The morning call., 1894-10-29
TRYING TO FOOL PEOPLE.

The Chronicle observes that "when q
candidate for a municipal office has re-
ceived nomination from such representa-
tive body as the recent Republican con-
vention of this city. it creates presump-
ton in his favor which no Republican can
afford to disregard" That was the con-
veDtion at which judgeships were hawked
about at $1,000 apiece, and when an un-
sophisticated member suggested an inves-
tigation be was promptly squelched by
ruling from the chair that he was out OF
order. That was the convention which
threw overheard that sterling Republican
Slebe. and nominated for Assessor a man
whose only claim to Office was that be
tried 10 steal The Recordership two years
ago. That was the conven ton in which
Jonas paid $1,000 for a nomination as Su-
pervisor which he did not get. That was
the convention which picked out OF the
mud the pledge-breaker Ruddick to nomi-
nate him for Sheriff. That was the con-
vention which nominated for District At
torney the official who, with the power in
bis hand, and the law before him pointing
out his duty, has never stirred finger to
bring to justice one of the corruptionists
who have made the city government stink
in the public nOstrils. That. in a word.
was convention which was run by
Colonel Burns. and which meekly accepted
the dietation Of Mike de Young on one
side and the Southern Pacific on the other
Such convention could create no other
presumption than that it nominated such
a ticket as a whole as would best serve
the corrupt purposes of its bosses. To
have any chance of success it was, of
course, necessary to nominate few good
men to help carrv through the ticket as a
whole. The Non-Par;isans recognized
that fact, and they took the few names
from the Republican ticket and put them
on their own. They did the same with
the Democratic boss ticket Where they
could no; find a good enough man on
either ticket they put up an Independent
candidate Thus, the best possible ticket
to be nominated under the circumstances
is presented by the Non-Partisans. The
only hope for good government in San
Francisco depends on its election as a
whole.
The Chronicle assumes that the Repub-
licans of this city are part fool and part
knave. 1t is mistaken. They were not
created in its image. As a rule. the men,
bers of the Republican party are clear
headed, upright. intelligent, high-prin-
eipled citizens, who are faithful to the
doctrines of their party and who do not
permit themselves to become disgusted
with it because base men occasionally
assume to be its mouthpieces. They stand
prepared to do battle for Republican
principles on all fitting occasions, and not
to weary in the fight because politicians
n
convent lions. But they are far too level
beaded to support unfit men in contests in
which Republican princip pies cut no figure,
simply because they profess to be ReDnb-
lieans. When Republican is taken i'll
he does not choose doctor because he is
Republican; he sends for a man who
can cure him. When he has a lawsuit he
retains a lawyer who can win his case,
whether he be Republican or Democrat
When he buys goods he buys them where
he can get them best and cheapest, with
out regard TO the politics of the dealer.
And just so when 1t devolyes upon him to
select officials to administer the business
of the city, be will pick out the candidates
who seem to him most likely to administer
that business honestly and efficiently, with
out regard to their opinions on silver and
the tariff.
This contest in which San Francisco is
engaged and which will be brought 20 a
close tomorrow week is nothing more and
nothing less than an effort to reform mu-
nicipal administration by severing NUM-
cipal from national affairs. There never
was any excuse for dragging national is
sues into city elections, sut as il hap
pened that there was more Doodle in city
than in national business, professional
politicians have insisted On using party
shibboleths to drum up recruits for NUM-
cpal factions. All over the country the
people are trying to correct the evil. but il
is so deeply rooted that their progress is
slow. and atevery election the partisans of
the old corrupt method = such as the
Chr0nicte-fght the reform with dishonest
appeals to partisans TO stand by their
party, right OF wrong, in season or out OF
CO