The San Francisco call., 1896-06-08
Clunie's Rebuff, Ferral's Ambi-
tion, Peppers Assault, the
Buckley Issue.
A DoUBLE-BARRELLED PICNIC.
From the Social Side the Annual
Iroquois Outing to San Jose
Was a Success.

1t was Democratic picnic, and Demo-
cratic picnics are common this year. This
one mad two contrasted natures, and from
both it yielded largely.
AS social affair it was a blessing, like
the glad and gentle Sabbath morn that
brought it. AS political affair it yielded
red war-the play of hate, the leaping forth
of armed ambitions, new sizzles of party
strife, poisoned arrows of political skir-
mishes and, as well, the play of the gentler
arts of politics-kind, winning, insidious.
For Max Pepper and his own declared
war on Thomas j. Clunie, who reaches for
the Democratic nomination for Congress
in the Fifth District, cried war to Clunies
teeth where Iroquois bucks and gentle
maidens schottished in the eucalyptus
shade.
For they trotted out to the starting
post ex-District Attorney V. A. Scheller
OF San Jose, who is now all at once
formidable candidate for the nomination.
For they took along in a special car a
wierd dragon, labeled "Buckleylsm,
soaring people from the side of Andy
CIunie' brother, and displaying it through
the Santa Clara Valley as the thing to
keep in mind at the State Convention
when the virgin Junta steps forth to take
the vows of eternal purity and receive a
white robe, for which Sam Rainey is meas
ured.
And Robert Ferrall stopped all guessing
that he might be q candidate for Congress
in the Fifth, and announced himself out
for a Superior Judgeship, whereat he was
promptly threatened with defeat if he
didn't shake Buckley at once.
Stilettos were thrust into Daggett and
politicians without quarrels, or the hope
of any, came in peace and in tender fell
lowship.
There was no sign of all this when sew
enteen carloads of people moved out of
the depot at 8 A. M, and the majority
knew not nor cared that ruthless politi-
clans had lugged their hellish wiles and
wars into the Sunday picnic. Theirs was
the social side.
The social side was the incest one and
the picnic was the incest one of all the an
nual picnics of the Iriquois Club. They
said-the braves at the front did-that
this was because the Buckleyites were not
there. 1t was in truth an anti-Buckley
crowd, the only Buckleyite that attended
being Fred Raabe, Deputy Superintendent
of Streets, who was the jolliest soul aboard.
The Buckleyite mem bers have largely left
the Iriquois Club to the enemy since their
defeat at the annual election.
The several hundred that went down on
the train we're an unusual picnic crowd
for the size, in the character and respecta-
bility of its members.
The active braves of the club were all
in evidence. President Charles Gildea,
with white stove-pipe hat and badge,
looked proudly after the arrangements.
Vice President Thomas OConnor, Louis
Metzger, chairman OF the board of
trustees; Lawrence J. Welch, Secretary
Gordon, Harry Zemansky, L. V. Merle,
Max Pepper and others, who had most
actively worked to make the affair the
success it was, were at the helm when
needed throughout the day. James
O'Connor of the School Department, ]. l..
Franklin, e. P. E. Troy, ex-senator P. J.
Murphy, John Cunningham, H. Bienfeld.
August Keller and Registrar Hinton were
picnickers too.
There were other Iroquois braves along
with as deep and honorable social cravings
as any. 7. ]. Clunie was one and Robert
Ferrall was another. James Denman en-
joyed the day; he is talked of for many
things. Auditor Broierick brought his
hearty good nature, and said little about
denomination. Senator Fay, who may be
nominated again, was & ad he went. Rob-
ert Barnett, who is after Daggett's scalp
along with others, joined the merry
makers.
Nearly all who came brought their fami-
lies or lady friends along.
There was band aboard, the morning
was bright and the Santa Clara Valley
feasted all eyes with its summer beauty.
The day, the air. the hills, the orchards,
groves and blooms were bright and kind
as the pleasant-faced crowd aboard.
The social story of the picnic is that of a
quietly delightful, uneven tfuI outing amid
charming scenes. Arriving at San Jose
part of the crowd went to Agricultural
Park, toward Santa Clara, and there
spread bountiful lunches brought from
home. The rest sought hotels and restau-
rants uptown, and after luncheon many
spent an hour or two riding about.
The crowd at the park grew large early
in the afternoon. Roughs did not come
with Sunday picnic girls to trouble the
quietly pleasant hours. Nearly 100 San
Jose people, largely friends of the San
Franciscans, joined the crowd at the park
There were no speeches and no special
features to the entertainment except the
dancing on the open dancing platform.
Refreshment booths helped out the life,
and the crowd rested, moved, chatted, ate,
drank and danced in the shady grove until
train time at o'clock.
Eight hundred tickets had been sold,
and that, with the pleasant time enjoyed
by everybody, made up the success that
everybody recognized.
The eucalyptus grove yielded lot of
politics, but most of it was as unobtrusive
and inoffensive as the faint odor from
the gum trees. The party chart was
studied by experts by twos and threes, and
there was much kind fellowship that may
count.
But Pepper and some others jumped
into the Fifth District Congressional fight
as soon as they struck the depot gravel
In twenty minutes after arrival Pepper
was uptown talking earnest politics TO
Sam Rucker, Postmaster Ryland, Deputy
Postmaster Kelly, Tom O'Connor and
others, who were at the st. James Hotel
by appointment.
Pepper made his first open anti-Clunie
move since Clunie announced his candi-
dacy three days ago. Clunie's suffering is
some what vicarious. He has brother,
Andrew J. by name, whose keeper he was
not at the time of the last State Conven-
ton. a
Clunie was battling for DR.. Stantons
nomination for Railroad Commissioner,
and Pepper was fercely opposing Stanton
as Buckleyite and railroad slave The
impetnous Andrew blazed away with a
keen-edged story about Peppers former