The San Francisco call., 1896-08-27
White Metal Leaders Said to Be
Using Southern Pacific
Money.
THOMAS Y. GATORS BOAST AT
SAN LUIS OBISPO.
Expose of an Alleged Plot TO Capture
United States Sen.
atorship.
Los ANGELES OFFICE OF THE CALL,
Q.ll Grr--r Dc
Los ANGELES. CAL, Aug. 26.

3S SOUTH BROADWAY. :
Los ANGELES. CAL, Aug. 26- }
The following open letter from the sec
retary OF the Bimetallic League of CaIifor-
nia explains itself. Il was handed to a
CALL correspondent here late this after
noon;
Los ANGELES, CAL. Aug 26, 1896
To tks Chairman Of the Democratic Ssats Cen
tral Conausittee-SIR: The press dispatches pub
nshed this morning announce thst s joint
Congres sionaI committee OF sixteen members,
composed OF Democrats, POpulists and alleged
bimetalIists, and of which Charles D. Lane IS
chairman, have BY consent OF your committee,
been empowered 70 select the candidates Tor
Congress in this State, 10 be voted for as the
joint candidates of the Demo srsts, Populists
and silver men, and that her candidates,
regularly nominated by their respective psF-
ties, must then withdraw from the canvass or
depend on their personal following for sup
port.
without discussing the legal questions in
voIving the power OF said committees, or any
portion thereof, to tear e party candidate
from his ticket, and disfraneh ise his party at
the behest OF strangers TO the convention that
nominated him, It may as well be understo Cd
that Charles D. Lane IS the copsTtner Of Al
vinza Hayward and occupies Offices with him
in the Hobart building, in which are the San
Francisco Offices OF more than one operating
department. OF the Southern Pacific Company
OF Kentucky; thst AlvinZs Hayward Is now
N contempt Of court Tor refusing 10 disclose
the sssessable property Of the Market-street
Railroad Company. another corporation kin
dred Of the Southern Pacific Company; that
Charles D. Lane represents no silver con-
stitueney IN this State and attended the Ms
tionaI Silver Convention al ST. Louis as an sp-
pointee OF one G. W. Baker, VINO Is shown by
the court records of Alameda and other eoun-
ties 20 be an attorney in the employ Of the
Southern Pze ffc Company.
Are Baker, Lane & Co., as the retained at
torneys and associates OF the Southern Pacific
Company, 70 control the COngressmen thst are
to represent California in the National LegiS-
lsture1 II so was there ever more shame
less betrayal OF the people of'this Stste7
have the honor of being secretary of the
first silver organization that came into exist
euee in California, but 1t could not be con-
trolled by hirenngs Of the Sou thern Pacific,
and they, with the aid OF 3 traitor in our
ranks, set up rival organization and headed
II with G. ". Baker. In June last they sd-
mitted that they had no organization in the
state, but, thinking they could fool the
people, they made call for Senatorial dis
trict conventions TO elect delegates 10 the Ne-
tionaI Silver Convention held last month in
ST. Louis Not half 8 dozen delegates so
elected under the call attended the conven-
ton. Those elected refused 10 agree 70 the
Baker programme, and their places IN the
delegation OF focty-fTe members were filed
by appoin tments made by G. W. Baker.
since The return from ST. Louis, the Lane
Bs ker-Southern Pacific Company combination
have appointed their State executive COM
nittes. and q member thereof is Thomas v.
Gator, the Populist candidate for United
States Senator. In San Luis Obispo, on the
14th inst, and in my presence, Mr. Gator 70 g
number OF Populists in effect stated that ne
had made deal wi IN the Democracy BY which
the Populists we're to have the Assemblymen
and the Democrats the Senators in November
next 70 be elected 70 the California Legislature.
At the same time and place he also IN sub
stance asserted that By reason OF his personal
exertiOns the Lene-Baker-SoUthern Pacific
Company combination had been induced not
70 contribute funds 70 the Democratic State
Central Committee, but 70 make the fight in
This was 'sthe result OF weeks good work,
he calculated with gusto.
As the Senators TO be elected hold Office for
four years and in 1899 VIII vote for successor
70 Stephen VI. White, and as there are eighty
Assem- blymen and twenty State Senators to be
chosen next November, il is obvious who
would be the real benefcisries of the deal, to
the detriment OF several loyal Democrats and
PopuliSts who deserve the honor of represent
ing California in the United States Senate.
Yet this is not all, for il appears in the col
Umus OF q San Francisco daily newspaper,
issued March 81, 1896. that G. ". Baker said
that ''the Bimetsllic League Baker being its
chElrmsnl recognized the fact that PopuIists
were silver men, and in order 10 head OF Debs
and Taubeneck, who is chairman OF the Popu-
list National Committee, the Bimetsilic
League sent three men from California TO the
meeting OF the Populist National Committee
with the view OF inducing il 10 postpone the
meeting Of the Populist National Conve ntion
until after the Republican and Democratic
conventions had framed their platforms and
nominated their candidates"
In view OF The fact that E NJ Wsrdsn was
then, and Is now, chairman of the Peoples
party state Central Committee, and is not e
member OF the Populist National Committee
II seems in order for him 70 explain the reason
OF his attendance and action et the session Of
the National Com mitIee which called the last
Peop.e party National Convention 70 meet at
q time that necess arily resulted in the present
demoraliZed condition OF his party. If the
Bsker-Lsne-Cstor-South Pacific Company
com bination would speak truthfGlly they might
account for Mr. Nsrdalfs action in the prem
ises and explain his willingness to now sur
render the nominees OF his party TO their con-
troll.
In conclusion, I viii say that the tue silver
men OF this state DO not seek 70 intervene
themselves into such an unholy alliance. We
trust 20 the wise judgment OF the honest men
in the ranks OF those who support William J.
Bryan for President. snd we viii support any
silver candidate who remains free and unfet-
tered with corporation chains. Respectfully,
T7OErr. Eaerakerv Rfmptaffie PARTY