The San Francisco call., 1896-10-09

land; by his own admission "a good ad-
ministration Democrat; at present an
ardent advocate of free silver, and known
in Oakland as the subordinate villain" OF
the Altamont melodrama, by which s. G.
Hilborn was robbed of his seat in the Con-
gress of 1893.
known to everybody. and by it English
enjoyed two years in Congress during
which time all the Federal patronage in
his district was distributed. Then came
the election of 1894 and Hilborn wiped
out the "crime of Altamont" by an over
whelming majority. This put English
out of Office and something bad 10 be
done. His friends" and they are numer-
Gus, decided that if there were no office
available for him one would have to be
English that desired public position not
being able to obtain one in Alameda
County.
English came out as firm adherent
and indorser of the Cleveland administra-
tion. For time Cleveland was his idol
and his administration his altar. An
agitation was started by which the city
across the bay should be made port of
entry. A port of entry meant Collector
of Port, and the effect of English's slavish
loyalty to the big man at Washington
was such that the Office was created for
the Alameda politician at handsome
salary.
Things went smoothly for few months.
English sat in his little Office, drew his
salary and talked politics, while a great
change came over the spirit of his
dreams. Cleveland became unpopular
but English did not intend to fall with his
master; neither did he intend to get out
of job. The mind that dominated the
Altamont affair was again brought into
play, and very gradually English was led
10 believe that he was not an administra.
tion Democrat. In an unlucky moment
he so declared himself. This at once
brought down upon him the vials of John
P. Irish's wrath. The man who never
wears a necktie at once upbraided Eng.
lish in an interview for uttering senti-
ments of treachery to the man by whose
pleasure he was getting his bread and
butter. For few days English and Irish
paid their compliments to each other
through the press until Irish went East
to hunt heavier game and was lost to
Alameda political circles.
Then was born the fusion proposition
and English appeared as an ardent fusion
ist. Bryan was his idol and free silver his
altar and according to English the country
in general and the Third Congr esslonaI
District In particular could only be saved
from an unlimited number of Hadas bv
the election of Warren B. English for Con-
eress. This brought abouta state of chaos
that no one but master. manipulation of
politics in Alameda County could hope to
disentangle. English was nominated for
Congress by the Democrats and indorsed
by the Populists. The Third District was
then presented with the strange spectacle
of an avowed Cleveland gold man and an
administration office-hofder bowling for
free silver, denouncing the administration
of which he claimed to be and was and is
an adherent and at the same time holding
Bryan as the only Moses that could lead
a cursed nation out Of the wilderness.
Something had to be done. English
could not consistently draw O large
monthly salary from Government which
be was doing his best to overthrow; at
the same time he had no intention Of re-
linquishing that salary If he could make
any decent appearance before his con-
stituency and still hold on to it. This
situation might appear q very intricate
one to the ordinary mind-not so to