The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-04
It Is Near at Hand, and Prepare
tons Are Very Hot and
Lively.
CHRIS ATTENDS A COUNCIL.
The Junta Waits on the Supreme
Court and Figures on the State
Convention.

The intensity Of the preparations for
the Buckley Democratic primary increases
as the 18th inst, the date of the election,
nears.
The Buckley faction with its enrolment
of 1900 Is going ahead with complete dis
r gard of the quiescent Junta, and no i'm
portant talk of compromise is heard. Su
talk and effort will soon be revived.
though, as the situation becomes changed
as it very soon WILL by the primary cleo
tions, and especially by the expected
Supreme Court decision on the new Elec-
ton Commission.
The Buckley primary committee of
twenty-five is nightly busy now. Last
night two district rows gave the COM
mittee some special work and crowded the
committee rooms with contesting delega-
tions. These and other things calling
for the judicious advice" of a master
brought Chris Buckley himself to the
meeting. He, of course, merely advised
his friends" and encouraged them in the
interest of Democracy.
Out in the Thirty-fifth District there is a
fierce battle on between two factions each
of which wants TO gain control of the dis
trict. The redoubtabe Colonel O'Byrne
leads one faction and Lawrence Dolan, now
president of the district club, heads the
other. 1t is said that a Senatorship looms
up dimly in the distance to explain the
rivalry. Each side worked hard during
the enrolment, and each charges the other
with stuffing. Each side has put up a
ticket for the primary, and the two factions
disagree so hercely that last night the
primary committee appointed a special
committee OF three, with James H. O'Brien
as chairman, to take charge of the rolls and
of the election.
Another fierce contest is on in the
Thirty-secOnd District. 1t is an old one
revived. Elk Supervisor z. +. Dundon
and his friends are on one side, and George
McElroy, Alex Greggains and others head
the other faction. The primary commit
tee has yet given no orders concerning
this contest. There are other factional
contests, but they will probably be peace
ably settled at the primary.
The primary committee ordered last
night that the various district delegations
to the general committee should meet on
next Monday evening and choose election
officers in accordance with the require
ments of the constitution. From these
two factions the majority shall choose
three election officers and the minority
three.
The Junta will not make a move until
the Supreme Court decision in the EIec-
ton Commission contest is announced. If
the new Commission is sustained, the
Junta primary is expected to go right
ahead under the adopted plan of having
the commission voluntary choose the pri-
mary election officers. AS these rival pri-
maries are simply for the election of rival
general committees and not for the cleo
ton of convention delegates, the new pri-
mary law cuts no figure. If the present
Election Commission is knocked out the
Junta Will probably have its primary COM
mittee appoint election officers and go
ahead.
Tho rripoioaI \ of +I,a doo;e;o,, oil
are waiting for lies in the indication it will
give of whether or not the new primary
law would be upheld by the Supreme
Court. ii the new primary law operates
and delegates to the State and municipal
conventions are elected under il the pres
ent rival primaries will amount TO moth
ing. In that case the Buckley and anti
Buckley factions must go to one election
and test their strength. There can be no
contrasting delegations to the State con-
ventlon and no rival municipal conven-
tions. If the primary law does not hold
these things will occur unless a compromise
is effected. There is vague eXpecta-
ton that the primary law will be tested,
but no one has announced a purpose TO do
it. So all factions are waiting and making
strong their positions in the event that
things go according to the old methods.
The Junta leaders are figuring on big
advantage in the State convention if the
primary law fails and contesting delega-
tons follow another set of rival primaries
They count first on the friendship of Chair
man Gould, who is expected to officially
recognize the Junta as the regular party
organization by issuing to it the call for a
primary. Then he is expected to further
recognize them by putting their delega-
ton of 140 on the temporary roll That
would give them the ability to elect a
friendly chairman who would appoint
friendly committee on credentials. The
contesting Buckley delegation, however
strong and well backed, could have moth
ing to say until the committee on creden-
tials had reported. Then the fight would
begin with a large prestige on the side of
ties laugh confidently at all those expec-
tations.