The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-02
LOYAL LEGION POLITICS,
Two Rival Hotel Men in the
Contest for Com
mander.
THE PALACES NEUTRAL ZONE.
Colonel Warfield and Major Hooper
Make Things Lively In
the Post.

All day yesterday Companions Of the
Loyal Legion talked of the contest be-
tween Colonel r. H. Warfield and Major
w. B. Hooper. The manager of the mass
i've inn on Bush street has stanch follow
ers, but they are not more numerous than
the warriors who rally around the standard
of the genial landlord of the Montgomery
street tavern.
In many respects the contest is unique.
Nothing like it has ever occurred in the
Pennsylvania, New York and Massachu-
sets commanderies-the source from
which the California Commandery draws
some of its ethics and many of its members.
The lines of the battle are extending,
and the announcement of opposition TO
Colonel William r. Smedberg for recorder
may come at any time. The friends OF
Colonel Warfeld do not hesitate to aver
that the Smedberg influence caused Major
Hooper to enter the race.
Colonel Warfield expressed unbounded
confidence in his election. 'To be COM
mander of the Loyal Legion is an honor"
said he, ''but it is an honor that l have
never sought. l received the regular NOM
nation in the regular way from the past
commanders, who constitutes the nominal
ing committee.
"The committee was composed of Gen
eral Dimond, General Backus, Colonel
Kline, Colonel Halves, Major Gould and
Colonel Goodman. These six past COM
manders considered, so have since heard,
the merits of three men, and l was chosen
unanimously. Colonel Smedberg was
there in his capacity as recorder and had
more to say than any one else. l am 60
ing to be elected. This secession move
ment in the Loyal Legion will not win
when the army and navy officers get to-
gether and learn that the regular order
was observed in my nomination.
"There is no hotel business in this for
me.
''I value the honor of the position too
highly to allow the question of patronage
to influence me. l am not that kind of
man, and during my term of Office the
meetings and banquets will not be held in
my hotel. They may 60 to the Occidental
for all / care, provided the things wanted
are served and the service is good. | am
not making fight for this position. [
would not send out my son with paper to
get signatures for my support.
"It is not The first time my name has been
mentioned for commander. In previous
meetings of nominating committees have
been mentioned; and l have already
served as Junior vice. commander"
Colonel Warfield is in the fight earnestly,
and he is the kind of a man to inpart en-
thusiasm to his followers. In his CONVEX
sation yesterday, referring to his record
as q companion, he said that it was his
custom to come down from Healdsburg
to attend regularly the meetings when the
assessment was $40 plate at the Maison
Dore. These assessments he always paid,
together with his hotel bills and railroad
fare to attend the events. His Grand Army
record was distinguished by equal devo-
ton to that order. For twenty-five years
he had attended national encampments.
He was a charter member of Post No. l of
New York the second post organized in
the United States. At Washington he
mander-in-chief when one of his comrades
from California was on chair shouting,
Pull him down; we don't want him."
In the Hooper camp the question is
asked What has Warield's Grand
Army record to do with his candidacy for
commander of the Loyal Legion2 Let
him show what he has done for the
legion to entitle him to aspire to the office
of commander"
In the Warfield camp it is asked ''What
has Hooper done for either organization?
Why did he rot wait until the ladies
prayed with him before he joined any
Grand Army post?"
Major Hooper was seen at the Occi-
dental. He was calm, but deeply earnest.
impressive pause "that Major W. B.
Hooper will withdraw from this contest
tomorrow if Colonel Warfeld will with
draw. Then candidate, for example, an
officer of the regular army, who is in no
way connected with the hotel business,
may be placed in the field.
81 am not the kind of man that seeks
an office. My duties as manager of this
house and church deacon keep my time
constantly occupied. The honor of the
nomination was not sought by me. When
Colonel Shafter, senior vice-commander,
VINO should have been nominated, was de-
feated. and Colonel Warfield chosen, my
friends in the army and navy started this
movement to indorse me.
81 am now in the fight to win, but if
should be defeated I will gracefully salute
the victor, and be the first to congratulate
Colonel Warfield. Still, do not believe
that politics or political rewards should
ever enter the Loyal Legion"
Colonel George H. Mendell, Corps of
Engineers, U. S. A., is a companion of the
legion, and one of those who signed the
request for Major Hooper to become a
candidate The colonel said he was not
taking an active part in the contest. He
was personally acquainted with Major
Hooper, and would vote for him, as he did
not know the other candidate.
The rumor of an opposing candidate for
recorder did not alarm Smedberg. He re-
marked: 81 know the men manipulating
the wires. Let them run an opposition
candidate and elect him. There is only
$500 year salary in it, anyway, and half
of that goes for incidental expenses. The
duties of the office take more time than l
can well spare; so have no objection to
the movement"
1t being we'll known that annual meet
ings and social events of the order are
usually held at either the Occidental or
the California Hotel, Colonel Kline was
the Palace Hotel. "Well, appointed
committee" said the commander, 'to ar
range this matter, and presume the COM
mittee, to avoid embarrassment, selected
the Palace" The commander does not
doubt his ability to preserve peace at the
polls.
No matter how warm the contest may
wax, the Palace Hotel will be strictly neu-
trail ground. The banquet, as well as the