The San Francisco call., 1897-08-16
POLITICIANS SEE
A FIGHT AHEAD
At Present They Speak Of
1t as a Comparison Of
Strength.
How Popular Excitement Adds
to the Importance of Com
mon Events.
How Miss Packard May Have Injured
the Chances of High School
Graduates.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALL,


sos Broad wav, Aug. 10.
The friends of George Pardee and W. R.
Davis may call 1.-The comparison OF
strength between the two men by any
name they like, tut The fact remains that
it is a keen political fight and the best
proof of this is the eagerness with which
politicians are entering into it. Osten-
siblv the friends of each of the two men
are at work trying to find out which OF
them Is the stronger politically ana Gre
ating the impression shat all will flock TO
the banner OF the Hercules. In reality
two of the most powerful factions That
the Republican party has ever developed
in this county are each striving to show
that their man is the only one who Is
strong enough to put forward as guber-
material candidate.
The strangest feature in the case is that
Pardee and Davis are both representa-
tives of The new wing of the party that
was born about five years ago 10 break
down the powers of the old guarG's ma
chinery. In the struggle since then me
success has been about even, the reform
ers getting more advantage in municipal
scrimmages and the old guard holding.lls
own in county bait es. But none OF the
old guard were ever the supporters of
either Pardee or DAVIS, and as they have
not a candidate of their own, and must,
of necessity, get into every political fight,
the question has naturally arisen, Whom
Will they support?'
Very prof. erIy Frank G. Jordan. who is
developing into a veritable political
leader, is very certain that George PaTdee
Is The strongest man in Alameda County.
Not only has jordan convinced himself of
This but it is very evident that be has sue
Ceeded In persuadlng many others TO
share his opinion. In fact ii would see m
al present as though the old differences
were 10 be buried ana the situation of
several years ago to be renewed. AS the
men who sra interested in booming Par
dee's precedence are those who are to a
great extent in the public eye it would ap-
pear to the unipitiated that his claim
could not be contested.
On The other hand, there is that quiet,
persistent campaign being made on be-
half OF w. r. Davis that has 50 often sue
ceeded in this county. A glance back
over the political batilegrounds of the
past five years shows that in nearly every
instance the unexpected has happened in
local politics. The quiet fight has been
the winning fight, and the man who ap-
peared to be stepping into office has been
a the foot OF the election returns. Under
these circumstances II Is absolutely i'm
possible to forecast the result, and this is
frankly acknowledged by the leading
friends OF both men. There are two GER
tain ways out OF the ditficulty-for one of
the men to yield to the her or for the
balance of the State to declare that Ala
media County should not name the next
Governor.
Frank A. Leach, perintendent of the
Mint, told last night OF a conversation he
had with the Graves brothers OF the Trim
i.y mines that shows how popular excite
ment will cause the public to view ordinary
Incidents in an extraordinary manner.
Graves said that they were the most sur.
prised peonle in the State when they came
10 San Francisco and found what excite
ment their gold find had created. Before
the present gold fever a mine within q
mile o! the Graves mine took gold out OF
a pocket valued at $40, coo and not line
was published in any newspaper concern
ing II. About the same time pocket was
found in Tuolumne County that produced
$50 600 IN gold and nothing was said about
1t. But when gold excitement is preva-
len, then the public views every find with
eyes wide open.
The High School graduates who took
the entrance examinations in English at