The morning call., 1893-01-02
The Struggle for Senator
Narrowing.
.ANTI-WHITE MEN DISMAYED.
The Alamedan Writes a Letter OF
WithdrawaI-Eis Strength Will
Go to Lynch.
Special TO The MORNING CALL

fight and there now seems to be nothing to
prevent White from marching onward to
victory.
At4o'clock this afternoon the news went
flying about the lobby Of the Golden Eagle
Hotel to the effect that Foote had retired in
favor of White. 1t was incredulously re-
ceived by the excited crowds of statesmen
and politicians, but there was grand rush
uD the main stairway Of the hotel toward
Foote'S and Whites headquarters. The
TumoT was soon zorro borated, for Bill and
Warren English, Frank Mofitt and Emeric
were met in the upper hallway and they
told the agitated throng that Foote was out
of the fight.
No one had foreseen such sudden and
startling change in the political situation.
and it was difficult for them 10 believe that
the frmness of the Foote of few hours
previous could have so suddenly melted
away. But it was true, for Emeric, who
has been making the Alamedan's battle
here. displayed a letter in Foote'S hand
writing which settled all doubt. That i'm
pOrtant document is as follows:
SACRAMENTO. Jan. /. 1898.
Hon. e. f. Erleric-MY DEAR SIR: Since
reaching Sacramento and surveying the field
have become satisfied that my further candid
acy for Senator might resnlt in injury 10 the
Democratic party OF the county The fact that
our party has not a clear majority in the Legs-
lature cOmplleates the Senatorial election 10
that extent, In my opinion, that my continuance
as candidate might possibly result in the cleo
lion TO the United States Senate OF some one who
Is not in accord with tile political principles TO
which Won and are devoted, Sad In the present
condition OF the parties In the Senate such q
Tesnll might prove national disaster / thank
you and others OF my friends for the cordial and
effective support you have given me. and beg
leave TO withdraw my name from further con-
sideTation In connection wiki the Senatorship.
Your friend W. W. FooTE.
Mr.. Foote'S friends were loud In their
praise Of what they termed a grand and
glorious sacrifice to the Democratic party.
Emeric was greatly excited and so were the
other followers of FoOte. and if they we're
3 shade disappointed at the sudden and
startling turn affairs had taken they con-
eealed it beneath enthusiastic eulogisms
which were showered upon the head of the
man whose cause they had espOused.
The news of the letter struck the Ex-
aminer's FOots bureau all in leap, and the
big s.dlf of writer's that had been sent here
to made his fight felt. while in the throes of
the first shock. that their occupation was
gone indeed
Forty reasons within as many minutes
we're advanced for the sudden action taken,
but the most potent and powerful one came
from Emeric Of Contra Costa. he told The
CALL correspondent that Foote. with his
friends had made a careful study of the
situation since they reached this city, and
at II O'Clock to-day they came to the con-
elusi0n that in holding out any longer they
were making it barely possible that Mike
de YOuhg would become the next United
States Senator. This they looked upon as
danger menacing the fair State of Cali
fornia and concluded that it would be better
to kill that possibility forever.
The keen politicians those who have
been through many similar battles. and
have learned to anslyZe the acts of men
without passion or prejudice-quickly con
eluded that Foote had simply executed
clever political trick by making his with
drawal sudden and dramatic. He believed
that no combination of circumstances could
reveal to him even teleseopie view Of the
Senatorship. He saw that it was far bet
ter to gracefully withdraw1when the fight
was new and before bad blood and ll-feel-
Ing had been engendered. he saw that by
giving it the roseale coIoring of love OF
party that 1t would bring him nearer to the
SenatOrship in the future than he could
hope to get at the present time.
In referring to the matter later on Foote
adhered strictly to the lines of his letter,
and declared hat he was too good Demo-
crst to allow his personal ambition to clog
the party wheels for moment
Within ten minutes after the coup had
been made Foote'S friends were discussing
the changed situation. They expressed
themselves as believing that While was
now farther away from victory than ever;
that San Francisco had the naming OF the
man, and that Lynch was the one to profit
by Foote's wiz hdrawal. They argued that
Lynch could easily gather all of the strength
that Foote had held. which. coupled with
his own, would make him formidable COM
petitor. None Of them, however, seemed to
know just what strength Foote had, and
Lynch's following was a still more indef-
mite quantity.
Your correspondent asked Mr.. Lynch
what he thought OF the change, and he re-
piled that he had not made up bis mind
what to think of it. he was still In the
fight though ana was not seriously con-
sidering the making of any heroic sacrifices
Of self to party.
Mr.. Whites friends. however, now declare
that his fight is won. that he has got fifty
nine votes sure, and can easily bring a suf-
6cent number Of Popuists into line to elect
him.
The Populist camp was badly shaken MP
over the change. 1t was certainly hap
pening that they had not dreamed Of
They will caucus tomorrow morning, and
In the meantime are very reticent, merely
81 ~ 4f,o h
that they were for Gator first, last and all
the time
When asked, in the event of a deadlock,
II they would remain firm and allow the
Governor 10 appoint Republican, they re-
piled "wait and see." They are now very
much disturbed over story that has been
circulated here that Gator was seen drunk
on the streets of San Francisco. They in
dignantly deny that their ideal statesman
was ever in such condition, and declare
that the story was started to hurt Gators
chances OF election.
To return to Foote'S withdrawal Those
who were present in his room when.he was
writing the letter say that several AS
sembymen who were there cried out to
him that he must never sign 1t and tried to
take the pen away from him. He replied to
them that they were not Democrats If they
opposed him in his purpose. 1t is described
as having been a very affecting scene.
DIP to ths time of Foote's withdrawal it
looked as II DR.. Matthews would be
Speaker Of the House. but the unlocked
Tor event has brought another entangle-
ment. The only candidates for the position
are Shanaban Of Shasta, Gould of Merced
and Matthews OF Tehama. 1t was pretty
well understood early in the day that
Gould was only securing supporters to turn
over to Matthews when the proper time
came. For this work Gould was to have the
craftsmanship Of the Ways and Means Com
mittee, which is the star committee and is
supposed to be directly In line with the