The record-union., 1896-07-22
A SIGNIFICANT RETROsPECT.

A SIGNIFICANT RETROsPECT.
Two years ago, D. NJ. Burns, formerly
Secretary Of State. elected on the ticket
with the Hon. George C. Perkins, exer-
cised the functions of a Republican boss.
The State Convention, which nominated
a State ticket, was controlled by Mr..
Burns by an exercise of authority as
arbitrary as that exercised in the olden
time by the overseer over plantation
negroes. Colonel" D. NJ. Burns, SIS he
Is now called, since he has acquired
wealth, has at last exposed the methods
by which he obtained control Of the Re-
publican party. In an interview, which
must be accepted as authentic, since it
has not been denied, Colonel Burns de-
clares that the primaries in San Fran
cisco were farce, that the decent ele-
ment Of the party might have cast 10000
votes, but that they would have counted
for nothing. He declares that he and
John D. Spreckels conducted this pri-
mary campaign; that the votes Of their
primaries. He says that Our push
Spreckels and mine, controlled the pri-
maries. Our opponents did not stand
the ghost of a show" He further ex-
plains what he means by saying that
their opponents votes counted for moth
ing. He says 1t was merely a matter Of
controlling the County Committee,
which appoints the Campaign Commit
tee If things did not go to suit the en-
tire vote Of district was thrown out
on the ground of fraud. This committee
was expected to throw out all the dis
tricts not giving a majority for D. NJ.
Burns and his people. Thus majorities
In their own favor were counted while
those against them were thrown out,
and necessarily an aggregate majority
was found.
The Hon N. M. Estee was the Repub-
iican candidate, and we have no doubt
but that the gentleman has felt sore over
his defeat. Prior to his nomination,
.. n Burns was interviewed and de-
clsred that Estee would be the candi-
date OF the party for Governor; that he
would nominate him for that Office.
And now comes q confession of the
manner in which the members OF the
party themselves were cheated out Of
their votes-defrauded out Of all ex-
preston In the councils Of the party.
We do not here charge that Mr. Estes
was a party TO any OF these frauds, but
We do say that he was the beneficiary of
them.
Taken all in all, we regard this con-
fession OF Colonel Burns as the most re-
markable self-accusation of political
crime ever made to the public II the
crimes and offenses now confessed had
been charged against the Republican
party during the campaign two years
ago they would have been resented in
dignantly by the Republican press of the
State. And yet the primaries are meth
cd by which we govern ourselves. Self
government begins with them. The
candidate Is the outgrowth of the pri-
mary. and when the primary is fraud
government necessarily falls into the
hands OF designing men. How easy it
is for those who have Interior motives
concerning government TO control par
ty, and the control of party means
the eventual control of the Nation.
The public have for a long time sus-
pccted that the chief Office of a boss is
TO cheat the members of party out of
the proper exercise of the elective fran
chise. but never before in the history of
republican governmnt has there been
so broad confession of heinous offense
against the elective franchise as the one
lust made by Colonel D. NJ Burns.
When a man who has enjoyed the con-
fidence of great party and the recog-
nized leadership In controlling its or
eaufzation stands up and says that the
votes of our opponents counted for
nothing at the primaries and at the
same time does not expect to destroy all
character for self-respect, he must con-