The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-12-08
POND A FAVORITE.
He Leads for Collector OF
the Port.
Tarpey Hopes to Pull Out With the
Aid of Ex-Secretary Whitney
and Senator German.

Just at present there is great activity in
political circles, and the statesmen who
shape party policies in their own little dis
triets are busiy engaged In striving TO reach
cut for soft snap in the division of the
spoiis. OF course, the Democrats are doing
most of the hunting for spoils, but there are
few places left for Republicans to scramble
for, aud the latter are not back ward in get
ting to the front
There is a legislative session coming on
in about three weeks, and as the upper
house is safely Republican there is wild
rush for the easy places. Would be seereta-
rles. doorkeepers and clerks are springing
up on every side, and the existence of Lieu
ena1t-Governor Ruddek is being made a
burden by the men who want for committee
rmanships.
Mr.. Riddiek, it is understood. is about TO
come to San Francisco. and when he reaches
here he will GO TO work at once to block out
the committees.
One of the chief topics of conversation
just now in political circles, however. is the
question of the successor TO L. CT. Phelps
as Collector OF the Port. The fghi-for 1t
has already reached those proportiOns-is
triangular one. and the combatants are
T.. b. Pond. NJ. +. Tarpey aud William ID.
English. The rumor that Max Pepper is
also an aspirant is authoritatively denied.
The position of Collector, of course. is the
most important within the gift OF the Pres-
dent, so far as the Federal patronage of
this coast is concerned, and Ii Is in that
office that the politics is done. The number
and value of the appointments and the
| prestige combined make IL a place OF great
power, and to an ambitious man it is
prize to be sought with great industry.
The general Impression among the know
| inE ones is that Pond will be the man, and
those who are best posted unite 10 saying
! that English is not To be considered in the
! race at all. OF course, English is a man of
great popularity and has a host Of friends
| IN the party, but he has a combination Of
! circumstances working against him which
/ is sure to knock him out.
In the first place. English was one Of the
most pronounced anti Cleveland men in the
| State and ii is still fresh in the minds of the
! people how he went TO Fresno 10 prevent
| the instruction Of the delegation from this
| State for the President-elect. Not satisfied
with this. he packed his gripsack and
bought a ticket To Chicago, where, during
| the session Of the convention. he made an
open hight for the nomination OF Hill.
Knocked out In this figh'. he hurried back
to California and sailed in TO elect w. w.
Foote TO the United States Senate. foote.
| as every one knows, 10 not within shooting
distance of the Senate, and English will
find himself stranded again.
But this Is not all. Another man whom
English has bitterly and needlessly an
one thinks Irish is a good man to run afuul
| of in political fracas, they need only try
1T once, and then gel off and patch CD their
wounds.
There is no getting around the fact that
Irish stands close to Cleveland. and IL is
dollars to dimes that he will see tn il that
the genial William is not named as Collector
of the Port.
Tarpey is. perhaps. the only man in the
State Who stands the ghost of a show In a
/ ts.f nit IL t.fAEe =.
is to be found In his personal relations with
ex-SecTetary Whitney and Senator German.
Al IL now stands it looks as II Pond would
have walkOver.
In connection with the Collectors Office
good story IS going the rounds which Illus
trates the peculiarities OF the incumbent
Some months ago complaint was made
that The present Collector was not using his
office to help the party in the campaign.
The fact was pointed out that large num-
Der Of Democrats, outside the civil service
we're allowed TO remain in places, and the
Republican leaders entered violent pro-
test. At first the Collector paid NO atten-
ton to the matter, but the pressure be-
came so strong that he was compelled
at last to take some action, and later in the
campaign he picked out number of Demo-
cratic deputies and clerks and in a letter to
the Secretary Of the Treasury recommended
that they be discharged Within q week OF
the election came back the answer to let
the Democrats go. and Phelps was about to
carry out the plan when he was told by his
friends that such action en- the eve of the
battle would do more harm than good. Re-
aiiZing this he held the matter in allegiance,
and then there was howl that 10 discharge
the Democrats would look like spite work
and would be ii-advised.
Phelps listened. but told his friends that
he could not consistently reverse himself,
aud SO the Democrats went out.
The entire Federal building is convulsed
with laughter over the outcome