The San Francisco call., 1896-02-23


the A P A. machine the names of distinC-
lively A. P. A. candidates may be placed on
the ballot If these things do not make the A.
P. A. political party l do not know what
would.
Q. TRAYNoR IS MANAGER AND DICTATOR.
By the constitution of the A. P. A the presl-
dent is supreme executive oncer. Such
position alone would JUSTIFY the appIlcauon OF
the term boss. But the title Is especially ap-
propriate because
3. TRAYNoR USES HIS LEADERSHIP FOR PRIVATE
OR PARTISAN PURPOSES.
To prove this proposition call IN the testl-
mony of gentleman once well known in this
City, the Rev. I. c. EaSton, DID, OF the East
ern Presbyterian Church, Washington, D. Z.
The press dispatches, under date November 8,
1895 announce his withdrawal from the order
because of mismanagement.
"Dr. Easton," says the dispatches, "claims
that he is just as firm adherent of the prin-
ciples of the organization as ever, and 1t is
said has IN contemplation the formation OF
rival organization in furtherance OF the same
views"
Among his reasons are the following, which
bear on Traynors position In the A. Z. A.:
Ny dissatisfaction with the manner in which the
organization is conducted dates back TO May OF
the District Of Columbia TO the Supreme Council
at Milwaukee. When L arrived there l found
deplorabe condition of affairs. Over half OF the
men who sat in the supreme body were not entitled
10 seats under the constitution of the order. They
were seated by a credential committee appointed
by Supreme President Traynor-
With membership in the millions the books OF
the treasurer showed an apparent balance OF a few
hundred dollars. and subsequent developments
forced the confession from the supreme president
that even this balance was only apparent and that
the treasury was bankrupt A trust fund of sew
eral hundred dollars, taken up by subscription for
a specific purpose, had been misappied and the
administration had been characterized by an utter
through the votes of the delegates Illegally
seated in the convention Supreme President Tray
nor was reelected. Utterly disgusted L lett the
convention before its adjournment, having pre-
viouSly announced my intention to with draw
from the order. AT the earnest request OF p roml.
nent members here and throughout the country L
held my resolution in abeyance for a While in the
hope that something could be done without open
disrupt on, but recent events have satisfied me OF
the futility of such hopes.
The power of the SUI preme president is, in fact,
supreme. II e can pack future conventions as he
packed the last. He is as much OF a despot in his
particular province as the Gar of Russia: he can
override the constitution with impunity, and IL
charges were preferred against him his own ap-
pointees would try him. Ii is useless to struggle
against such an organization. The discomfort is
widespread throughout the order. Several OF the
most peaceful State bodies have declined 10 pay
any per capita tax into the supreme treasury or
give II any support.
These are my reasons, Mr.. Editor, for calling
Traynor the boss of the A. P. A. By the way,
is Traynor q citizen of these United States?
(d) THE ADVISORY BOARD.
Mr.. Hudelson denies that the A. P. A. puts
its followers at the mercy OF advisory boards
and says that might as well talk OF putting
the people at the mercy OF the Congressman
they elect.
Let me first say what an advisory board is.
1t is body made up OF members of the A P A
whose business it is to select ticket which the
members may vote. The general advisory
board acts for the United States the State ad-
yisory board for the jurisdiction.
Besides these two bodies there is in San
Francisco an advisory board for the City and
County. This is not legal body, as Mr.. Hud-
elsol has been compelled to inform the recall
citrant time and time again. But 1t does for
San Francisco what the State advisory board
does.for California.
Now the American plan OF selecting candi-
dates for office is by means of a free and open
convention. When a ticket is selected by
few men in back room in secret session and
forced on convention we have boss rule. The
convention is at the mercy of the boss and of
his henchmen. So when ticket is selected by
a few men in q back room in secret session and
forced upon city We have boss rule OF the
worst kind.
In the course of this letter I shall have oc-
cason to deal with the State advisory board
Let me describe the method OF action pur-
sued by the City advisory board at the last
election.
At the various conventions candidates had
been chosen for the various Offices. The can
didates had been selected in open meeting and
by the duly elected delegates of the two great
parties. Because some imagined that wire
pulling or secret dictation had affected the re-
suit non-partisan ticket WAS put before the
electors. Besides this the Peoples party had
its candidates and there were sideshows in
Vulnerable.
The A. P A. at that time claimed IL ,223
members in good standing and these IL 900
men stood ready to vote for any one whom the
advisory board would recommend. Many of
them belonged to the older parties, were
active in conventions and were according to
ali the rules of honor bound to the nominees
whom they had helped to select, yet they re-
mained waiting day by day until secret body
should declare: "Vote for this man and not
for that"
AS it drew near the election there were
many calls for the names of the favorites of the
order. But these names were refused. On
Friday, October 26, 1884, at the meeting OF
Council No. 1 it was announced that the
supported by the A. Z. 4. should not be given
out in the councils The names would be put
on tickets and distributed to the members.
This was before the advisory board had made
It's selections.
On Monday, October %, 1894. at the meet
ing of the Eureka Social Club, Mr.. Rhoda, the
president, made a speech exhorting the men,
bers to support the men to be selected by the
advisory board. This speech was received
with cheers. AT that time the advisory board
had selected only few candidates.
Thus the 1900 odd members gave them
selves and their votes into the hands OF men
they did not know and whose action they in
dorsed beforehand.
Let US now take look at the advisory board.
On Monday, October %, 1894, the question of
the Sheriff's office came up. Two candidates
were considered by the board namely, Archi-
bald and McNab. A strong fight was made for
Archibald. His friends said that he had Joined
the order in its infancy, and that now when it
had some power he should be supported. On
serted that as far membership went he was
with them heart and soul; that if elected he
would have none but Protestants employed
under him, and that he had the support OF q
large mum Der of secret societies.
OF course, Mr.. Editor. am not prepared to
say that the statements made by the friends of
Archibald or McNab were true. All assert is
that these reasons were urged by the friends of
the candidates on the advisory board. What
credence we can put in the words of the mem
bers OF that board will appear later on.
The. outcome of the fight was that MeNab re-
ceived forty-two votes and Archibald twenty
four. Poor Archibald! Every one knows the
sad, the squalid result. reluctant indorse-
ment of NcNab was wrurg from him as he lay
delirious on his bed by j. @. A. Henry and read
at the Mechanics Pavilion. The advisory
board had triumphed. Forty-two men tried
to force Sheriff on this City of San Francisco
not because he was abler, better, purer than
the other candidates, but because they thought
he would give positions to none but Protest
ants.
At the beck of these forty-two men IL 900
voters stood ready. They were not permitted
TO use American freeman's right of selec-
| ton. The candidate was chosen for them for
reasons they never heard, and they were
marched like cattle to the polls to vote at the
dictation OF iunta, every member OF which
was traitor to the constitution of the State OF
California.
Ifinstead of being the lowest of the low the
members of the advisory board were angels,
such method of procedure is un-American