The San Francisco call., 1895-11-14
John H. Wise Paid a Visit to the
Occidental Club Last
Evening.
CLAIMS THAT BOssIsM IS DEAD.
Ex-SuperviSor James Denman Insists
That the Committee of Fifty
Has Killed It.

Ex-Judge Mcguire is veritable bull in
the Junta's china shop. That body has
been falling upon hard times lately. For
a week or more dissensions have been so
FREQUENT over the question of the distri-
button OF the power of appointing men,
bers of the new general committee that
very little real work has been done and
most of the time of the leaders has been
devoted 10 trying to prevent open out
breaks. Lannigan is sulking in his tent
and meets no more in friendly conference
with McNab in the lobby of the Occidental
Hotel.
lie and others are complaining that
Daggett and Rainey are having too much
say IN choosing members of the new COM
mittee. Others are complaining, and it is
all that the leaders of those who are try
ing 10 purify the Democratic party can do
TO prevent open rupture.
And now comes the man who OF all
others in the Democratic party is recog-
nized as the foremost friend of reform and
an able opponent to bossism, Judge Ma
guire. The latter says that their methods
are n-Democratic, and that bossism is to
be preferred to their rule.
Judge Mcguire was asked last evening
what interest aHd what position he would
take IN local politics. He replied as fol-
lows:
have not determined whether or not will
personally take any part in the proceedings on
saturday evening, although am still a mem
Der or the general committee. l have been
seriously IN doubt to what should be done
IN the matter with a view to promoting the
interests OF the Democratic party, which should
be the only interests considered there. The
proposition OF what is called the Junta is Ger
tainly very un-Democratic, and cannot pos
slbly be justified except by the gravest con-
sidera tions of necessity.
They urge that the only salvation of the
Democratic party from the domination of
Buckley is to give the absolute control of the
party in san Francisco 10 a committee ap-
pointed by them; that primary election
condU@ted under their own auspices would be
won by Buckley's forces, and that y is there
fore not eXpedlent 10 allow the Democratic
voters of San Francisco to elect the membe of
their own party organization.
The control of the Democratic party bv Mr..
Buckley undoubtedly means defeat and disaS-
ter in the next election, and l have hesitated
10 urge my own views of Democracy against
these assurances.
feel certain that no fear OF Buckley's ability
TO carry primaries should induce to aban-
don that most fundamental principle of De-
mOcracy-that all power and authority must
emNnate from the people. care not how i'm
perfectly, or even c5rruptly, an election may
be conducted, tits at its worst Infinitely better
than surrendering the functions OF Govern
ment, either in State or in party, to selfper-
petuatlng governing BODY.
There are several excellent and honorable
men in the leadership of the Junta movement
who are devotlng their time and energies to its
work in the full belief that nothing better
can be done, but they are men who have
had little experience and some OF them eX-
perience i'll practical politics, and they
sociated in the reorganization movement with
Sam Rainey and John Daggett, who are acting
in concert and who are shrewd enough and
sufficiently experienced TO outgeneral all of
the others and to become the bosses of the To-
aa1 nar hH of fha 10
plan which the others deem necessity to the
salvation of the party.
know that it is the judgment of some of the
other leaders that they know more about the
organization OF the new committee than Mr..
Rainey does, but that is matter of judgment,
and on that question l think Mr.. Rainey's
judgment is better than theirs. Now, while it
is entirely desirable to get rid of Mr. Buck
ley. as those gentlemen say, by the proposed
reorganization, and to get rid of Rainey and
Daggett afterward, as they propose, very seri-
ously doubt their ability to cope with Mr..
Rsiney and Mr.. Daggett in such q struggle.
If they should fail in this the result of the
abandonment of Democratic methods would
he simply to get rid of Buckley by installing
Rainey as boss This would be no improve
ment. What offense has Mr.. Buckley ever
committed in which Mr.. Rainey has not par
ticipated?
In my opinion it would be very much better
TO get rid of Rainey and Daggett now by re-
jecting their scheme and take our chances of
getting rid of Mr.. Buckley afterward in contest
IN which the expression of the Democratic Will
can be obtained.
The present committee, contrary to nv judg-
ment, perpetuated itself in power without
authority other than its own vote to the
present time. 1t appointed the last municipal
convention. That convention appointed the
Deuprey committee, and that committee, add
ing to its number the Watkins committed now
proposes to perpetuate $50 of the present
committee in power for another two years and
10 arbitrarily select 200 other Democrats to
take the places of 200 who are to be turned
out This is not Democratic, and I cannot
support il.
Judge Mcguire was asked what he pro-
posed should be done and said: 81 pro-
pose that either the present committee on
reorganization or committee of one
selected from each Assembly district by
the existing district committees should be
appointed to conduct a primary election
Tor a new general committee"