The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-20
He Warmly EulogiZeS the Men
Whom Mr.. Daggett De-
nOunCed.
MEETING AT LOS ANGELES
United States Senator s. M. White
Takes a Hand in the Mint
Middle.

in town yesterday looking after his contest
for the insurance commissionership. He
also had a long conference with leading
Democrats in regard to the action of Su-
perintendent of the Mint Daggett.
Senator Gesford says that if he had
thought there were any strings on the
place when Mr.. Daggett gave his sister a
position in the Mint he would not have
accepted it. He had considered that that
much recognition was really due him in
consideration of his services in behalf of
the party, and had asked for the place with
that idea in view. He had never promised
to vote for Mr.. Daggett for United States
Senator, and had he known he was ex-
pected to do so in return for the place given
his sister, would not have allowed her to
accept it. He said yesterday:
My name was the first on the list of those
agreeing to a caucus. This withdraws me
from the number of those whom Mr.. Daggett
condemns as acting contrary to the usages OF
the Democratic party in that respect. Since
my sister removed from her position, and
for political reasons it must be, therefore, that
l am classed as un-Democratic together with
the other six men who refused to cast their
votes for Mr.. Daggett for United States Senator.
Now, when Mr. Daggett impugns the De-
mocracy OF such men as Senators Whitehurst
Buggy, Burke, McAllister. Mathews and Fay,
then there must be something wrong with his
Democracy. say this unhesitatingly because
these men were always stanch and untiring
supporters of the platform of the Democratic
party and the welfare of the people. They
worked for terminal facilities for the valley
road. They worked against the streetcar bill,
the anti-scalpers' bill and other infamous
Southern Pacific measures. They withstood
powerful influences, too, in thus acting up to
the promises of their party platform.
If they are now claSsed as un-DemOcratic by
DO / am ola n no 0nn Cid prn n hn
same kind. They are men with convictions
and with the courage to support these convic-
tons L trust shall ever be counted with
Democrats of this order, even though
they are not those with whom Mr.. Dag
gett trains, and whom he rewards with places
Mr.. Gesford said that Mr.. Daggett had
spoken to him about the contest for the
United States senatorship. Mr.. Daggett
had remarked that if the Legislature
wanted to confer that honor upon him, he
would appreciate it. He had never asked
Mr.. Gesford to vote for him though.
Though Mr.. Daggett had not asked Sen
ator Gesford to vote for him, his friends
had gone to Mr.. Gesford asking how he
thought Mr.. Daggett would stand in eau
Gus of the Democrats. His answer had
been that he thought Mr.. Daggett could
not secure the caucus nomination, and he
advised the gentlemen that they had bet
ter withdraw Mr.. Daggett's name.
last Presidential campaign and also the
State campaign were conducted on radical
anti-monopoly, anti-railroad platforms.
Though Mr.. Daggett was appointed
through the influence of Senator Stanford,
a Republican and the president of the
Southern Pacific Railroad Company, and
in distributing his patronage had recog
nized only the friends of the railroad and
the hold-over Senators who might be able
to vote for him, yet he wanted us to put
him forward as the representative of the
Democratic party. This would be vindi-
cation of all his past delinquencies. But it
would have been made at the expense of
the party:
eff the Legislature had been wholly Demo-
cratic, and if Mr.. Daggett had been backed
by the patronage of dozen minis, he
could not have been elected United States
Senator any more than eX-Queen Liliouka-
lani of the Sandwich Islands.
81 want you to understand" Mr.. Ges-
ford continued, "that it is not the loss of a
place or two that has moved me. 1t is the
principle involved. l am Directing to
representative Democrats being punished
for doing what they consider their duty
and acting for the interests of the De-
mocracy instead of the interests of a man
who has shown that he wanted to buy their
votes with patronage.
Il feel certain" Mr.. Gesford said, in
conclusion, that Daggett wanted this
complimentary vote only as a stepping
stone to the governorship in three years
from now, or the United States senator
ship in the future. He has prostituted the
patronage of the Mint to his private am
billions. When he met men with backbone
enough to thwart his plans he grew mad,
and like boy began to get even.' ,"
What the result of the agitation now be-
ing made will be is as yet uncertain. 1t is
quietly progressing, however, and Demo
Gratis are interested from one end of the
State to the other.
Word was received by local politician
from Senator John R. Matthews of Los
Angeles yesterday that he had been in
conference with United States Senator
White and State Senator Fay on the mat
ter. The Senator further stated that an
urgent letter had been sent to Washington
in regard to the affair.