The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-06-03

ment ago." said Ficher. "We were all
compliMenting the chair upon the posltiVe-
! ness of its decision ou what seemed tben
close vote by the sound. and matVeieo
somewhat as to the extreme intelligence oA
its Judgment"
Nevertheless the roll was called ana tue
amendment was lost by vote oil oo noes
TO 80 ayes.
Flynn then moved a substitute to make
the fraction % instead of 80, but IL was
lost, and motion to abide by the ffactlon
OF so, as set forth in the McEnerny scheu-
uie, was carried by viva voce vote.
Thus the apportioDment was lett as
called for IN the original resolution, except
that each county is allowed delegate at
large.
Barcar then assailed one OF the main
questions Def ore the convention. In
short speech he moved that the date Tor
holding the convention be fixed at Iues-
day, August 81, and this was carried WITH
out discussion.
just before the naming of place was
reached Max Pepper led movement TO
exclude proxies from the vote on that ques-
ton. lie said that the matter was one OIL
so much Importance, and there was snch
difference of opinion as to where the
convention should be held, that he thought
that only those who were present should
be allowed to vote upon 1t. 1t should be
argued by them and not determined by
members who bad failed TO attend the
meeting, and could not therefore give
their views upon the subject. II don't
want to address a lot of paper" said be.
Il want TO speak to men with ears who
can hear and consider the reasons that
are presented. There are good reasons
why aosentees should not be allowed TO
vote on This question. This is a critical
moment for the Democratic party. hope
the gentlemen will see the wisdom OF pro-
ceeding on this plan. l control seven or
eight proxies, and perhaps nobody has
any more than have. yet l do not desire
TO vote them"
MIR. Popl er's position raised quite
storm. Mr.. McEuerny said: This Ques-
ton of the right of proxies to vote is raised
in every Democratic committee meeting.
1t is always raised by men who are in the
minority. 1t is doubtless true that Mr..
Pepper has proxies. l have, too. and
others have. The men who sent them have
been given 10 understand that II they did
Pepper himself sent blank proxies. from
which the members of the body under
stood that if it was inconvenient for them
TO attend they could transfer their rights
to others, and now after be has sent out
100 proxies, after he has issued the pro-
Dunciamento that mem bers could vote by
proxy, after he finds that be has less prox-
les than the opposing side, after having
lni on oh har inf
of security, he wants to exclude proxies
and deprive them of a right to vote"
McEnerny declared that absentees had
been misled. They had been allowed to
vote on other questions, but when it came
TO this one they were to be ruled out by a
minority.
Fred Cox and Grady of Fresno followed
McEnerny, arguing that the exclusion OF
proxies was a departure from a long
established rule of the Democratic party.
Grady said that the members of the coun-
try would consider that they had been
deceived and would feel indignant at the
treatment which it was proposed to give
them.
Major Harvey charged that the men
who held proxies had written letters to
secure them and he thought that now they
should not be voted.
McEnerny made another sharp speech,
in which be asked Mr.. Pepper if he had
not favored proxies in the fight for the re-
formed Democracy when he was in a posi-
ton TO be benefited by their acceptance.
Mr.. Pepper res ponded warmly by asking
Mr.. McEnerny if he did not know that he
had refused to vote when he had proxies
either for himself or for others.
McEnerny replied that be did not know
as TO that, but he did know that the oppo-
sition to proxies always emanated from
men who would be beaten by their ac-
ceptance. He made a reference to the use
of proxies in the action Of the committee
which had led to the present Democratic
supremacy, and Harvey replied that San
Francisco had the best municipal govern
ment it had ever had. He had no excuses
to offer on that score, but the men who
had secured these proxies had done so for
the purpose of voting them so that they
might take the convention where they
chose.
Nj. h. Mead deprecated the soliciting of
proxies and made speech, In which he
took the ground that no man should be
allowed to vote proxy il he did not re-
side in the district from which the proxy
was issued.
The chair finally interrupted the discus
sion by ruling that the committee could
eX clude proxies if it saw fit
But" said McEnerny, sis it not fact
that until it has excluded them they should
be allowed to vote?"
Filcher said he thought the proxies
should be included. "Give the interior
some chance" said ne. You give San
Francisco everything. When delegates
are ap pointed those who live near the bay
are chosen so that they can attend, but
you pay no attention to what we in the
country want. We who knock up against
the people don't know anything. San
francisco does what it wants and gives
the party what it does not want"
Gavin McNab knocked the force out of
Flicher's long speech by saying that until
few days ago he had had Mr.. Fllcher's
proxy in his pocket with instructions to
vote for San Francisco. Now that the
gentleman was here and found it to his
pleasure to change his views he was OPP
posed to proxies. His conclusion it seemed
to McNab was not justified by his pre-
misses. McNab contended that while Mr..
Filcher claimed that San Francisco would
be benefited by the proxies Shasta and
Alpine were really helped because their
members were absent