, was at leas,
the att orney in fact of the water company.
As to any further inwardness o. the clubs,
any II ggins affiliations, any desig-s upor
tns purity OF elections, or good and eco
nomics administration of city government,
he had no knowledge and would aver moth
ing of he sort. His whole object was to
vindicase the right of the party at large to
q voice in the election of its representa-.
tives, as against any close corporation, star
chamber proceedings. Furthermore, de.
ponens saith not. 1t sometimes happens
that the mining prospector, in his search
for the precious metals, spends much time
and labor on comparatively barren ground,
and ttan stumbles upon wealth that has
lain neglected in his immediate vicinity
so with your correspondent. As he
turned from the rather poor result
PANIED out from his last venture,
he ran against an old acquaintance
veteran political manager, VINO proved to
contain bonanza. Gently inserting his
diamond drill, in few moments your
prosDector developed high-grade ore.
" Yes, l know something about this
affair. To begin with, l consider it a de-
hberate, put-up job to defeat the popular
will to perpetuate certain clique
IN office, and to advance the interests
OF Spring Valley. As one thing
tending to this, will call your
attention to this pack, We're prominent
among the engineers of the 'Duffer )
movement are Fred. Elliott, Deputy Coun.
ty Clerk, and John Daily aud Charles G.
jackson, of the Street Department. A
year ago thsy were pulling and haul
ing against each other. Now they are
2 thick as nine rats in a stocking, work
nu tn kn
of power within their own circle. How.
ever, we will let that pass and come down
to definite facts. Under the decision
OF the Supreme Court, practically
putting the matter of water rates under
the control of the Board Of Supervisors, it
cane Of the first Importance to the water
company that it should Re solid with the
Board. Tie company therefore put the
case to the County Committee in TINS way
Stand In with US on the Board of Super
visors, and we will help You to perpetuate
yourselves and your friends in office. Bear
in mind that, when the delegation to the
State Conven Ion was made up, it had not
been decided that a municipal Con-
vention should be held this year. That
came out afterwards. When it became
known that city election must be held
this fall, the original idea was that the
delegation to the State Convention should
choose the municipal Convention but
when it was found that they could not be
depended upon to advance the interests of
the water company, something had to be
done. Consequently the company put up
this job with the County Committee
80 nominate members of the Convention.
i e
needed | will cite the tact that
George Dixon, member and Secretary of
the 'DuGers' Convention, admitted, in SO
many words. that if he had not agreed to
stand by the interests of the company, he
couldn't have been where he is. Further.
more, it is perfectly well known that the
managers OF that Convention are men de.
voted TO the company. As to what
share Higgins and mis- crowd have in
this fight, l have no doubt that
Higgins has some friends, in both
Conventions. l have known Higgins
i twenty-five years, and l know that so
far as his present opposition to the water
Is concerned, it is selfish but an
honest one. He formerly worked for the
but they fell out over disagree
mens, and row he is fighting the
in earnest. Undoubtedly there
il some truth in the assertion that
Higgins anil Chris. Buckley work into
each Others hands in controlling the
primarieE, mare's the pity, but the
County ComTuittee and its hackers should
be the last ones 20 rise in condemnation of
that, since it is owl2g to its refusal to make
such regulations regarding the conduct of
r. nj q
that such manipulation IS pos
sible. As to the recent primary for the
election CT tSe members of the Buffers
it was an exceptionally well
and squarely conducted one. The buffers
have made bid for popular support by
putting up Blake for Mayor and Brick
~edoi for auditor. They couidn't do other.
wise Their game will develop itself when
they come to Supervisors.
SUMMING UP.
Other evidence has been taken in this
cause celeJre, but it is merely cumulative,
and your correspondent will now rest, and
sum up the case. Undoubtedly much
truth has been spoken by witnesses. That
Higgins on the Republican and Buckley
on the Democratic side have to great ex-
tent controlled the politics of the city is,
undeniable That the two
have at times combined to carry out their
designs is probably true. That Higgins is,
in the present case, really fighting the wa
ter company, and for selfish purposes, can.
not be doubted. That the Spring Valley
Water Company is prominently interested
in this fight is equally certain, That the
Bulletin is, and has been, making deter
mined fight against the water company, is
q matter OF public knowledge Tais fight
dates back to 1873, and the same parties
who were prominent ct that time IN the
Ralston.Sharon Spring Valley interest, ara
to the front in the "Duffer" movement.
To mention some names, Reuben II. Lloyd
and w. III L Barnes, leading attorneys,
have appeared as the master spirits of the
s. Duffer Convention, and the Chronicle is
the journalistic exponent cf the faction.
L is within the personal knowledge of your
that during the excitement
attendant upon the suspension of the Bank
Of California, largely attributable to the
failure of Ralston to cell Spring Valley to
the city for double it's value, Lloyd and
Barnes were active in the Sharon interest
The Chronicle was then, az now, their
mouth. piece and abe.tor. 1t can hardly
be denied that at that time the Bulletin
prevented the perpetration of fraud upon
the city, and it would be hardihood, in the
light of subsequent events, to assert that its
present course against the same element is
founded on no more credisable incentive
than the qualification of private ill.fesling.
Mr.. Lloyd has been charged by his oppo-
nents in the present fight with being the
attorney of Spring Valley. 1t is under.
stood that he explicitly denies that he is,
or has been, the attorney of the company,
OF that he has ever received dollar of its
His statement is entitled to con-
sideratioD but it is fact that his former
partner in business, MIR. Nswlands, the
son.in-law of Mr.. Sharon, was -.
attorney Of the company, al that
when the latter retired from the
firm, Mr.. Woods, formerly connected
with Sharoa's interests in Nevada, became
Mr.. Lioyd's partner, and that the latter