The San Francisco call., 1896-07-24
Henry E. Highton to Prepare
an Address to the
Government.
ATTITUDE OF CANDIDATES.
Nominees for Congress Will Be Asked
for Their Endorsement of the
Popular Battle.

Sutro yesterday. Those present were the
Mayor, Henry E. Highton. James H.
Barry, ]. M. Bassett, G. w. Monteith.
George K. Fitch, j. C. Jordan, w. NJ.
Coward, n. @. Hawkes., Joseph Leggett
and /. ]. Truman. Mayor Sutro occupied
the chair.
The Mayor stated that the purpose of
the meeting was to discuss some mode of
procedure with the object of defeating the
funding bill. He digressed to discuss sill
yer, and in his talk on the subject said:
'Pm in favor of free coinage, but am
absolutely opposed to 16 to 1. That would
be public calamity. That is a matter
for legislation-the people cannot regulate
it, while Congress can.'
Henry Z. Highton gave an outline of
what he proposed in the fight against the
bill. He would show that the law justified
foreclosure of the funding bill. The most
extreme difficulty the United States
Supreme Court could find itself in, he
added, would be an effort to escape law
so well defined and understood. He
thought that committee should be estab-
Iished for the purpose of concentrating on
the funding pill and of strengthening
public sentiment throughout the State.
There should also be a committee to at
to Congress generally. 81 would not vote
for the best man in the State,' he added,
''if he were not pledged to fight this fund
ing BILL
Mr.. Highton made a motion that a
memorial be prepared and submitted to
the President praying for foreclosure.
Bassett amended in the interest of
prompt and direct work, saving: 1T is
best we should understand this thing now.
These corporations get their mem bers of
Congress wherever they can find them. II
makes no matter what the political COM
plexion OF the man is. As an amendment
10 Mr.. Highton's motion l offer that Mr.
Highton be appointed a committee Of one
to cite precedents and quote the law show
ing that the Government has the right to
foreclose the funding bill and present it ir
the form OF brief or memorial to the law
department of the Government
The amendment was seconded with en-
thusiasm. Mr.. Highton asked for time in
which to prepare the address, as he was
overworked and about to take a much
needed vacation. The amendment WAS
carried unanimously.
motion was made by Highton that a
committee of i've be appointed TO see the
nominees for Congress throughout the
State and learn from them their attitude on
the funding bill, and assist only those who
favor foreclosure. The motion was carried.
James II. Barry, George K. Fitch, Joseph
Leggett, l. J. Truman and w. NJ. Coward
were selected.
Mr.. Leggett asked if the idea was to op-
pose any man who was not friendly to the
hight. He was told that the committee
could go to work and after the next meet
ing that question could be decided.
Montelth moved that q committee of
three be appointed TO draft a petition
against refunding in any form and to sub
NIT 1t to legislative candidates for their
signatures.
He suggested two propositions-one that
the signers are opposed to any and every
scheme OF reminding, and the other that
they demand the foreclosure OF the debt
Immediately.
I'VE can stand by the two propositions
made by Mr.. Monteith till the crack of
doom" said Leggett. I'VE don't want to
is TO stand by what is Just and right" He
seconded the motion.
Bassetts name was suggested to the
chair for this committee.
"Oht no." exclaimed he, ''that would
never do. am candidate for Congress
myself. But | believe that every candi-
date should indorse this petition
Monteith's motion was amended so that
he was appointed committee of one to
prepare the petition.
This done the deliberations of the COM
mittee changed to election matters.
The Mayor said he saw the hands of
Huntington and the OCTOPUS" in local
affairs in the coming elections. "The fact
is that heretofore through their boss sys-
tenn they have absolutely run local
affairs he said. 1--WE are all vitally in
terested in this as citizens. This wretched
precinct registration-there is where the
fault comes in. We should demand fair
election, and | would like TO have some
advice on this question. The fact is If this
precinct registration is not watched we
will be in the same box as ever we were
There are lot OF wandering yagabonds
who under different names register in diff
ferent precincts and thus defeat the ends
of fair election"
Monteith said he believed that if great
mass-meeting were held in the interest of
an honest elecsion much good could be
done. What was badly needed was a watch
on the polls from the hour they open and a
watch on the ballots till they are locked
up in the Registrars safe. He held that
ii the committee of fifty would get the
peo pie together in amass-meeting it could
undoubtedly secure an honest election
under the law.
Highton told how be had been twice at
the Registrars Office to register, had spent
an hour and half waiting, but could not
wait longer. He had written to Registrar
Hinton asking il he would be disfranchised
through the incompetency of the Office. In
this letter lie suggested an amendment to
the law that would entitle man TO vote
without registration before every election
Only inlcase of change of residence he sug-
gested the necessity of registration.
Truman held quite a different opinion.
Men change their residences for the be
yond, he said, .'and their names are
voted"
He declared that considerable blame Law
at the door of the Registration Office-in
the lncompetency of clerks who frequently
consumed hfteen minutes in registering
one voter.
No action was taken on the matter. and
the committee adjourned to the call OF the
chair.