The San Francisco call., 1896-12-20
He Told the Committee of Fifty
. !. That 1t Was Not Dignlfed
to Filibuster
AND CONJURED OBSTACLES
Prediction Made by w. w. Stow a
Year Before Senator Whites Elec.
= tion and It's Flu f1llment.

"If the Democratic party succeeds in
the next election Steve White will be
elected United States Senator"
This prediction, which was afterward full
filed, was made by that prince of railroad
lobbyists w. w. Stow, a year before
Stephen NJ. White was chosen by Demo-
cratic Legislature for the United States
Senatorship.
1t was observed by people who took
more than a passing interest in politics
Ahat Notwithstanding Mr.. Whites public
and private declarations of hostility
against the aggression of the Southern
Pacific Company, every railroad heeler
and lobbyist and every Democratic news
paper nOtoriously known to be subsidized
by and friendly to that corporation, were
''whooping it up" for White and "anti-
monopoly" No Republican railroad
newspaper attacked him or threw any
obstacle in the way of his preierment.
This puzzled all but the small coterie of
politicians to whom the gentleman who
went'fishing with Mr. Stow confided the
prediction of year before. But when
Mr.. White after his election still spoke
and voted against Southern Pacific meth
DDS the small coterie was puzzled also.
But certain events which have occurred
since then have made the action of the
railroad lobby more consistent than it was
supposed to be at first. The latest and
most startling of those events is the re-
markable stand that the Senator is max
ing in the matter OF the fight against the
funding bill.
He has suddenly exhibited Iukewarm-
ness that has filed the opponents of the
bill with dismay. 1t fs well known that
Mr.. huntington is making hurculean
efforts TO have the bill rushed through be-
fore the coming into power of President
elect Mckinley and the new Congress. 1t
is now or never with him, and for this
reason the opponents of the measure are
concentrating their forces IOr tn purpose
OF preventing the passage of the bill.
The organized opposition in this State
has been crystallized into what is known
as the committee of fifty, with headouar-
terS in this City. A subcommittee con-
sisting OF Mayor-elect Phelan, George K.
Fitch and James II. Barry waited upon
Senator White shortly after his arrival in
this City few days ago, and had talk
with him as 20 the best mode of procedure
to be adopted.
The committee we're of the opinion that
6libustering tactics should be resorted 10,
but. 10 their surprise, Senator White ex-z
pressed the opinion that it was beneath
thedignity of a United States Senator to
4 engage IN that kind of warfare, and, be-
q sides that, he was sure that he would not
. be able to secure the cooperation of a
! sufficient number OF Senators to carry out
the hllbus iering scheme, about twenty
SENATOR'S being required for that purpose.
He was about sure that he could not get
, that many Senators.
=. This baking in the front rank before
the firing of a single shot; this plling up
of obstacles that do not exist; this luke
Warmness; this giving up the battle and
hauling down the colors before the strik-
ing oil a single blow, displeased several
mem bers of the committee OF fifty, and
they are now vividly remem bering many
things that had become almost forgotten.
The himsineSs of the Senators excuse is
the most suspicious fact in the whole af-
fair. Men who know how things are done
in the United States Senate smile 6erisive-
Iy when the excuse is stated, and declare
that three or four Senators are all that are
p. necessary to carry on a filibustering
scheme successfully.
They point to Senator Allen of Ne.
braska, who held the floor for twenty-five
hours on one occasion, and to various
other filibusters who worked IN relays
and thus prevented the passage OF obnox-
ious measures. They point also to the
fact that Senator White is robust and Wig
orous and in the prime of manhood, and
they therefore do not regard his excuse as
q good one.
They have no doubt that Senator White
will speak against and vote against the
bill. To do otherwise would be to COM
init political suicide. But more is re-
quired in this crisis than a vote and a
speech, and that is that kind of action
best calculated to prevent the bill reaching
vote during the present sitting.
Many prominent Democrats are MUIR
muring over this condition of things.
Others are declaring that the Senator is a
demagogue, wearing one face to the peo-
ple'and another to Mr. Huntington. They
cite as foundation for their suspicious the
unholy conspiracy entered into between
the Senator and Thomas V. Gator, where
bv the Senator was to perpetuate himself
in office at the expense OF the people and
of The Democratic party, who would have
Gator saddled upon their shoulders as a
United States Senator.
Mr.. Gator is suspected of being friendly
with the railroad-that is, to the extent Of
being willing to extend to it fair treat
nent.p and the people whose confidence
in Senator White is oozing from their
finger ends are somewhat aSltated over
the fact that Senator White and Thomas
V. Gator were closeted together IN the
Palace Hotel for quite lon period day
or two before Senator White left for
Washington.
Hence Democratic sentiment is seething
and the noise of the bubbling thereof
makes the air hum with Democratic dis
content.
Senator White will be required in the
vernaeular to get a lively move on TO him.
self, and to tiliDusier in even more
sprightly manner than Cuban sympa-
thizers are doing in the United States.
Should he fail 10 do this there is large
segment of the Democracy that viii say TO
him in the language of Oihello TO the
errng Cassie: II loved thee once; put
never more be officer of mine"