The morning call., 1890-08-19
THE pEMoCKArIo CONVENTION.


This morning the Democratic State Con-
vention will be called 10 order at San Jose.
Not a few of the members present VIII re-
call to mind the assembling IN the same
city OF another Democratic Convention, just
eight years ago. whose results were pretty
serious for the Democratic party. Then, as
now, there was a likely crop OF candidates
for the Office Of Governor. Prominent
among these was Mr.. George Hearst, whose
cohorts were marshaled by his friend and
ally, Mr. Chris Buckley, not wholly I'M
known in political circles. when the dele-
gates left this city it was supposed that ME-
Hearsts nomination was foregone con-
cluSion, though he had formidable oppo-
cents, among them Clay w. Taylor from
the north and George Stoneman from the
south.
Ii is not worth while. at this distance ana
time, to recapitulate the GIBBS and hoWs oil
the battle that was waged that year at Dan
jose 1t is enough to say that MI Hearst
forces went to pieces almost at the nrst
shock, and that Stoneman won the prize.
1t was a lucky thing for him, for 1852 was
Democratic year; a tidal wave OF such d.
mansions swept over the country That even
Massachusetts went Democratic, and
Cleveland carried New York by 100000 ma
iority. In this State the Democrats carried
their State ticket and both houses Of the
Legislature. How they used their power
history is there TO show. Stoneman-the
man of extra sessiOns-went down where
McGinty lies, 10 the bottom of the sea,
where Waterman will presently join him !;
and hardly one Of the leaders Of the party
in the Legislature of 1888 is still politically
alive to tell the tale. Politics interests
them no more.
They are not all dead, however. Pond, who
was then Supervisor from the Sixth, is a
candidate for Governor, and SO is Coleman,
Who was then Assemblyman from san
Mateo. Then, as now, English was first
mate Of the craft which Buckley sailed; now
he wants 10 command in person. George
Hearst, having failed TO get the nomination
for Governor from the convention, was
afterward more successful with the Legis-
Iature, and obtained the post of United
States Senator, which enables him to
divide his time agreeably between the race
courses at Jerome Park and Sheepshead
Bay. White of Los Angeles was an indus
trous lawyer, much engrossed in ques-
tions of Spanish titles; it was not till
1884 that he won fame as Chairman OF
the Stockton Convention, and began to see
his way to pre- empting the Senatorship-
One factor in the Democratic situation
is unchanged. MIR. Hearsts paper Still
survives and still eropes its way through
the labyrinth of party politics in search of a
policy. 1t was in those days wonderful
illustration of the use of language for the
concealment Of thought; now, it is unable
to conceal its owners grudges.
The whirligig of time brings round
strange vicissitudes. When the last San
Jose convention met everything was sub
ordinaled to the railroad question, and he
was the best citizen who bawled loudest in
denunciation Of The monopoly. Now, il is
odds that the railroad will never be named
at the convention which meets on Tuesday.
The Spencers, Delmas. Barry, Breckin-
ridge, and the rest are all busy with some
thing else. Even Dunn is going to have q
struggle for nomination. Democratic
principles, we suppose, are what they
always vera; but as Captain Cutie said,
the pint of this here observation is in the
application ON t.