The San Francisco call., 1897-05-15
FROM CITY HALL
TO WASHING TON
Frank Leach's Return From
the East Has Great
Interest.
Expected TO Have a Marked
Effect on Local Poll.
tics
The Mint Supsrintoni iency HIS Bsen
Drawn Into the Local Scramble
for Place.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN Francisco CALL
aOS BROADWAY Nav ID

OAKLAND OFFICE SAN Francisco CALL,l
908 Broadway, May IA.
Frank a. Leach, who was recommended
some months ago by the State delegation
for Superintendent of the Mint, will re-
turn from his Eastern trip in few days,
and his home coming is expected to have
marked effect on local politics.
1t is long way from Washington to
the San Francisco Mint, and a bout as long
from Washington to the Oakland City
Hall, but between all three places there
are very strong connections. and at this
time politicians in all of them are particu-
larry busy in a common cause, though
with different motives.
Mr.. Leach for the past five years has
been a powerful factor in Oakland politi-
cal life. His strength was first seen with
the election of DR.. Pardee for Mayor more
than four years ago. AT that time Frank
Leach championed the cause of the NUM-
cipaI League, and was generally consid-
cred to be its author. The league gave to
Oakland a non- partisan city government,
and for four years il held sway. It's power
in the City Council and with the eI-City
Engineer, Wilson, was so great, that
Mayor Davies Official value a. political
The effect of the League was also felt in
National politics, and with the help OF
Mr.. Leach and his newspaper succeeded
in electing Mr.. Hilborn to go 10 Congress
against Judge FrlcK, who was the candi-
date of the old-line Republicans. Mr..
Leach was also prominently loentlned
with the Friend Congressional commit
tee, which eventually succeeded in OBJ
tanning recognition.
In the last Senatorial campaign Mr..
Leach was a very earnest worker for Sana-
tor Perkins, and has been credited, rightly
or wrongly, with inducing Perkins 10 en-
ter the Congressional fight on behalf OF
Hilborn, in violation of pledge that he
would keep out.
The natural result of his efforts was the
support at Washington OF Congressman
Hilborn and Senator Perkins for Mr..
Leach for Superintendent of the Mint.
The news of this recommendation created
q sensation in this State. as it was not
known that Mr.. Leach was a candidate,
and he declared that the position was Of
fered him unsolicited, and those who
know him best believe his statement to be
absolutely true.
Senator Denison was known to be a
candidate and had so declared himself,
and he still has host of friends who do
not despair of seeing him making Uncle
Sans money for the next four years.
Denison, as all the West knows, has al
ways worked and spent his money freely
in the cause of Republicanlsm, and they
lieve that he should be recognized.
During Mr.. Leachs absence several of
those who do not think Senator Denison
should be sunplanted in the giving out OF
Federal fayors by Mr.. Leach have been
carefully working in the interests of
their candidate.
Now comes the connection between the
Federal office and City Hall politics
Prior to the 3 of last November. there
were nightly meetings held on the City
Hall steps by the allied parties, who
vainly attemp pied fusion in this county.
Th y declared, with unswervlng conf
dence, that after he 81 of November the
old Republican party would be buried so
deep that its resurrection would be i'm
possible,
Some OF those men who upheld the
movement and who signined their ap-
proval of it were Sheriff White, Chief OF
Police Lloyd and the Clerk TO the Chief OF
Police, Charles Gardiner, as well as John
Elley of the Street Department. With
Sheriff White the city government has
nothing to DO. John Elley has been sup
planted by the vice-president of Repub-
lican club, but the other officials, noted
Populists, are still in office. That changes
have not been made is due to the attitude
taken by City Attorney Dow who with
Mayor Thomas forms the Republican ma
jority in the Board of Works. Two years
ago when the Populists partly gained con-
troll OF the board thev made all the
changes that they possibly could in the
interests of their party, and the Repub-
Iicans declared that if the fusionists had
been successful at the last city election
they would undoubtedly have substituted
a Popuist for every Republican in office,
and judging from experience this is un-
doubtedly true.
The political element opposed to Mr..
Leach has somehow or other come to
believe firmly in the opinion that City
Attorney Dow is abs olutely controlled by
Mr.. Leach and that he is merely holding
back till the arrival of the editor from the
East. 1t is not quite clear to outsiders
just why Mr.. Leach should be credited
with being the dictator of Mr.. Dow, but
the assum ption is believed by many and
is being taken as the basis OF a neat little
plan to destroy if possible Mr.. Leach s
political prestige at Washington. After his
return if he does not prevail on Mr.. Dow to
do all he can with Mayor Thomas 10 assist
in putting the departments of the city
government under the absolute control of
Republicans the point will be made that
he is not answering in his loyalty TO the
party hat elected Mckinney and OF course
al these ideas will be duly forwarded to
WASHINGTON with the hope that Mr.
Leach will not be the next Superintendent
OF the Mint
Mr.. Leach's friends are not, however
. allowing the fight to be all on the one
SHE. They are Going all in their power to
bring credit to the position he has taken
throughout. They assert that it was an
absolute necessity for him or some one to
inaugurate a reform movement in the
city government four years ago, and that
his course throughout has been consistent
and thoroughly Endorsed by the reforms
inaugurated by the administration elected
by the Municipal League. They also refer
fn fba tacf that in National rniitce hp hae
always been strongly Republican from
first to last and an enthusiastic advocate
of the gold standard of currency, and that
under these circumstances local politics
will not cut any figure in the distribution
of Federal patronage.
Under these circumstances it can readily
be >een that Mr. Leach's return is being
awaited with marked interest by his po-
ltieal friends and dissenters alike.
At Haywards Park.
OAKLAND, CAL, May 1.-THE Oak
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