The morning call., 1892-11-18
THE ELECTION COMMISSION.

Popular indignation at the farce which is
going on at the City Hall is gradually con-
centratng around the heads Of Mayor
SandeTs0n and Commissioners Smiley,
burst, O'Brien and TiIton. The five men
are being accused of wrongs which they
may not have committed, but as to which
their behavior leads TO a grave suspicion.
They are all members of the Kelly and
Crimmins party; they served it with such
superseTyiceable zeal that they agreed to
deny to the Non-Partisans any representa-
ton whatever on the election boards. If
they had been Instructed by the bosses to
pave the way to count out the Non-Parti-
sans they would have acted pretty much
as they have acted.
The law clothed them with power to ap-
Toint officers of election. Among the men
they appointed-men probably selected by
Crimmins and kelly-were representatives
from the most disreputable class in the
city. They appointed bummers. heelers.
city tramps, hangers-on of the SherIff's
Office and County Clerks Office, men with
out calling or a trade. or an address, or
an ostensible way Of living These men
were all hail fellows well met. They cared
no more for the Democratic than for the
Republican party. They were all agreed
to down the Non-Partisans. because under
the supremacy Of that organization their
vocation would be gone There was moth
,-ing Ip their antecedents which forbade
their counting for one candidate votes cast
for another; nor were they such partisans
that they cared a straw which party got the
benefit Of the fraud. so long as the Non
Partisans suffered by If. They met in their
booths in the cheering company Of bottles
of whisky. and, if common report be true,
got drunk and fought with each other in
their maudin intoxication. Sometimes
they were too drunk to sign their returns.
II is on The report Of these men that the
results of the election turn.
For the iniquities they have committed
Sanderson. burst, O'Brien. Smiley and
Tilton are responsible. They were free to
choose honest. sober. respectable officers of
election. Plenty of such men could have
@>--n had. But the bosses had selected
tools who would carry out their purposes,
and the Election Commissioners meekly
accepted the list which was furnished them
from the ginmill on Third street. Not one
of the five. though his reputation was at
stake. had the manhood 10 say that he
would not be party 10 scheme which
placed the control of the election In the
hands of men, many of whom were rascals
who should De IN Dan quentin.
II viii strike the public that the Election
Commissioners aided in playing desperate
game. An election is not a frolic. Il is a
very serious business indeed. Thousands
of citizens of San Francisco put themselves
to great trouble and spent considerable
time on the 6.h to cast their ballots for the
candidates of their choice. IL their trouble
add time were thrown away ana their pur-
.oea Tod fI,rop1h fha inoonna.anny
or the knayery of the election officers some
body will be likely to be called TO account.
A universal impression prevails that Scott
and Moran received plurality of the votes
for Sheriff and County Clerk. Before the
election CALL reporters made a thorough
canvass Of the city. searching ward after
ward and class after class, and they found
not that the N0n-Partsans were going tC
run well but that the candidates of the two
old parties were nowhere. 1t is stultfyine
noW TO be told that the Non Partisan can
didates for two of the most important
Offices were defeated. People do not be-
Iieye il. What they do believe is that the
Non-Partisans have been counted out by
the officers OF election chosen by Sander
SON. Smiley, burst, O'Brien and Triton
under the dictation Of the bosses. Kelly and
CrimmEas. And they find confirmation of
this suspicion in the delay which retards
the compile elton Of the official count.
A judicial recount of the votes is now i'm
peratiye. Ii is probable that many OF the
ballots have been defaced or mntilated SO
as to conceal their original purport. But
enough Of them are probably still legibIe
enoupb 10 reveal any fraud which may have
been committed. Such TRANSACTION as the
one by which in one district 12o votes are
said TO have been cast for Scott. fifty OF
vh,ch want to Blattner and fifty to McDade.