The record-union., 1897-01-03
THE SENATORIAL CONTEST.

rhe EXAMINER" which makes a pre-
teLse Of being a Democratic paper,
plunges into the Senatorial contest
Notwithstanding the party it pretends
to adhere to has no interest in the re
suit. The Republicans have a majority
on joint ballot in the Legislature and
the party itself has a right to make an
Untrammeled choice. In the councils
Of the Republican party the Exam
iner' has no place.
If the Examiner had had its way,
Mr.. Thomas V. Gator would stand in
the focus of success The Examiner
promoted the election of Senators and
Assernblymen who of necessity mus
Stephen NJ. White, United States Sen
ator from California, entered into a
political combination with Thos. Y.
Gator, not because Thos. V. Gator was
a Democrat, but because Stephen NJ.
White wanted to succeed himself. The
nature Of that combination is very
well known. The agreement was that
the Democratic party was to nominate
who would vote for Thos. V. Gator, but
the Senators, holding over, Were in
every instance to be of Mr.. Whites Sc
lection, and were to vote for him for
United States Senator two years from
this time. That this combination was
made viii not be denied by either Mr.
White or Mr.. Gator; that the "Exami-
ner" was cognizant Of 1t is even more
than probable. 1t does not lie In the
mouth of the Examiner to give ad =
vice to the party whose candidate it has
iRdustriously sought to defeat
Senator George c. Perkins Is the lead
ing candidate of the Republican party
for the office of Senator His candidacy
was In evidence during the campaign
which resulted IN the choice of a ma
jority of Republicans on joint ballot
Many of the county conventions which
nominated AssemblymeR and Senators
declared emphatically In favor of Sen
ator George c. Perkins, and he Is fair
ly entitled TO the votes Of the men
nominated under pledges of this kind.
There is a. species of political piracy
which ruRs on all fours with piracy on
the high seas and robbery on land. Ii
consists in the attempt to wrest from
the people the victories won at the polls.
When the voters OF a party have clearly
Indicated their choice, it is the duty Of
ehcse who hold official stations as the
product of their votes to obey that
voice. The defeat of Senator Perkins
viii be the defeat of the VIII Of a ma
jority Of the party Of California. This
Is fact in the current politics OF the
State as patent as that other fact, that
there IS a majority of Republicans on
joint ballot IN the Legislature The two
didate for Senator. Every Republican
journal IN the State noted that fact
Conventions indorsed his candidacy.
They indorsed no other person. No
other name was mentioned. No other
person was thought of.
We are not now discussing the wis
dom Of the choice which the Republi-
can voters made In electing a majority
of Republicans 10 the present Legisla-
ture We are not able to define wholly
the reasons which actuated the party
in making this selection. Senator Per-
kins has been in public life for many
wears. but he has not impressed himself
upon the legislative history Of his coun-
try. He has made no distinguishing
mark. Above all, he has made no
growth in statesmanship.
He was a State Senator during the
neriod of reconstruction following the
rebellion. He voted against the rati-
Acaafon by California of the Thirteenth
Amendment to the Constitution which
admitted the colored citizens OF tnis
country to the privilege of the elective
4ranchise. He was the only Kepuo-
,,can elected TO the Legislature OK WHICH