The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-06-13

Prior to 1S80-the date Of the birth of this
club-there was no such thing known to
the politicians as a Republican club south
of Market street.
The Tenth Ward was absolutely claimed
bvthe Democrats, and this claim remained
undisputed to such an extent that in the
early political history of San Francisco,
when Supervisors were elected exclusively
by wards. there was no such thing to be
expected as that the Tenth Ward would
return anything but an out-and-out, dyed
in-the-hair Democrat.
This being the condition of affairs in that
fertile valley, there were no inducements
to start Republican clubs or even think of
rallVing the few lonely residents belonging
TO the minority together on the eve of
campaign, and in the majority of cases at
an election other than Presidential the
few solitary voters whose political faith
had been pinned TO the policy of Abraham
Lincoln remained at home and permitted
their neighbors to conduct the election as
good Democrats generally do by rolling in
as large ma jority for their candidate as
would insure his election beyond perad-
venture.
With the nomination of James A. Gar
field in 1880 a change came over the polit-
lcal horizon of the Tenth Ward. At that
time the young Native Sons began to show
their strength as political factor in the
ranks OF both parties and, unlike their
predecessors, they thought for themselves
and voted as they thought without wait
Ing to be told for whom to vote. Among
those young men at that time was one who
had convinced his young associates that
he knew thing or two about politics him.
self: His advice and counsel was sought
to that degree that he soon became pro-
vincial leader in the Tenth Ward. This
young man was none other than Philip j.
Crlmmlns, who since that period has be-
come so well known by the politicians, not
only OF this City but of the whole State,
as young man who has shown his ability
to become local leader of his party, and,
to-day, while not an actual leader. his adj
vice and counsel have been sought by the
foremost men at the head of the political
party in this City.
From the brain of this same Phil Grim
MINIS emanated the Howard Club, and to
MS judgment and generalship must be at
trlouted whatever laurels the club has
won and fastened upon it's banner; as bat
tie victories are in reality the individual
victories of the founder of the Howard
Club
In 1879 Phil Crimmins, B. f. Doughertv,
W. L. Sesnon, D. J. Crowley, James Gun
bingham, Thomas F. Donahue, John E.
Green, Thomas Flynn, Judge J. G. B.
Hebbard, II. E. Hall, J. P. Rice. Robert
Williams, Fred Frey-all of whom have
continued their membership right through
with the cllb-and about q dozen other
young men whose residences were in the
tenth Ward, joined together and formed
the Howard Club which they had iucor-
porated, first as social organization, in
which the daily papers and other litera-
ture were subscribed for and the club
rooms made social and conventional to its
members.
This continued until the following wear.
When the Republican convention nominal
ted Garfield. Then the social feature,
"nlie continuing, had added politics to it's
usefulness, and from that day to this the
influence OF the Howard Club has been
courted by every Republican nominee
VINO hoped to win out in the race for
municipal office.
The headquarters of the club was located
on the southwest corner of Third and
Howard streets for fourteen years, and
until about two years ago. a Democratic
ONCE holder, with an eye to business,
leased the corner where the club held forth
and put his brother in as tenant to sell
Democratic whisky to such patrons as
were able to pay for the same.
This Democratic interference with the
boys of the Howard Club was not their
first experience, however, as attempt after
attempt had been made to stuff the club
roll with Democratic names for the pur-
pose of proselyting the members and
swinging the club over on the eve of
campaign contest. This detection, had it