Los Angeles herald., 1890-07-21
THE COMING CAMPAIGN.

be the Republican nominee for governor
are constantly improving. The four
southernmost counties of the state
Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego and
San Bernardino-will go up solid for
him. His friends declare that since his
arrival in San Francisco there seems to
have been setting in a strong tide in his
favor in the northern part of the state.
Hon. w. w. Morrow, his most con-
spicuous rival, seems to have adopted a
fast and loose policy in reference
to his candidacy which has
greatly weakened his chances. If
it is a foregone conclusion that
Col. Markham shall lead the Republican
hosts in November, it behooves the Dem
ocracy of California to realize the fact
that they have very serious battle
before them. They must cease to talk
about "off-years" and "walk-overs."
Even mediocre ticket with Markham
at its head is not going to be knocked
out by wind but the most judicious
organization and the hardest kind of
fighting will be required to carry the
day. There is nothing to be gained, but
everything to be lost by belittling the
strength of the enemy; and this maxim
will have especial significance if Mark
ham gets the Republican nomination.
1t is useless to talk about defeating
ticket headed by Col. Markham with
anybody in the Democratic ranks hav-
ing standing amongst the people of
the state of grade inferior to his. We
must put forward our very best material.
Men who are only known as shrewd
politicians and without statesman
ship antecedents will not do. The
people are not in the mood to entrust
the destinies of the state, at this partic-
ular juncture, to anybody but a man of
tried executive ability, of economic ten
denotes, of unbending spinal cord and
unflinching nerve, of train of thought
that will lead to practical re-
forms in the administration of public
affairs, and who can be depended upon
to crush under his iron heel all jobbery,
all extravaganza, all waste in every de-
partment of our government. II we
have such man and nominate him, we
can win the day. If we have such
man and he is set aside for a weaker,
smaller man, we are sure to 60 headlong
to defeat. We do not state this as a
proposition about which there can be
the slightest shadow of doubt. 1t is
fact, glaring, palpable and as certain as
If tho aUont Of 70 or,H no
of the future.
The people of California have seen the
tax rate of the state run up in a few years
from less than fifty cents on the hundred
dollars to 72 cents, with the tendency
still upward. They are alarmed at the
enormous increase in public expendi-
ture-an increase which never could
have occurred with strong, clear
headed, keen-sighted, determined execu
tive at the helm of state. When the
governor is SO weak as to permit the
legislature to take the bit in its own
teeth, that body may be relied upon to
go to all lengths to wreck the treasury
and to pile up the expenditures. 1t is
the nature of legislatures to run
to extravaganza, and unless there is
strong rein held over them in the
executive Office there is no end to the
wasteful and extravagant measures they
will pass. We have now reached that
period when halt must be called, and
that halt can only be successfully called
from the governors chair.
We do not wish to disparage the mer-
its of any of the gentlemen who are now
seeking the Democratic nomination to
head the ticket. They have many good
and sterling qualities all round, but
there is only one amongst them who
possesses the peculiar qualities that are
now so exigently required in the governor
of California. That man is Mr.. Pond,
the present mayor of San Francisco.
Following in the footsteps of the Ia
mented Bartlett, he has achieved won
ders in the fiscal economies and the ad-
ministrative reforms of that city. He
has reduced the tax rate from $1.05 to
20 cents. He has stood as wall of
adamant between the city and iobbery.