The San Francisco call., 1896-04-02

others wouldn't, Rainey could likely run
any meeting of the general committee and
carry through programme. So the anti
Raineyites have seen Rainey on the verge
OF rule, while his strength was growing,
and few days ago it was an uncertain tug
of-war, with the chances largely in favor of
the heavyweight stahleman, and a big
storm brewing.
Now, for two or three months one Ed
ward Lanigan has kept still and watched
the mess. He was neither Rainey nor
anti-RaiDey, as far as anybody could find
out. Like Brer Fox, he lis lay low and
say nuffin." He started out with the anti
Buckleyites, through the influence of We'll
burn and McNab, with a good deal of
strength. and when the committee of
fifty appointed new general CON-
mittee, and when the present one
was appointed by the inside" through
primary, he forced large concessions. He
shrewdly nursed his votes in the general
committee and his outside influence, and
waited to see how things would turn out.
He has been holding sixty votes soldIy
apart from the Rainey ard anti -Rainey
fight. These are votes that he can control
on any proposition, and with other dele
gates friendly to him he would be worth
ninety votes on some PROPOSITIONS.
Ten days ago Gavin McNab and Chair
man Sullivan themselves did not know
how Lanigan would go. 1t was conceded
by everybody that if Lanigan went with
Rainey and Daggett the decent" element
would be nowhere. With Lanigan they
might win by small majority. Lanigan
knew that he held the balance of power
and that he was about to be badly needed
He waited for bis quotations to go up.
The inevitable has happened. He has
been taken into the anti-Rainey camp
upon his own terms. He has had no par.
ticular enemies in the organization and so
starts on his new career without that
handicap In the faction, and he has long
been personally friendly with McNab, who
is mainly responsible for the new scheme
that bas just been evolved from the tangle.
Lanigan is to be the chief political
manipulation of what is now expected to
be the dominant faction in the Junta, and
all the anti-Rainey and anti-Daggett
forces are to get behind him and give him
a boost. The Junta's programme pre-
supposes, OF course, winning at Sacramento
the battle against the Buckleyites, and
then later on for the control of local
Democratic politics. Mr.. Lanigan is to
lead the Junta to the pinnacle of success
if il can get there.
The other day, shortly after the new
plan was effected, Chairman Sullivan ap-
pointed a committee of eighteen to pre-
pare constitution and bylaws, and q
study Of it shows the concessions to Ed
Lanigan. He will run that committee
| nc COHnittec nct ldSJ MONDAY n1gnC
and appointed a subcommittee of five.
which, with the chairman and secretary,
are to draft The instrument Four of the
! five are Lanigan men. There is f. p.
Mogan, prosecuting attorney in Judge
| Conlan's Police Court, by the grace of
i Lanigan's supervision. There is DR.. w.
j. Gavigan, who wants to be superintend-
ent of the new Home for Inebriates. who
worked hard to get the appropriation
| through the Board of Supervisors who
/ had to go to- LaEigan for three votes, and
who is friend OF Eds, appointed by him
to the general committee. Paul B. Hay
and w. A. Asmussen are the other two
friends of Lanlgan. Frank McElrath is
Eddie Graney's man, and his appointment
is concession to Rainey. Chairman Sui
livan and Secretary McGovern will un-
doubtedly work harmoniously with LAM
| gan.
| So Lanigan, with the cooperation of
McNab and Sullivan, will prepare the con-
stitution. 1t will to large extent be
adapted to present exigencies 1t is 20 be
arranged SO that if Rainey is beaten he
can be kept beaten. There will be some
sort of an executive committee named by
Lanigan and appointed by Sullivan that
! will mainly run things, and Rainey will