Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-09-16
SAN FRANCISCO LETTER.
A RED-HOT REVIEW CT POLITICS
AT THE METROPOLIS.
An Electric Light Thrown on the
Stun and Filth of B0ssism
and Political Workings.
TFroIn The REconD-uNIox Correspondent ]

SAN FRANCISCO, September 10, 1884.
To say that San Francisco is dull Just
now would be but feebly 10 express the
condition Of affairs. From the standpoint
Of a news-gatherer, San Francisco is to-
day almost blank and It's 100000 popula-
ton are furnishing no more occurrences of
interest than often come from an up-couD-
try hamlet Of less than 100 souls During
the whole week the combined press Of the
city has contained just three items Of local
interest The chief Of these, a difference
in the State funds, came from Sacramento;
= murder and suicide came down from
Petaluma, and San Francisco itself pro-
vided 4 sort of ;hird-rate killing scrape
The fact is that politics alone engrosses the
public attention, and all are so busy with
Republican or Democratic whOOp-ups that
they have no time to be either furnishing
news to the world Or reading what the
balance Of the world furnishes them. The
present
CAMPAIGN IN SAN FRANCISCO
Presents an anomalous condition when one
goes very little way beneath the surface
of things. 1t is battle Of pasteboard
knights on wooden horses, armed with
reeds; holiday show, an exhibition Of
fine uniforms, nodding plumes and pranc-
ing steeds, with scarcely bit Of inten
ton to do real battle, except perhaps in
the bosom of some young neophyte
who has not sufficient experience to see
what hollow sham it all is. 1t is the
era of uniformed companies, and their APP
pearance on the scene marks not the dawn
Of reform in politics, but rather a crystal
lization Of the old abuses As now con-
stituted, a majority Of the uniformed
organizations in San Francisco are nothing
but the banding together of young politi-
clans for mutual political profit, or to fur
Their. not the election OF the national can
didates so much as the ambition of certain
leaders among them who desire substantial
recognition from the candidate when
elected. 1t would be unfair to condemn
every organization and every member, but
the rule viii stand close scrutiny on either
side. Take the case Of
THE CONGRESSIONAL CLUBS,
As they may be called. They are organi-
cations mostly Of young men joined to-
gether presumably by their love and adj
miration for the distinguished character of
the candidate whose name they bear. The
man who can imagine how respect and
admiration for some of the Congressional
candidates could induce white Americans
to buy uniforms, carry torches and parade
over cobblestones must indeed be blessed
with lively imagination. The paraders
were never consulted about the nominal
tons. and are not such fools as
to think that they had any hand
in making candidates. Mr.. Buckley took
delegation to the Stockton Convention who
were as much his creatures or the creatures
sfhis employer, as the obedient spaniel Of
the hunter. They were selected by the
San Francisco clubs under the supervision
of Mr. Buckley with the distinct pledge
and understanding that they would obey
his orders in all things. They were not
representative men for low as are the pri-
mary workers in both parties, pimps
thieves, suborners of perjury and false
witnesses do not fairly represent them.
Some OF them did not even have the poor
merit Of being faithful TO their party, for
three Of them rode side by side at the head
of a Garfield and Arthur procession in
1880. and again the same three were not
duly members of Republican clubs three
years ago, but sat in a Republican NUM-
cipal nominating convention. Jerry Drls-
coll. Bob Fitzgerald and Joe COrcoran were
three of the most active workers in the old
Republican ring up TO recent date, and
they are 10y no means bad sample Of the
men who put up nominations for the Dem
ocratic party and made platform ct
Stockton this year.
FAITHFUL SERVANTS - BECAUSE WELL
PAID
or Mr.. Buckley, they did his bidding,
and nominated Robert Hastings and
Frank Sullivan. Hastings had the poor
merit of being Zone Of the boys hail
fellow well met with them all. He had
run the school carpenters shop in the
Rush-5trcet interest and cot his reward in
nomination. But Sullivan pompous,
stuek-up man OF small mind and large
head-had not even that recommendation.
His friends say he got the nomination as
reward for his consistent anti-monopoiy
course in the Senate. and on that he Is
making his camuai-n. That is a Joke SO
stupendous that one struggles in vain 10
fully express the humOr IL contains.
CHRISTOPHER Buckley ruled the delegation
that nominated Sullivan, and the idea OF
Mr. Buckley giving - actually giving
away nomination as 4 reward Tor Scna-
tors consistent anti monopoly course Is the
auotheosis Of all burlesqUe, and Is only
eaualed by the idea of such patriotic citi-
zeus rs Jerry Driscoll assisting a candI-
dates nomination without hope Of fee or
reward. Mr. Sullivan was nominated
because his father was rich man, and
dying. had left him some money. lie has
rot even the right 10 say, " earned my
money and
CAN PUY A NOMINATION
III choose" Mr.. Sullivan claims to have
earned his nomination by his pure record,
and Of being under obligation to no man.
1t may be so; bat if SO it was 3 strange
spectacle, when few days after the heat
and toll of stockton. Mr.. Sullivan sent his
manager with $500 10 buy wine for the
bows who hang around Mr.. Buckley $
Raio0n on Bush street. Why should Mr.
Sullivan spend 40 much money at one par
ticular saloon if he owed its proprietor
nothing For their prodigslity or liber-
atty? Wen, in the language Of Mr.. Sui
liyau's associate, Not much" for the
gentleman VINO paid low-down newspaper
correspondent to speak Of him in his paper
Is the handsomest man in the Senate, IS
as close rs lhe fiber OF Bessemer steel, and
was never known 20 spend dollar for any
thing but personal attraction. That a
cose-iisted, esotistical, unpopular young
man, with whom brains are rs short as
money is plentiful, should receive a nomi-
nation for Congress explains the methods
Of San Francisco political bosses and their
following, which Just now comprises the
element which controls both party organi-
cations. But It's enough to disgust de
cent man and keep him from the polls, to
see Buckley going around like Diogenes
with a lantern looking for some consistent
anti-monopoist as a Congressional candi-
date, overlooking such clean, bright fell
low as Barry who has decent record, and
taking up with such one as Sullivan,