The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-10-15


affairs when honest men differ the rascslly
bosses seize tie town and make their profit.
When honest Democrats and honest Repub-
leans fight one another both lose and the
bosses win. The bosses have always sue
ceeded in dividing the decent element, in
fOmenting partisan feeling and creating the
idea in the minds of the people that the
policy Of the Government in Washington is
dependent upon who Is Sheriff or Constable
or County Clerk in San Francisco. The
cunning raseals know that If the people
ever perceived their folly bossism would be
dead. Aud though the good people of either
party may not be strong enough to over
throw their particular boss, the good people
OF both parties are abundanily able to de-
stroy all bosses-and by the signs of the
times tonight they have come together to
do it.
Two years ago the rampant lawlessness
OF Boss Buckley Induced certain Democrats
to hold convention In an honest effort to
unload the evil. The prominence which
this organization gave to certain political
facts, its exposure of the infamies of boss
rule, largely contributed TO the overthrow
Of that phase of boss rule. But that merely
destroyed the boss within party. and gave
TO the bosses on the other side his vacant
job. Bosses Crimmins and Kelly, who sue
ceeded TO Buekley's control Of the city
government, have been less dangerous than
their artful predecessor. because more open
in their shameless corruption. all that re-
mains Of the local Republican party is kept
in Crimmins and Kelly's saloon, where may
be seen a medley OF politics and drinks and
Government places and rum and gin and
offices all dispensed over the same bar.
| Forth from the saloon come the political
vampires. who prey and fat:en on govern
ment corruption. They held convention,
these creatures. all by themselves, kennel
OF political hyenaS, and expressed their
preference for set Of nominees now being
run as the Crimmins and Kelly Republican
ticket 1t in no more sense represents the
decency of Republicanism than do Grim
Minis and Kelly. On the other side We have
a ticket calling itself Democratic. the his
tory of which sounds like burlesQue on
popular government Two men. having Sc
cured control of the Democratic County
Committee. appointed eighteen inspectors
of primary elections. AT the same time the
rolls upon which the Democracy were sup
posed to have signed their names were with
held from the public. The right OF the
people to an inspection OF their club rolls
was denied. and they were treated as the
| personal property OF the managers.
| recital of the facts OF the go
| called primary at which were chosen
| the delegates who composed the
| Democratic convention is story OF viO-
| lence and bigh-handed usurpation. 1t is
| not necessary TO advert in detail TO what
| subsequently occurred. Suffice it TO say
| that the ticket was constructed on principles
| viOlative Of all rules of fairness. 1t could
| hardly be said that the convention chose
| anybody. 1t would, perhaps, be more ac-
curate to say it merely gave formality to the
| wishes of the bosses. Now, the strongest
| indictment and most powerful argument
| against b0ssism consists In the fact that the
| TWO prominent actors in this State conyen-
| ton have been and still should be justly
classified as honorable men. And the point
| about it Is this: IT. in order to perpetuate
| party ascendency in municipal gov
| eminent men of the conceded high
| character are necesstated to such
| dubious practices as l have imperfectly In
| tmated, is II not time bosSism should stop.
| have no doubt that those two gentlemen
! approve in their conscience of what they
have done, and permit it to be done. on the
| ground that the end justiies the means, and
that they should not be held to toe strict an
| accountability for the commission of wrongs
which were done for the public good. But
| such view is as uDsound in morals as 1t Is
| In logic, and If followed would ultimately
lead TO the destruction Of society. There
| fore, while. as l have said heretofore, l am
| a Democrat, vet in municipal affairs, where
| it becomes clear and unmistakable to my
| eyes that the party is made the instru-
mentality of perpetuatng bossism; when
/ by following the party find myself nearing
chasm in which is seen maladministra-
| ton, profigacy of government and in-
| creased taxation, then and there draw the
| shackles of party allegiance and proclaim
myself as to city matters full-fledged N0u-
| Partisan, through and through and from
top TO bottom.
| Why. / should think did break all party
| ties, and away above the roar and thunder
of this majestic demonstration / can hear
the ties OF party snap and break; and else
| where. In the streetcars, and in the street,
| and in the coun ting-house, and at the work
shop, and in the marts of commerce, and at
| hn fro 10 l HIM
| partisan allegiance. Is it not time for us
to bestir ourselves? Here we have domi-
| mating this city through bosses and others
the rule of corporation that for years has
| not only been tapping the lifebloOd of our
| material prosperity. but impeding our ad-
| vaDeement In every way. 1t cOrrupts our
| Legislatures. debauches our conventions,
| and it is even said reaches its unclean hand
| up, up. higher and higher, until 1t smirches
the snowy wilderness of the ermine that
clothes our judiciary. Now here then we
| have this proud metropolis, and even this
| wealth. lying bound and helpless
beneath the parted and satanic hoof Of a
/ corporation whose imperiOus demands none
have dared to deny. When shall II cease
| A prominent citizen OF San Francisco and
q very thoughtful man told me that SO deep
| and 80 prevalent and so all-prevailing was
the present decentralization that the average
Young man that you meet In public affairs,
| and who may seek to run for the Legsia-
| tare is not prompted by an honorable asp-
| ration to become prominent in the law
making power of the State-tbat has ceased
! to be factor In his calculation-the am-
bition now is coin. occupied a public posi-
! ton some time since in which / was placed
by that great lawyer aud distinguished jur-
LIST, Judge Wallace, where it became neces-
sary Tor me to prosecute some Investigations
as 10 the d0ings and misdoiDgs Of the last
Legislature, and without dealing in the Ian
guaee oil exaggeration / solemnly testify to
you mere To- night and now that never since
lhls gioos OF ours was fashioned by the
| good Lord and sent whirling tbrourh blue
ether was there assembled deliberatiye body
more yenai and faitnless than the majority
Oh that Dody; The votes of some members
were as openly and VIGOROUSLY for sale as
any barrel OF merchandise on Front street,
Compared with IL the negro and Garnet ba Q
legislatures Of reconstruction DAYS of tbs
South became angels of light In comparison
with that agglomeration of adventures.
The citizen of the ideal republic. as ,
matter OF course. feels as bis children grow
| up that they should receive proner insfrpc