The San Francisco call., 1896-10-18
PLEDGE DODGERS
NOT YET REBUKED
The Democratic Legislative
Nominees Are Treated
Leniently.
No Action Has Been Taken by
the n-Partisan Campaign
Committee.
BAD AS BUCKLEYs NOMINEES.
At Any Rate Those Discrecited Indi.
viduals Could Have Done No
Worse.
BAD AS BUcKLEYs NOMINEES.

Greatly to the surprise of the general
public no steps have yet been taken by the
Non-P Partisan campaign committee to re-
pudiate or even rebuke the Democratic
legislative nominees who have tried to
back out of their pledge to support the
new charter in the event of their election.
The pledge that was taken by Samuel
Braunhart. Hugo K. Asher. Eugene f.
Lacy, John Allen. Eugene ]. Harmon,
James P. Brady. John Power, George B.
Godfrey and William N. Gately was clear
cut and specific to the highest degree, and
there can be no pretense on the part of
those persons that they did not clearly
understand its import. Here are the
words:
hereby promise that If 7 am elected
and influence, endeavor to secure the
adoption of the new charter in its en-
tirety, without amendment by the
Legislature.
There was nothing uncertain or in
volved in that pledge, and when 1t was
signed and the pledge was accepted by the
Non-Partisans there can be no doubt that
the Democratic legislative nominees thor
oughly comprehended it. At that time they
made not the slightest objection to its
binding provisions, and it seems that the
wishes of their constituents were at that
moment not considered of SO much i'm
portance as the Endorsement of the Non
Partisans, which the nominees at once
secured.
That Endorsement being obtained, and
the last day on which changes in the Off
cial ballot may be made having passed.
Mr.. Braunhart and his associates all at
once awakened to realizing sense of the
Importance of their constituents wishes.
This second position might have been con-
strued as a creditable act if it had been
taken before the Nom Partisans granted
their Endorsement, for which all the Demo-
cratic nominees were striving. In view of
the outcome and the unfortunate circum-
stances of the case it smacks of that ugly
proceeding commonly known as obtain
ing a valuable thing under false pre-
lenses.
able lodging of promise on the part OF
Braunhart, Asher and their companions
except in the statement that the pledge
was inadvisedly taken, and should be
modified to the extent that Assembly men
and Senators, as to their votes in the Leg
islature, should be guided entirely by the
vote of their constituents on the charter
III lHGlT TcSpcCtlfc SchdtOIldA auo ASScm-
bly, districts.
Among the members of the Nom
Partisan party the feeling of disgust
over the situation is growing, and
there can be no doubt that if the
time for removing names from the official
ballot had not passed those names would
go off in hurry. As the Nom Partisans
cannot get the names off in legal way
they can do the next best thing by voting
against them; and this course great ma
iority of them will undoubtedly pursue.
I'VE were very careful not to put any
Buckley nominees on our ticket" said a
member OF the Non-Partisan party yes
terday. 1--WE took that precaution for
the reason that we had been warned to
look out for treachery if we had any,
thing to do with that wing of the Demo-
cratic party. l don't see now that it
made a great amount of difference. We
might have done just as bad if we had
given our Endorsement to some of Buck
ley's men in exchange for their pledge !;
but at any rate we couldn't have done
any worse"