The herald., 1895-12-18
The Combination Which Beat
the Pacific Coast
THE MAYOR TELLS THE STORY
How II Lost the Big Republican National
Convention
r1att Quay, Thomas c. Plat and Powell
Clayton Were Against Us-San Pedre
Harbor and Venezuela

The selection of St. Louis as the city for
the national Republican convention was
victory for the combination which elected
Thomas Bracket Reed as speaker and
successfully pulled through every other
man holding office in the present organizes
ton of the house of representatives. That
is the opinion of Mayor Frank RAIDER, who
returned last evening from his three
weeks missionary trip through the various
cities of the south and east. The mayor
arrived home over the Santa Fe. He is the
first of the pilgrims who went east to Sc
cure the big convention for San Francisco
to again reach his constituency.
The mayor informed reporter last
night that the friends of the speaker on
the national committee had been for St.
Louis. Powell Clayton of Arkansas was
for the Missouri city from first to last and
he opposed San Francisco in and out of
season. Senator Mathew Stanley quay
was for Pittsburg first and for St. Louis
second. Chairman Thomas Carter of
Montana was for st. Louis, and Thomas c.
ington meeting by Cornelius N. Bliss Of
New York. was for Chicago. In spite
of this powerful element of the powers
that be the mayor says that
San Francisco would have captured
the prize had the balloting been secret in-
stead OF open, as has always been the rule
in tue past. Powell Clayton played this
last card, and it proved. SO far as the Cali
fornians were concerned, to have been the
trump.
Mayor RAIDER thinks that the Republican
presidential nomination at this time lays
between Speaker Reed and Governor Will
liam Mckinley, with Senator William ALI
of Iowa coming
promising dark horse, The first
named was interviewed at Washington
by Mayor RAIDER and Capt H. u. Osborne
in the interest of Congressman McLachlan
for place upon the River and Harbor
committee of the house, The speaker in
formed the California mon that he would
like to accommodate them, but he would
have to make them party 10 his sorrows.
Iced then pulled out big book and
showed the Calicornians list of some one
hundred odd names from which he in
formed his visitors he would have to select
the six Republican members of the COM
mittee. AS a result Congressman Nc
Lachlan will probably not have his
ambition gratitied during the present
session. The speaker insisted, when pleaded
with for assistance for an appropriation for
San Pedro harbor, that the present con-
gress intended to economic and that
money for federal buildings or harbors
would be like pulling teeth.
The mayor thinks that an effort should
now be made to secure for the Pacific coast
the Democratic national convention. and
when informed of the criticism in some
quarters of his interest in behalf of San
francisco, replied:
II acted in this matter as Californian
who believed that this convention would
have proven of incalculable benefit to the
whole state and to the coast. The people
up there asked us to assist and the people
of Los Angeles were gladly willing to COM
ply. 1t was acting upon this duty which I
conld not, as chief executive of the city,
ignore, that | became interested as did,
The mayor declined to discuss the fight
against Superintendent of Parks Meserve
or any other local matter, stating that his
absence from the city had prevented his
keeping up with current affairs. He will
be at his desk ON duty at the city hall at 8
o'clock this morning. Regarding the Ven
ezuelan crisis, The mayor said:
Though am stalwart Republican, in
sucn cases partisan feeling has no place,
and l think Mr.. Cleveland is eminently
right.
1.-THE situation is grave, but no consider.
ton should prevent the upholding Of the
nations dignity, honor and principles"