The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-03-15
CITIES AT OUTS.
Struggle for a State Com
ventiOn.
FOUR TOWNS BID FOR 1T.
The Place Where Republicans
May Gather.
SANTA CRUZ A STRONG FAVORITE
The Fate of San Jose and Sacramento
Hinges on the Capital Re-
movaI Decision.
SANTA CRUZ A STRONG FAvoRITE


You pay your money and you take your
choice.
That is the situation to-day relative to
the fight which is being waged between
the cities OF this State for the next Repub-
lican State convention.
Santa Cruz is in the lead, the Garden and
is a bad fourth. while this city is virtually
out of the race.
1t is not certain, however. that when
decision is reached the town which now
leads will walk off with the persimmon.
The State Central Committee will not
meet to settle the matter until way along
in May or early in June, and almost any
thing is likely to happen in that length of
time. Particularly when the men who are
doing battle for the other cities rank high
as hustlers and don't know what it is to
give up u fight while the faintest hope is
held out to them.
The fight for the convention has been
warmer this year than it ever was before,
and consequently has created no small
amount of excitement and some bad feeling.
Oakland and Santa Cruz are at war over
the flair, and the supporters of one place
stay awake nights in order to think up
mean things 10 say of the other place.
Between San Jose and Sacramento a
similar condition of affairs exists. With
these towns something more than the
honor of having a State political gather
ing is involved. They are fighting over
again all the old capital removal battles,
and fighting bitterly. too.
Sacramento wants the convention in or
der 10 demonstrate that notwithstanding
all that happened during the last session
of the Legislature, reputable citizens are
still willing TO gather there, while San Jose
feels that should it obtain the convention
its fitness as proper location for the ex-
ecutiVe affairs of the State would be estab-
lished.
The struggle for the honor commenced
nearly month ago. and Sacra mento made
the first demand.
a number of its prominent citizens met
and decided that State convention was
an absolute necessity. Then Mayor Stein
man was waited upon and invited to in
terest himself in the matter. The Mayor
responded by appointing committee to
take the affair in hand Issuing general
invitation to all loyal residents of the
town to put their shoulders to the wheel
The first move of the gentlemen who
composed the committee was to issue a
circular TO the members of the State Gen.
trail Committee notifying them that Sacra-
mento wanted the convention and stood
ready to treat the delegates royalty should
they happen up that way.
Later on second circular was issued.
setting forth just what arrangements
would be made. The programme included
banquets, concert, an entertainment and
about everything else that men could de-
sire. To round the offer off nicely brass
band to play night and day and several.
cords of wood with which to build bon
fires were thrown in.
The offer rather startled the members of
the State Central Committee, and some of
them wanted to go to Sacramento at once
and hold the convention, For while ii
seemed as though the capital city would
have things pretty much its own way, but
in an evil moment one of th ose circulars
fell into the hands of an Alameda County
politician.
Now, Oakland had for many months
been looking TO capturing the Republican
convention. and all Alameda stood ready
10 help IL along. Therefore, when it be.
came known that there was rival in the
field the Oaklanders Immediately began to
move with some alacrity.
A committee similar to the one in Sacra.
mento was formed and work was com.
menced on strong line of Inducements.
For a while the committee found its task
a hard one. Sacramento had offered &c
many good things that it seemed impossi,
BILE to raise the bid. but finally a brilliant
plan was hit upon and placed in operation
Oakland issued circular setting forth
its wants and outlining the entertainment
itwould provide for delegates. 1t incladed
everything that Sacramento offered and
concluded with promise of a trip to the
Midwinter Fair. In connection with these
promises delegates were given to under
stand that they would not be expected Il
reside in Oakland during the progress Of
the convention, but could all make theil
homes in San Francisco, which was only
ten miles away. The object of this was II
impress upon all The facilities Oakland
afforded them for doing politics and tn,
Midwin ter Fair at the same time.
Santa Cruz entered the fight simulta
neously with Oakland, but in an entirely
different way. ltissued no call and mapped
out uO ptORIdmHlSs Dub instead wen
quietly to work buttonholing men VIII,
would have vote in the Central Com
mittee
Every man who ever lived in Santa Cru
was hunt ted up and made a participant il
the battle. and every wire within reacl
was pulled until it began to strain. Ii
consequence of this Santa Cruz qUickl,
forged to the front. but it gained the en-
nifty OF the city across the bay. Oakland
ers say that the Santa Cruz people went a
the thing in an undetermined way, ant
declare that in the future their summe
trade will 90 to some other seaport town
San Jose occupies peculiar position il
the fight. Its citizens have made little o
no effort to obtain the convention, an,
frankly admit that they would not know
what to do with it if they did get it. Cal
den City's friends came principally from
San Francisco.
The legislators who were in Sacrament
last year want TO see San Jose win, be
cause they want their action relative t
the removal of the capital Endorsed, an
the members of the lobby are in svmpath