The San Francisco call., 1898-08-10
CAMPAIGN THOUGHTS.

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 when boy he could always tell the Sabbath l \ from other days because in the morning he observed large numbers of men armed With shot- guns and followed by dogs making for the adjacent forests Thus are many things manifested Dy signs. Everybody in California knows Republican year not only by the appearance ot large numbers or can didates for office but by the persistency With WHICH the friends of the good fellows of politics endeavor to fost their favorites upon the party The theory of the politicians i'll Republican years IS that the people must vote their ticket anyhow. Having thelr party voters in the door, 1t were, they force upon them weak and unpopular candidates and defy them to resist
 So it often happens that Republican years in California are manifested by great activity among the politicians The idea of these individuals in making fights M as far as possible, to keep out of conven- tions all Republicans who think public questions or who entertain preconceived notions of what can ddates policies necessary to bring success II Mr. Gage of Southern California, for instance, were empowered to appoint the Republican convention which meets at Sacramento on the 23d inst he would fill it with his personal friends. At the hands of these gentlemen he would, after going through certain forms calculated to throw dust in the eyes ot the people, modestly accept the honor of nomination for Governor and actually consider himself the great est in the State.
  been endeavoring to do this very thing. They have no idea whatever of submitting their claims to the governorship to the sense df an unbiased conven- tion selected random from among the best men in the party; their plan IS to get many of their per sonal friends elected delegates possible and to se cure from their respective counties solid delega- tions. With the assistance o these blind and unrea- soning followers they hope to make combinations and trades" with the blind and unreasoning follow CTS of other candidates on the ticket who have worked the same game, and by these they in tend to force themselves upon the people With strange atuity they imagine that the appearance upon the ticket of their with the word Re- publican appended will sweep them into power
 It seems incredible that intelligent human beings should reason in this way but the fact that such soning prevails is only proved by the campaign which these two estimable and intelligent gentlemen have made but it IS cinched by the the bosses and politicians of the Republican party generally are pursuing in this so-caled Republican year" Every where we hear of "programmes," Combinations" trades stuffed delegations, dummy delegates, pri- mary tactics and the other things, by the appearance of which, like MT. Beecher's hunters we may ascer- tain that a certain kind of day or year is at hand We hear that only machine are to go on guard in 1898 because 1t is Republican year. and the peo- pie need not be consulted. We hear that candidates
  this boss or that boss has whom he is deter mined to foist upon the party We hear-but why continue the ridiculous recital? It is Republican year. and anybody be elected.
 But after all, is this year when the Republican politicians safely be permitted to nominate our candidates and make platforms? The war is over month hence 1t will neither be discussed nor thought of in this State The burning and ever present questions of low taxation, economical and honest government, clean appointments and re- spectable and honest Legislature will again and absorb public attention Do the Republicans of California think they carry this State the of Dewey Sampson, Miles and Shafter against the personal interests of the taxpayers the worl<ngmen and the farming classes? Do they imagine that bloody shirt and the old flag going to induce the toilng to project their yellow dogs into office?
 Ii they have any such idea inform them now that in pursuing 1t they rushing to their doom. The Australian ballot has demolished Repub lican years, yellow dogs and political bosses. The people must be given candidates in whom they have confidence and for whom they desire to vote Can didates forced upon them by personal friends and political combinations cannot be elected. The great necessity of the day is Republican nominees with records, with standing citizens, with established regulations for integrity free from railroad, corpora ton and boss control Only such candidates win.
 These are frozen truths. If the Repub- Iica ns 0 heed them they will encOun ter a poIiti cal iceberg i'm November next.