Los Angeles herald., 1892-03-21

Saturdays San Francisco Call says
When Major George Fl. Bonebrake of
Los Angeles looked over the ground a
year ago at Sacramento with view to
injecting his personality into the fight
for United States senator he saw that
his cause was hopeless. A few of the
willy statesmen from the southern citrus
belt, including such men as Senator
CARPENTER and Young Of San Diego,
would have given the Los Angeles banker
complimentary vote, but it would
have been at best forlorn hope, so
Bonebrake stepped aside and the result,
as the world knows. was the election of
FELTON,.
When the latter found that "victory
had perched on his banners" to quote
the famous words of Governor Mark
ham. he turned at once to Southern
California and suggested that he would
like to do something of substantial
nature to show his loyalty to that Sec
ton. Anything, he informed them in
his bland way, that they might desire
within reason he would aid to the best
OF his ability to secure. About that
time, or soon after, John F. Swift, min
lister to Japan, died, and the tongue of
rumor became busy discussing the SUBJ
| ject of his possible successor. Numer-
| GUS candidates were trotted out for ex-
hibition and the competition for the
place became sharp and bitter. Aside
from the somewhat liberal salary of
$4,000 a year it carried with it the
high-sounding title of envoy extraordi.
nary and minister plenipotentiary, and
included stay in the romantic island
about which 30 much has been written.
At once the friends of Major Bone
brake began to bestir themselves in his
behalf. FELTON, was consulted and agreed
to throw the weight of his influence in
the scale while Stanford stood aloof.
THEN THE GOVERNOR TOOK HAND
And made personal appeal to the pres
ident. Harrison listened attentively
and it was understood that he desired
to show his friendship to the governor
by naming Bonebrake for the vacant
portfolio.
In the California delegation, however,
McKenna stood out for his friend, Frank
Coombs, of Napa, and urged him as a
Representative VI UllC yOuuS IuCu VI tuc
state. In old days, it seems, when Nc.
Kenna was a young attorney eking out
living around the courts at Martinez,
Nathan Coombs, the father of the hon
orable Frank, had been his friend, and
he determined to stand by the son. He,
therefore, prosecuted the fight with
great vigor, but the president decided
upon Bonebrake, and it was agreed that
the latter should be given the place.
| Bonebrake saw how the matter stood
and at once grew voluble. He informed
a newspaper reporter of the fact that
the place was his, and this sounded the
knell of his hopes. Harrison feared that
such frank expressions were not becom-
ing diplomatist, and hesitated. Then
an old supreme court decision, involving
certain financial transactions in which
Bonebrake was involved, was dragged to
light and telegraphed to Washington.
That settled it, and Bonebrake was
! knocked out.
The name of Coombs was again
pushed to the fore, and the president
objected because of his youth. These
scru ples have now been overcome, it is
said, and Coombs will be given the
place.
Among those who were most solicitous
for the appointment OF Coombs is, &C.
cording to general rumor, Irwin @.
Stump, vino is already laying his wires
| for the Republican nomination for gov
ernor two years from now, and who is
afraid OF Coombs as possible rival.