The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-07-24

Mr.. Pepper be intrusted with the affairs
of the party. BE is pronounced dead so
far as the Democrats are concerned.
One of his former political allies summed
up the case yesterday as follows: Ever
since Pepper took control his management
has been a series OF plumbers. He has al
ways been pursued by dread that some
body was going to take the control away
from him. First it was what is called the
Federal brigade that be feared, and be
succeeded in antagonlZlng that element.
He made personal matter of 0. NJ. Well
born's failure to give him eighteen posi-
tons in the Internal Revenue Collectors
Office, although Mr.. Wellborn found that
he could not DO what Pepper expected.
Then, when the executive committee was
in existence with A. A. Watkins as chair
man, Pepper wanted the committee abol-
ished, because, in his opinion, he thought
that Max Pepper as chairman of the gen.
eral committee would cut very little figure
beside Mr.. Watkins. chairman of the eX-
ecutive committee Wei, he had his way.
In order to give him everything he wanted
the executive committee actually voted it.
self out of existence. mat was mistake
on the part of Pepper.
when Buckley came back Pepper be-
came apprehensive that Buckley was about
to Dust him from control. He began to
talk about "BIcEss" schemes, and he did
more to help the once banished boss to re-
gain a fOOthold than any other agency.
When he announced to the public that
with every power the party could give in
his hands he was afraid Buckley was able
to capture the organization, the weak
kneed fellows believed him, and they
began at once to run after their old mas
ter If Democrats now 60 to Buckley for
advice Pepper is himself largely to blame
for it. If Buckley was aiming to capture
the general committee why didn't Pepper
stop him. He had full control of the
primary at which the new committee was
to be elected, and he had everybody In the
present committee with him. And so it
has been all through. AS Clunie says, he's
purpued by phantoms.'
81 don't believe that Pepper has given
the true reason for his Withdrawal-that
is he has given only part Of it, The
criticism TO which he was subjected hurt
because it was true. Pepper has record
as a Buckley lamb. He admitted that the
night he asked for the committee of seven,
and it is we'll known, but he said that he
would never do it any more Why should
the public accept his assertion of reforma-
ton? He has not served any period of
probation or done anything to show his
change of heart. Jerry Driscoll or Jake
Rudolph might with equal force declare
that they would never again be what they
nave Deen all tHClI lives DuL WOulu dU Y
BODY believe them? You may rest as
sured that a man who has once done
BuckIey's bidding-I mean in the capacity
of a lieuienant-will forever be in Buck
ley's power. Such a man Is certainly not
the person to choose as the champion of
purity. How much reason Pepper has to
fear Buckley OF course L don't know, and
what happened TO him last Saturday I am
equally ignorant of. All l do know is
that up to II o'clock on Saturday he was
at work on the affairs OF the committee
because he went out to the City Hall at
that hour to engage two clerks to perform
some clerical work in connection with the
rolls. The night before he assured the
committee that it was doing fine work
Between II o'clock Saturday and 80 he
threw up his hands-wrote his resignation
because it was, as he said, all hopeless.
bow can you account for that? What
happened to him ?"
Many other Democrats are asking the
same questions, but now that Mr.. Pepper
has stepped down and out the inquiries
will remain unanswered.