The record-union., 1896-05-10
Arthur McEmen's Letter
On the Late Convention.
California in the Hands Of the Politicians From the South
Work Of the A. P. A. in the Conventon-The Position
Of the San Francisco Press Questions That Must be
Met-The Woman Suffrage Plank in the Platform.

publican State Convention has reminded
Northern California again that there is
Southern California. Up in this re-
gion We are prone to regard ourselves
as the State and the settlements south
or Tehachapi as Eastern colonies and
relatively unimportant. 1t is the North
ern instinct to view these Southerners
as intruders, who should be modest and
reverent of the pioneer fathers. So,
when one-lunged hordes swarm across
the desert and over the mountains and
anveSt capital, taking on the air of au-
thority and bosSing things generally,
the old Californian finds himself bewil-
dered and scared. All his political land
marks are rudely shifted, his traditions
5oggled and his sense of seniority is
affnonted when he is invited, or rather
ordered, to fall in and march behind
leaders who are famous in their own
country, but strangers to him. He feels
sore. A venerable Republican, who used
to be important, but is SO no longer,
said to me yesterday: We've been cap
tured by the tenderfeet- California is
Republican, the strength of the party is
In the South, and as the South runs the
parity vt runs the State. They aren't Cali
IL they want to divide the State I'm will
ing. They've converted me. We might
as well be governed by Massachusetts,
as TO let this thing go on. What's left
Of the party in the Month is a mere tail
to the party in the South. I'm for high
partition fence at Tehachapi. That's
the only way Californians can get Cali
fornia back into their hands again.
We're sent to the rear and labeled has
beens by these nge-growing invad-
ers."
Old-fashioned Republicans here are
startled by the boldness with which the
"A. p. A manifested itself at the conven-
ton. In this locality a politician who
has dealings with the A. P. A. prefers
that they shall be secret. But there
seems to be no diffidence of that kind
in the South. A Republican who held
q high local Fderal office under Harri-
son gave me his views,
eff the Democrats have any sense
and courage they will face the situation
at once and give us a hard fight ON an
issue that there was no need to raise.
What business had the A. P. AS to
show themselves at the convention, any
how? The Macs and the O'S weren't
marching on the capital to capture it,
hut If the entire Irish population of the
State had been advancing under the
leadership of their priests the A. P. AS
couldn't have been thicker or more ac-
lively aggressive than they were in Sac
ramento. They dominated the conven-
ton, attempted no concealment, and
met with no opposition. They have
taken possession of the party. They are
strong, of course, but the connection
has its disadvantages, which the Demo-
Gratis can make us feel If they have
sand The A. p. A. has lost sight Of it's
mission. 1t was born to rebuke big
otry and drive the religious issue out
of politics. Now it appears to think
that 1T is entitled to substitute itself
for the thing IT came into existence to
destroy. The A. P. A. as an organiza-
ton devoted to downing Catholics who
ask for office just because they are
Catholics is one thing, the A. P. A. as
an organization fostering race and re-
Hgious prejudice and reaching out for
the offices on that basis is precisely as
Objectionable as the Y. M. 1. In politics
can be. If the A. P. A. keeps on the
road it's travelling 1t will make the pro-
ecribed Catholic the representative of
the very American principle the A P.
A. pretends to stand for. Were I a
Democrat I should favor a straight
declaration Of war and compel the Re-
publican party of California to repudi-
ate the A. P A or have arrayed against
1t every element which deteSts religion
in politics. The Democrats will be fools
Ill -a1sa an hot
shoulders. That such an issue should
be gratuitously forced is discreditable
to California AS a club to hit impu-
IDENTIFY obtrusive Irish heads the A. P.
a. was well enough, but you cannot get
Americans with modern minds and in
stincts to fall in love with the A. P. A.
for its own sake. AS a practical poll
tician I understand all about the
temptation TO make friends with pow
erful organization, but in this case it
been mighty poor policy as Will be
found in the long run When L see
man of George a. knights position IN
the party humbly calling on the Rev
Hudelson to beg permission to go as a
delegate at large 10 a National Republi-
can Convention, / feel my face grow hot.
The Republicans of California are toe
manly, L hope, to endure such subser-
yience to such a mastership. The whole
business as unamerican and squalid.
50
The sudden prominence acquired by
the A. 2. A has a newspaper side that
will have political effect The help given
Mr.. Spreckels at Sacramento by the
order has cheered the great heart OF
the EXAMINER" Some months ago
that paper and the Chronicle" having
q natural wish TO keep their subScrip-
tion lists from being crushed under the
hoofs OF the contending Catholics ard
A 2. AS took high editorial ground
against religious controversy and re-
fused TO print the animated contri5u-
tions of Father Yorke. The Call" with
better business sense, or with that un-
conscious courage of which it gives SO
many displays, threw it's columns open
to both sides and allowed the combat
ants to hammer one another to their
hearts content. Mother Church was
nightly pleased and the devout A. F.
AS were no less so. Consequently.
subscribers by the thousand left the
EXAMINER and Chronicle" and flock
ed to the Call" Mr.. Hearst and Mr..
DeYoung speedily sought to repair their
error, and they spread a daily feast of
religious controversy. But the ground
lost could not be recovered. The Cali
continued to receive the blessing OF the
church, and has had the happiness to
be ranked almost as d Catholic organ.
What will happen now that Mr.. Spreck-
els has been publicly rubbed with the
holy oil of the A P A. favor can easily
vot +h.a aFs