The San Francisco call., 1896-07-24
Afford WANTS
PARTY HARMONY.
The New Democratic Leader
Tackles the Local Sit
uation.
HE TAKES A BIG JOB.
Congressman Mcguire, Senator
White and Others as Party
Doctors.
A CONSULTATION NEXT WEEK.
The New State Chairman Will Lead
an Effort to Unite the Local
Factions.
A CONSULTATION NEXT WEEK.

Chairman Afford of the Democratic
State Committee and the new boy leader
of the party proposes to harmonic the
local party.
The brilliant and popular young Visalia
lawyer has had considerable experience
in politics for politician of his years, but
it has been gained away down in the San
Joaquin Valley and not south of Market
street. in this wicked, boss-infested me-
tropolis. Nevertheless. Mr.. Afford has
tackled the job.
Afford has gone back to his home for a
few days to get ready to stay in San Fran
cisco during the rest of the campaign. but
he will be here again next week, when he
will take off his coat and proceed to pull
the local party together and put in rivets.
The chairman s plan is to have Congress
man Mcguire. Senator White and few
other party heavy-weiehts hold an in
formal meeting soon and constitute them
selves committee on the good of the
order, which shall lay vigorous hold on
the problem of Democratic unification and
try to evolve some plan to which major
ity at leas of both factions will agree, and
by which the two rival organizations shall
be merged into one.
Magulre. White and few others have
been asked by Mr.. Afford if they would as
sume the role of blessed peacemakers, and
Mcguire, White and few others have said
that they would. So next week, it is more
than likely, Mr.. Afford will pre-
side over a caucus of party volun-
teers- This means that what has
all along been certain to occur is about
to occur. The campaign is opening. the
time for real business has come and the
party leaders, who are interested in the
general success of the party, are facing the
necessity of doing something to stop the
civil war in the party's stronghold.
Congressman Mcguire would say little
yesterday beyond acknowledging that he
had consented to take part in the effort
planned, and others had little to say. Mr..
Mcguire said that he knew of no definite
harmony plan and that the conference
would be mainly one to canvass the situa-
ton and devise a plan. The party would
be defeated, he said, if the breach re-
mained, and non-factional effort would
be made to arbitrate the differences.
The differences between the Buckleyites
and the Junta are, OF course, comprised in
the problem of who shall control the ma
chine. In the Junta there are half-dozen
or so who shout "bossism" and "clean poll
itics" while Sam Rainey. Ed Lanigan and
John Daggett dominate the organization
| but these shouters will be taken but little
account of, as they represent no practical
! following.
Whatever be the plan adopted it will be
| the creation of new County Committee,
probably at a primary, the officers OF
which shall be so appointed that each side
may believe that it will either have an
even chance or a chance to do primary
politics at the Dallot-box.
| The Buckleyites favor such a primary
| plan and will submit to one If they are
| given half the election officers. The
trouble will come with the Junta, in
which the little bosses who run things
know that at fair primary they would be
relegated 10 the field.