The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-05-17
STEVE WHITE IN THE FIELD.

A little over a week ago the Democratic
County Committee of Los Angeles pre-
sented Hon. Stephen NJ. Whites name to
the people of California as q candidate for
the United States Senate. The Los An
geles Herald indorses the proposal, and
publishes a series of interviews with lead
ing citizens of Los Angeles who think Mr..
White would be fit person for the place.
We have nothing to say against Mr..
White, but we notice with surprise and not
without regret that he is put forward as q
sectional candidate, and that his friends
seem to rest their approval of his candidacy
on his devotion to the interests of Southern
California. Thus Major Burke commends
him because che would see that this end Of
the State shall receive that due recognition
at Washington which it has never yet had"
Mr.. j. L. Steward is in his favor because
" lie has all the interests of Southern Cali
fornia at heart" Mr.. II. w. Patton declares
that lit is unfair that the vast region south
OF the Iehachapi should be without a repre-
sentative in the United States Senate" and
thinks MI White should be chosen to re-
pair the deficiency. Mr.. c. y. Williams
thus delivers himself: lone thing certain,
White would see that the interests of
Southern California were well attended to-"
Several gentlemen who were interviewed by
the Herald were Republicans, and they gen.
orally regarded Whites devotion to his sec
ton as an Offset to his politics. Thus Mr..
i. W. Robinson declared that white had
naturally the interests of Southern Califor-
mia at heart" Ex-MayOr Toberman said
that White would, of course, be peculiarly
serviceable to Southern California" Gen
eral Bouton felt sure that e" the benefits to
accrue to this section Of the State from his
presence in the Senate would be great"
Mr.. j. 5. Thayer was satisfied that White
would be the best man for the interests of
the southern part of the State" Mr.. G. A.
D5binson knew that white was thor
oughly alive to the interests of this section
Of the State" Mr.. f. C. Woodbury. thought
that White would work hard for the in
terests of Southern California"
These are capital reasons why White
should be the choice OF the Democracy
south Of Tehachapi; but are they as good
for con sumption In the portion of the State
which lies north of that line? If they are
not, Mr.. Whites friends have rendered him
a doubtful service in publishing them. 1t
may be trifiing matter, but it happens
that four-ffths of the voters of California
reside north of Tehachapi; a candidate
may capture the other fifth bodily without
getting any nearer the Senate. Under
ordinary circumstances, candidates devo-
ton to the locality of his residence would
not hurt him elsewhere. 1t is the latent
southern desire for separation which makes
Californians from the northern and central
counties suspicious of candidates who are
especially recommended by their exclusive
feaity to the south.
1t is impossible to disguise the fact that
Mr.. Whites candidacy would introduce
into the canvass an element thus far I'M
known III this State-the sectional ques-
ton. The very willingness of Los Angeles
Republicans to support Mr.. White, at any
rate as second choice, could not fail to
react at the north, and to rally to the party
which opposed Mr. White voters who were
governed in casting their ballot by an
unwillingness to encourage, however re-
motely. the scheme for a division of the
State. His very popularity at the south
might and probably would cost him votes
at the north and center. If the canvass
opens with clear understanding that, in
the event of Democratic success, he is to be
the Senator, while on the other hand, in
the eYe9tof RepuSHoan success, a Senator
will be chosen, Of whose devotion to the
broad interests of California, one and indi-
visible, there can no question, the Demo-
cratic party may find that it has assumed a
handicap heavier than it can conveniently
carry.