The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-16
The Fire Department Men Likely
to Mix in Primary
Politics.
MAXWELL ON THE SITUATION.
He Declares That the Investigation
Is Merely an Empty Politi.
cal Move.

The Fire Department officials profess to
be in no wise alarmed over the general an
ticipation of interesting developments in
the final phases of the Grand Jury investi-
CATION Notwithstanding the seriousness
of the situation from the viewpoint of
nearly everybody on the outside, the Off
GERS of the institution itself proclaim more
loudly than ever that things have been
conducted properly, and that no defects of
management present themselves for CEN
sure.
ave have absolutely nothing to fear
from the investigation. said George Max
we'll, the Fire Commissioners secretary,
yesterday. II have no idea what may de-
velop within the next week, but so far as
the management of the department is con-
cerned we are safe. The whole thing is
only a preliminary skirmish by the Buck
ley people, and is essentially part of the
vigorous effort being made to get the de-
partment into his hands again and into
politics. We have been out of politics for
good while now, and have progressed ad-
mirably. We want to keep out, and we
propose to go as far as respectable meas
ures will permit to attain our end.
ct is a matter Of self preservation with
Il.
There has been no secrecy about the
efforts we have made to muster our
friends and gain majority for the de-
partment's safety in the district clubs I
have seen all of my friends and asked
them to help us. Every other man has
done likewise and in doing so we have
not gone beyond the limit to which our
privileges extend.
Il cannot say with any degree of GER
tainty how far the department may go in
the matter, but, for my part, if the Occa-
sion seems to require it | shall participate
as actively as any citizen in the affairs
which precede the general election. l be-
lieve that my right to do SO is Just as in
alienable as that of any one else, notwith-
standing that the department regulations
forbid it. The rule IS certainly a very
necessary one. 1t has been of much good
ever since desperation, but the depart
ment employees might easily question it's
business. They Will never do that. but
may merely pass the rule over if the occa-
sion demands.
There has been a lot of talk about the
department going into politics again, and
the officers in it have had all sorts of CEN
sure and abuse heaped upon them without
the slightest reason. The people ought to
understand that the Fire Department IS
doing Its utmost at this moment to keep
out of politics. Buckley and that crowd
are the people who hope to make politi-
cal concern of it. They are exerting them
selves everywhere to secure complete con-
troll, turn the department into a political
machine and eventually reduce it to the
condition in which it was when Buckley
had it few years ago.
''If the Fire Department has anything to
do with political matters, it will be for the
sole purpose of saving itself from political
influences in the future. 1t will be case
of going into politics in order to keep ont
of politics. 1t is rather early to say what
we may do.
Zone thing is certain. We do not pro-
pose to see Mr.. Buckley take us in hand if
we have anything to say or do about it.
You see. the department has nearly a
thousand men who are available ii fight
like this and this number could make
things very interesting at primary cleo
tons. l do not anticipate that Buckley
will come anywhere near success in the
direction of the Fire Department, but he
is working hard and We are losing no time
ourselves
Mr.. MaXwell's explanation of the finan-
clal operations of the department, which
are now being considered by the Grand
Jury, was variously criticized about town
yesterday. Many of the features of it
were accepted without question, but there
were others about which considerable
doubt was expressed.
LII the matter of harness makers at the
Corporation Yard Mr. Maxwell had de.
ciared that there were only two instead of
three. The statement was then made that
one lsador Gurdemez, engineer of Chem