Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-10-11
SAN FRANCISCO LETTER.
TRUE INWARDNESS OF THE LATE
CITY CONVENTIONS.
Potent Influences Upon Bay Papers
Presidential Corruption Prac-
ticed by Party Bosses.
SAN Francisco. October 10. 1884.

thought it might be well to tell how the
Conventions themselves were brought into
existence. This is piece of news which is
always kept carefully concealed from the
San Francisco public One would think
that the Republican papers would want to
tell ali the bad practices of the Democrats,
and vice versa; but they don't. 1t is
rather TOO much trouble to collect the
facts, and all the reward after publication
would he you are another" Then, too,
they realize that it would avail them
nothing, unless the truth was told about
both SIDES, and that they have not the
moral courage to do. 1t would surprise the
good and generous people down here, too, if
they were told how easily newspapers were
kept from telling too much about political
matters. There is the Chronicle it used
to rail at Bill Higgins, howl
ut Colonel Cannon and heap all
kinds of abuse on Dick Chute, but it has
swallowed Higgins & Co.'S slate ticket as
easily as Michael world gulp an Eastern
immigrant off the half-shell and has not a
word to say against the crooked manner in
which MIR. Higgins fixed the Convention.
A couple of weeks ago Michaers paper did
mutter a little about Higgins, but it ceased
aud was silent as the grave when Higgins
did Michael a little favor. 1t was not
much that Michael wanted, and Higgins
was Only too glad to
PURCHASE HIS SILENCE
So cheaply. Mr. Higgins slate candidate
for the Office of County Clerk was W.
Lamb, IN old-time politician and man of
some brains. The office is very fat one.
1t is said to be worth $4,000 in two years,
and the idea struck Michael that for a
couple of reasons he would like to see a
young friend of his named Louis Jacobs get
the place. Jacobs was Secretary of the
last Grand Jury, which did Michael Il
favor or two, and besides with Louis as
County Clerk, Michaeps young men could
have the inside of all divorce papers and
other Court secrets usually kept from the
public Louis is a small fellow: once an
operator on the Atlantic and Pacific Tele-
graph lines, and never heard of till he was
put on the Grand jury, but all the same
Michael wanted him for the honorable and
important Office of County Clerk, and mott
fed Mr.. Higgins of his wish. &" Certainly"
said Higgins, when talking over the mat
ter; land | would be pleased to find a
place on the ticket for every newspaper in
San Francisco that amounts to anything"
Mr. Michael De Young got the wish of his
heart and now he not only supports the
slate ticket, but goes ont of his way to de
nounce as soreheads and kickers respect
able minority of the Convention, who had
manhood enough to resent Higgins slate
being forced upon them. The Cal and
Bulletin made short-lived attempt to
START A CITIZENS TICKET,
But the old committee Of II, who had the
scheme in hand, were too Republican, and
instead Of indorsing Mayor Bartlett, the
gentleman whose record has won the sup
port of the Bulletin, they laid pipe to pack
crowd for Merry, and next day out
comes the Bulletin with scathing article
denouncing the taxpayers crowd as a
clique working TO put up ticket of
Spring Valley Supervisors. The ErGm-
'nef, being the personal organ of George
Hearst, who wants to 90 to the United
States Senate, and has let contract to
Chris. Buckley, is not likely to criticise
Buckley's plan of stuting Conventions in
the Hearst interests, even when the Tar
Flat hoodlums and sailor clearinghouse
keepers are put on the Legislative ticket.
Besides, Mr.. Clarence Greenhouse, who
runs the EcnniRer, has a few little jobs OF
his own, and is in no position to tell the
truth. For instance, he used the influence
of the Examiner some time ago to push
through the Board of Supervisors what
was known as Scales rubble stone steal"
and he also took a fat fee for
doing Western Union lobbying before
the late unlamented Legislature
The .1ita is not going to give things away,
because it is poor and needs every bit OF
patronage, and cannot afford TO turn up its
nose al crumbs which fall from the bosses
table and the PoSt-well, the Post is a Re
publican organ, and can only play the
music SGT 10y the man who turns the crank.
SO it Is plain that no honest criticism Of
the methods Of canvention-fix need be
expected from the press of san Francisco,
though this wear they have surpassed
themselves in ingenious and wicked frauds
to di-franchise the people. Republicans
and Democrats are the same there is nc
choice between them; both use the same
methods In an evil hour the Democratic
party adoitcd what Is known as the = Il
Club plan The city was divided into Il
districts, in each Of which was a chartered
club. These clubs were to elect delegate
for ali onyentions-national, State, mum
cipal and legislative; also. members of tho
County Committee.
CHRIS BUCKLEY's POLITICAL POCKET.
Buckley started at once to gain contro
OF the cIubs. In the Ninth District h,
had fog heutenants Johnny and Frank
Murphy and Tim McCarty. The Tenth
and Eleventh he looked after himself tho
Twelfth was handed over to Sam Rainey
assistant chief of the Fire Department
and the Thirteenth was left to take care
of itself for the time being, Buckley moi
desiring 10 weaken himself by attempting
to do t6o much at the start. The same
tactics were pursued in every club. Buck.
lev had the county committeeman who
formed the temporary organization. Thai
gave him the President, Secretary and tho
committee which supervised the roll ant
passed on the eligibility of all members
With these officers the rest was easy anc
one instance will suffice: Club S WI,
blessed with the assistance Of }. j. Kenn,
rs Secretary. Kenny IS now candidate
for the Legislature and staunch BucI,ley
man. As Secretary, Kenny had possession
Of the roll. He stuffed the roll with
names and to avoid detection kept i
secret til the night when permanent
officers we're to he elected. The homes
members complained and Bucklcy's com
mittee Only laughed At them.
TIE SUFFERS ELECTED OFFICERS,
And the honest members went of an,
formed = club in another place. only to b,
denounced rs 4 piece club, and in ;he Fir
o,aipcr we're dubbed kickers. Tn,
Kenny faction rot control and elected dele
gates to san jose, and have kept on elect
Ing delegates ever since. There Is no wa,
to Dust lhen. They control the party ma
chinery, and il ayails nothing tor other
to complain. The County Committe
elected by the stuffed clubs is Buc,lev's
and they only laugh at complaints O
fraud. 1t IS only working in circle TIL
clubs elect county committeeman, and tn
County Committee passes on the legality q
club elections. Having with the assistanc
of Hearst's money and district bosses SC
cured control Of the Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh
and Twelfth Districts, Buckley, when h
came home from the San Jose Convention
laid about to take the power from the di:
trict bosses and keep it all in his ow
hands. Murphy resisted, and ut the lat
club election Buckley secured the service