The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-09
DEMOCRATIC POLITICS,
Will Cleveland Attempt to
Down Silver Men in
California
District Clubs by the Local
Bosses.

The capture of the Iowa Democratic
State Convention by the Cleveland wing of
the party as published in The CALL yes
terday, created profound surprise among
the silver men of the Democratic party in
San Francisco. Now it occurs to the local
politicians that the activity of Mint Gus
tom-hous and Internal Revenue officers
in this City and throughout the State has
deeper significance than was first sur
missed. The Cleveland admirers proclaim
that he is bold enough to fight the free
coinage men in California as he fought
them in Kentucky and Iowa.
Ex-Congressman Thomas J. Clunie was
asked yesterday if he thought the admin
istration could control the next Demo-
cratic State Convention in California and
force the party to rally under the single
standard of gold. He said in reply:
''The patronage of the administration is
immense. We know that the ice-holders,
deputies, clerks and workers employed in
the Mint, Custom-house, Internal Revenue
Office and other Federal departments are
active men. They understand how to Or
ganize clubs and control conventions"
will the Democrats of this State revolt
and organize third party if this scheme
is forced on them or will they succumb
like the Democrats of the East?"
For my part" said Mr.. Clunie, ''if
President Cleveland is Democrat then l
have been all wrong for twenty-five years
in thinking myself Democrat. If Presi-
dent Cleveland by the power of his pat
ronage attempts to turn the party of this
State against the free coinage of silver l
shall oppose him if l take any part what
ever in politics. Yes, would 60 into a
third-party movement rather than sur
4 n<~.-
of silver. He has downed the silver DEM
ocrats in Iowa and his victory there illus
trates the power of Federal patronage
when 1T is employed to influence conven-
tions."
Inquiry discloses the fact that President
Cleveland has some influential supporters
of his gold policy in San Francisco, Ex-
Mayor Pond, ex-senator Maddox and Ra-
phael WE'LL do not hesitate to commend
him for courage and wisdom in the asser-
ton of financial policy. Senator Maddox
has facts and figures sufficient to convince
himself that the free coinage of silver
would remove from circulation 5000, 900 600
of gold. an amount of circulating coin that
would tax the minis many years to re-
place.
The organization of the local Democrats
into Assembly district clubs is progressing
with unusual vigor, considering that the
election will not take place until 1896. The
new primary election law accounts in a
measure for the activity, but other in1u-
ences are at work, and some of the keenest
observers say that word has come from
Washington to encourage early work.
Under the new election law steps must be
| taken as early as January to select officers
for the primary election At one primary
election delegateJ to all the conventions
State, district and local-are chosen for
each party in the field.
Max Pepper leading the Iroquois, has
about completed the Assembly distriot or
CARNATIONS. Work of the same character
is going forward vigorously under the
auspices of the Occidental Club
Max Pepper has completed the organiza-
ton of thirteen councils of the Iroquois
Club-one in each Assembly district from
the Twenty-eighth to the Fortieth inclu-
sive. Five more clubs will be organized to
complete the local machinery.
The Occidental Club, through its COM
mittee of organization, of which Mr. Dun
don is chairman, has organized very nearly
as many clubs as Pepper has recruited.
Each central club has its own methods
of organization. Max Pepper selects the
flower of the Democracy in each district,
while Dundon takes the voters of the party
as they come, good, bad and Indifferent,
but insists that organization shall be eff
fected and discipline maintained.
When the final round up for supremacy
comes there will be such war of factions
as San Francisco never saw in the political
arena.