The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-10-02
TIE MAss-MEEr1NG TO NIGHT.

a temperate but earnest and determined
expression Of popular opinion will do much
TO sustain the Grand Jury in their contest
with boollers. TIE action of Judge Muir
ply in setting Chute free shows the power
uftle blodlers' organization. Il is time for
LIE people to express their opinion of such
au Interference with the administration Of
justice. If there is any influence in the
5-..,e z-hich can procure the nomination and
election Of a Judge who will in a pinch act
the part of jail-breaker it should be dis
closed 10 public view. Let the people know
who and what that Influence is! Who is its
. head aud what its source of powerl The
Grand Jury have a right IN a contest of this
nature to know that the people are with
them. The public should not forget that an
influence powerful enough to compel a
Judge to commit political suicide can reach
individuals composing the Grand Jury. 1t
is not improbable that several of these indi-
viduaIs will be quietly advised to withdraw
from the contest 1t is right, there fore, that
the Grand Jury should be informed in the
most emphatic manner that the people ap-
prove # what has been done and what the
jiry promises to do. 1t is no secret that
many men who are heart and soul with the
Grand Jury are half prepared to see it fall
down These Weli-meaning men say that the
odds against the jury are too great-that
while bOodlers stand by their friends the pub
lie lets few bold representatives stand or
Iall by their own strength. But when the
e lines are drawn the public puts sufficiently
distinct mark upon the men who betray it.
For less serious offenses than are charged
against the boodler5 of this State and
city men have been placed under ban
that lasted lifetime One object of the
present movement is to punish boodlers,
another TO drive them from power If
nothing more is gained than the creation of
public sentiment which will make the cleo
ton OF suspicious characters impossible, the
movement will be classed among the i'm
portant events of the city. 1t is lame Mt
able fact that the voters Of this State have
been too careless concerning the records Of
the men whom they have placed in posi-
tion to do the community harm. The
hardihood Of Judge Murphy in coming to
the rescue of the gang when it was men,
aced through the Grand Jury's summons to
Chute and Gage shows, not the courage of
the individual, but the iron grasp in which
he is held. The general belief is that he
was put on the bench by the bOodler inter-
est. The mass-meetIng this evening should
evoke an expression of opinion that will
render the nomination of men known to be
the tools of the boodlers a waste of infu-
ence. The people may not always be able
to dictate nominations. but they can always
determine elections. The indictment, trial
and conviction of some of the principal ven
ders of office and procurers of legislation
would do much to clear the atmosphere. II
the people speak in tones of sufficient de-
termination, all this may be done Such
acts as are known to have been committed
must leave traces behind. Backed by pull bile
opinion, the Grand Jury will compel wit
Hesses to speak. While the law that wit
ness shall not be forced to give evidence
against himself may embaTass the jury, it
need not disarm them. But the people
should let the Grand Jury know that the
decent element in the community is with
4ham