The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-02-06
N0N-PARTISANS AGAIN.

The announced intention of some of the
leaders of the old Non-Partsan party to
reorganize for the approaching municipal
election is capable of analysis. F. ]. Sui
livan justifies the movement with this
statement:
''Some may think that this being a
Presidential year we should not put non
partisan ticket in the field. But with
those disagree. There is a necessity for
such a party. Just look at the eight
Supervisors who now govern the City. See
the enormous taxation that the people are
saddled with. There is no reduction in
the water rates, but rather an increase
when the number of hydrants that have
been put down during the year is consid-
cred. We think that we will be
able to elect Board of Supervisors that
will look after the interests of the people
instead of after the interests of the cor
porations." Mr.. Sullivan declares that a
| firm stand must be made for good govern
ment and that we must elect men "who
are not owned by corrupt bosses and
grinding corporations"
Apart from the fact, sometimes we'll
found and sometimes not, that 'non-
partisan" parties commonly are sprung
by leaders having political axes to grind
which regular political organizations are
unwilling to sharpen, is the fact that it is
| manifestly unfair to assume that the regu-
| lar parties are unwilling or incapable OF
| providing good government and unwise
to deprive them of the virtuous influences
which non-partisans profess to exercise.
! 1t is far better to crush corrupt bosses by
concentrating the decent elements IN es-
tablished parties than to perpetuate the
existence of such bosses by abandoning
the parties to their power.
1t is also manifestly unfair to propose an
| independent organization without having
| first submitted the names of desirable can
! didates to the old parties and receiving ex-
| plicit statements as to whether these can
didates would be acceptable to them.
More than that, it is difficult TO imagine
any citizen loyal to the principles of one
| of the old parties who is willing to aban-
don it in the hour of it's need and deliber-
ately turn it over to rogues.
| 1t is a fact familiar to all who under
stand the political situation at present in
| San Francisco that while some of the Off
| GERS elected by the Republican party have
| disgraced the City the boss power which
thrust them into Office has been practically
destroyed, and that this is now the time OF
all others for the decent elements of the
| City to support that party in its determine
ton to purify its organization and elect
honest and competent officers. The Demo.
cratic party is at present sadly divided, its
| better element making hard struggle to
| keep Buckley from dominating it.
A familiar rinse of onrrl1pf hoccoc 1r,I - ,oc
that their power is threatened by the con-
centration of decency in one party is to in
stigate an independent movement for the
purpose of dividing the best people and
perpetuating the corrupt regime. 1t is not
meant to say that this is the case with the
present proposed movement, but it is ca sy
to understand that corrupt politics would
be vastly strengthened by such splitting
up, and that the bosses must feel happy
| over the proposed non-partisan reorgan-
| iZaIiOn