The San Francisco call., 1896-05-11
, The Point of Greatest Interest
to Alameda County Re.
publicans.
NECESSITY OF PARTY FEALTY
Why an Ambulance Proved Sur
prise to Large Number of
.. Citizens.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANcIsco CALL,
OnS Rrnn rrnrr Afnrr

month, the point of interest now is to dis
cover the succeeding numbers of the
primary mems programme. Regarded at
first somewhat in the light of freaks, the
followers of the Pardee-Davis wing have
commanded respect because they have
shown that they can fight to a finish and
come out of the fray winners. The great.
est political surprise since Dalton was
elected County Assessor was the seating of
the primary delegates. So confident were
the old-liners that the Denuson delegates
would be seated that when the news was
posted on the bulletin board of an Oak
land newspaper several OF them aroused
the proprietor's ire by refusing to be con-
vinced that the bulletin was not joke.
Now everything is upset and, actually,
the seating of the primary delegates is
only minor circumsta compared with
that which it signifies. 1t proves the COM
plete overthrow of the party who hitherto
has had control of the party machinery.
All the foundation on which the MantaIen
faction built has been knocked from under
them and their political structure is SIM
ply castle in the air. The fact that Man
talen is still chairman of the County Re-
publican Committee cuts no figure, be-
cause ii ever quorum of the committee
can be obtained ne would be chairman no
longer. He has held Office for nearly a
year because he has just enough votes to
block quorum by their staying away.
More complete chaos never existed among
the machine men than exists to-day, and,
although the fight will be renewed at ST.
Louis, very few doubt what the result will
be.
The nomination of candidate for Con.
gress is the absorbing feature of the imme-
diate future. Although Hilborn's course
in Congress was Endorsed by the Second
Tor legal Third) District Convention, it is
not likely that he will be renominated.
The supporters of Judge Frick were those
OF Eli Denison, and, with Denison, Frick
rises or falls. The signs of the past two
weeks point unequivocally to ex-Mayor
W. R. Davis as the coming man. 1t was
somewhat OF surprise when he came to
the front in behalf of the primary men,
Previous to doing so it was not even
known that he was active in the councils
of the reform party. When he did enter
the fight he did not leave it till it vas
won. Before the committee on credentials
at Sacramento w. r. Davis made the
speech, or, rather, recited the facts, that
turned the tide in favor of the prim ary
delegates, and with Pardee proved to be
invincible. Now it naturally follows that
such fidelity to principle will not be for
gotten, and it is believed by many that w.
r. Davis will be nominated for Congress.
Such nomination would certainly do
more toward the restoration of harmony
IN the Republican ranks in this county
than that of any other man.
The recent and pending scandals in the
municipal government prove the necessity
of harmony within party lines. The fire.
quent clashes between officials and the
consequent ridicule created among other
cities in the State are to be deplored They
are hurting the commercial standing of
Oakland.
During the past week the information
has been published broadcast that the city
is too poor to maintain her free reading
rooms or to provide spr1nkling-c carts, when
life without them is made abominable
The heads of the departments declare it 10
be the fault of the dollar tax levy fixed by
the Mayor, which they declare Is too small.
Mayor Davie issues tables showing that
far less sums than his levy provides run
the departments in cities much larger than
Oakland and says that his political enc
mics are creating all the discomfort posi-
bic for the purpose of throwing discredit
on his administration.
All these assertions may be true to some
. degree, but that is not the point that is
seen by outsiders. They only see the
ridiculous aspect of affairs and very
naturally conclude that the conditions of
life in such city are not of a desirable
nature. The different branches of the
city government are represented by
different partisans and non-partisans. and
the political platform of each is thing of
itself. Until one party is sufficiently strong
in itself to insure control of the govern
ment the present clownish state of affairs
will continue. What would Oakland think
if the Mayor of Los Angeles should take a
few laborers and repair bridge after the
Council had decided that it be closed? 1t
does not at all follow that Mayor Davie is
wrong in doing what he did, but it is
patent that the state OF affairs which
makes possible such sideshows needs a
remedy. The high hand with which the
old Republican leaders carried things
necessitated change and the present
political ola podrida is the result. Now that
the reform leaders are IN fair way to COM
plete ultimate success. there will soon be
reason TO hope that Oakland's municipal
government will cease to be a circus.
An ambulance from across the bay was
in Oakland this y eek, and it is not stretch
ing the truth to say that it created more
interest than hippodrome. From the
easy manner in which the car tracks were
crossed and street corners rounded 1T was
evident that sick person was inside and
that the driver knew it. People actually
stopped and watched the humane vehicle
and the humane manner in which it was
handled, it was so great surprise. That
it should have been SO is not very agree
able to citizen who takes pride in his
city, but it is fact that although Oakland
claims to be the second largest city in the
State, the clumsy patrol wagon is the only
ambulance known to the municipality.
Unfortunate victims of railroad and street
accidents, men and women, are carried in
4