The herald., 1895-01-03

Politicians aud Newspspsrs Discuss Por
kfns' Chsnces.

The senatorial situation is pelng very gener-
ally discussed by the politicians and news
papers of the state. The opposition to George
C. Perkins, because OF his antagonism to GER
tain lines of policy that are generally believed
| 10 be OF greatest Importance to California and
for this reason strongly Endorsed by the
| Republican party. says the sacramento Bee,
| has become so pronounced and so threatens
the undoing of his carefully laid plans that he
has arrived post haste from Washington to see
if the impending disaster cannot be averted.
! What has undoubtedly brought matters to a
focus was the publication in the Bee Of Deem
Der 18th of the correspondence between AS
semblyman-elect L. I. Hatfield of this county
and Senator Perkins to the attitude of the
latter on the silver question, and Hatheld's
very decided declaration in an in terview that
! he would not vote for any man for senator
whom disregard OF his party's platform
took the stand on silver that Perkins did.
| Hattield's action has been the subject OF very
general newspaper comment His able hand
| ling of the question and his boldnsss in taking
/ the stand he did is generally conceded, nor
has anyone yet attempted to make defense OF
| Perkins in the matter Some of the news
! papers, however. think they see in the action
a move in a deep-laid scheme which may re-
suit in the election of NJ. II. de Young and
| these papers would apparently prefer that the
| states interests should suffer TO any extent
rather than permit Mike de Young to repre-
! sent California in congress The proprietor OF
| the Chronicle, despite his executive ability
and energy. as strikingly exemplifed in the
management OF the midwinter far IS not
| popular either with the public or his fellow
| newspaper men.
It's suggested by some of these papers that
| Perkins attitude the silver question is
simply being used excuse by legislators
who have be pledged by their county con-
| yentions to vote for Perkins, and desire to
| break their pledge 1t is strongly limited by
these papers that Perkins action in practically
getting an assurance OF the Republican legis-
lative caucus nomination for senator without
the expenditure of a cent is resented by poll
| ticians and Legislators who think that sena-
toria contest should be graced by the presence
! OF Colonel Mazuma and the sack. senator
Perkins, by this element, is strongly con-
| demned for his clever trick in absenting him
( self from the state during the recent CAM
| paign, sending his secretary Milton Green and
TREY L. Ford and w. b. II milton around to
the various county conventions, and inducing
a number OF them to tie their legislative can
didates up b. instructions to vote for Perkins.
Feeling practically sure of election by the
| success which attended this quiet move, Per-
kins INDUCED in the further economy OF de-
clining to subscribe towards the state CAM
paign fund, ana this carrying of business
! economy into politics is deemed hardly fair to
| the "boys."
! None Of these allega tons, however, weaken
the force OF Hatield's argument that man OF
Perkins views on the silver question is not
the proper representative for California His
| fitness for the position is now further brought
into question by the statement that he has
persistently lodged on the Nicaragua canal
proposition and is real y opposed to it, and
! that he favors, in many respects, free trade.
And now the colored citizens declare that, as
a member OF the California senate in 1869, he
voted with the Democrats and against his
party platform in opposing the Endorsement of
the fifteenth amendment to the institution OF
the United states.
There can be no question to the defec-
tions from the Perkins banner. Placer county
seems tn have followed in the wake of Hatfield
OF sacramento. The editor of the Placer Re-
publican of Auburn who wrote the resolution
| indorsing Perkins as passed by the Placer
! county conven ion. declares against Perkins,
| and even explains that the resolutions vera
not intended TO bind the legislative candidate
| in his vote, but only to indorse, in a COM
! plimcntary wa +, the congressional record OF
! senater Perkins. Legislators who have been
counted solid for Perkins now just as de-
| termined against him, and it is ev dent that
/ he cannot be elected on the first ballot
4 AS TO who will be most benefited by Perkins
| loss there is a diversity of opinion. De Young,
| it is generally conceded is the one, aside from
| Perkins, who can command most votes, but
| whether he can secure enough of the desertsrs
from Perkins to ele t him is very uncertain.
! The hopes of other candida es have been much
| ra sed by the detection from Perkins standard,
and De Haven, Irving NJ. Scott and others
| could unquestionably secure many of these
| votes we're they known to be pronounced in
| their wishes for election. ]. II. Neff OF Placer
comfy is now being vigorously pushed by the
| mountain newspapers for thu position.
| 1t has been assumed by many that Perkins
def at means De Young's election, but while
the latter's 9Th is urquestioned, it may
! not become sufficient for election. His chances,
| however are decidedly in advance of anyone
now mentioned, should Perkins fail. Some as
| sert that De Young does not really want to be
| elected this year, because election confers the
| office onl for the unexpired term of two
wears; but that he desires the office for TIL
full term two years hence, and that for this
reason he is anxious to see Perkins defeated
/ and some less popular, less healthy man
| ected. The Examiner which naturally is
not assisting De Young in his aspirations
gives currency to this sugg stio and insin-
yates that he is willing to let Neff be elected,
as the physical disability of the Placer man
, would prevent him being a dangerous op-
| ponent two years hence.
| However these things may be, it is undoubt-
! edly true that the hungry politicians in
hopes that the change in the senatorial fight
will develop contest in which votes may be-
come of financial value.