The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-14

commission should appoint the five pri-
mary election officers for each district, the
danger of the Com missioners stepping out
OF office any day now and giving place to
the old commission is one that directly
affects the primary plans of the Junta. If
the new commission is sustained prepare
tions for a club primary similar to the one
held by the Buckley faction Saturday
night will proba bly, be made at once.
If the commission is knocked out some
thing else will be done. In anticipation
OF that the idea of holding the election
according to Max Peppers postal primary
plan is being favorably discussed, and it is
more than likely that the scheme will be
carried out.
This will be marked innovation in DO
litical methods. 1t will be remem bered bv
many that the postal primary plan was
much discussed in 1894. The idea orig
mated in the brain of a member of the
Non-Partisan organization of Los Angeles
about that time and 1t was taken up and
elaborated by Max Pepper here little
while before the time for the municipal
Democratic primary of that year that was
not held after all. Pepper at last decided
that it could not be used at that primary.
because the enrolment was not legitimate,
but he helped express the plan in IA postal
primary Dill presented 10 the last Leg
lslature but not passed.
If it be taken up now and put into prac-
tice for the first time election officers.
poling-places, ballot-boxes, election rules
and such matters of expense and labor will
be avoided. The committee Of twenty-five
in charge of the primary Will have ballots
printed in the Australian style, and one
ballot will be mailed to every voter whose
name is on the Junta's roll. The anti
W n crpt 10
quested to simply put cross opposite the
names he wishes to vote for and renal the
ballot to the primary committee.
No definite reports OF the Junta's enroll
ment have been given out, but it is de-
cIared to be about 5000. The election ex-
pense, then, would be cents for each
name or $40 for stamps, besides the print
ing bills. This would be cheaper than the
regular style and heap easier.
The chief consideration that recommends
this plan to the Junta leaders is the fact
that they can get far bigger vote that
way. The people who have signed the
Junta's rolls are largely of the class who
never bother with a primary and never
would. The BuckleyiteS could get the
boys to turn out and roll up 5000 votes lust
as display of strength, but at perfume.
tory primary, where there is no issue, the
Junta could not count on a heavy vote
Then the Buckleyites would laugh at
them. 1t is important to the Junta to dis
play as much voting strength as possible,
and so Max Peppers primary suddenly
looms up as good thing worth pushing
clear through. 1t is possible that the plan
will be carried out as matter of expedi-
ency, even if the new election commission
be sustained.
The old and the new Buckley general
committees will meet next Monday even
ing in Odd Fellows Hall. The old COM
mittee will wind up its business and make
its final bow, and the new committee will
bow and elect chairman, who will make
another bow. 1t seems likely that James
HI. O'Brien will be the chairman OF the
new committee.
At the primary Saturday night the
total number of votes polled was 6431.
The total enrolment was 1l767. The fol-
lowing is a complete statement of the
vote and its enrolment by districts:
Twenty-eight District, 345-55s; Twenty
ninth, 335-S49; Thirtieth, 427-970; Thirty
first SAL Thirty-second, 4s9-926; Thirty
third, 324-934; Thirty-fourtn, 330-597; Thirty
fifth, 426,530; Thirty-sixth, 785-1171; Thirty
seventh, 4l3-495; Thirty-eighth, 1s2-338 !;