The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-11-02

I could get from such a knock-kneeo
champion Of religious equality.
But the Mayors innocence dlo not
exculpate Clinton and Dodge and Lack
mann. The Mayors innocence in the
matter of the lease did not assail them
for their treachery in voting for chris
Refs, the indorsee of the "A. +. A. Ihey
stood before the people as men, VINO, by
their votes, had declared that pupnc
property should be turned over to- sec
tartan society, and that public office
should be bestowed on man who ap-
proved of the bigots that sWore on
Bible and crucifix to deprive the Catno-
lie of his daily bread.
When Mr.. Phelan says that my sole
reason for my present action is per-
sonal pique against DR.. CLINTON, again
Mr.. Phelan is telling an untrutn. IL
personal piQue were my sole cause
would / have promised to have with
drawn my opposition II the men IN
question could give any explanation OF
their vote that would hold water! II
personal pique were my OBJECT fnigDt
have received and been satisfied with
the treachero,1s proposal of Mr.. Phelan
made in this office not two weeks ago
simply to oppose DR.. Clinton and to
let Mr.. Phelan go free, as Mr.. Phelan
himself was unfriendly to Dr. Clinton
and had refused him permission to
hang his banner from the Phelan
were out with knives against DR.. Gin
ton as the cause of all the row.
My personal feelings in this matter,
far from being an incentive TO action,
have been a detriment. I am not SO
stupid as to imagine that my enemies
will not be ready to impute personal
and unworthy motives to me. l am
not so ignorant Of the ways. of the
world as not to know that the SuSpi-
cion Of personal animosity would de-
stroy all my best efforts for principle.
Therefore, instead of urging me on,
the personal attacks made on me by
Clinton held me back. I was willing
to do anything If he, as leader of the
combination, could give an honest ex-
PLANTATION of his vote.
But when that explanation was not
forthcoming, what was l to do? These
men, Clinton, Dodge and Lackmann,
were precisely in the same case as Tay-
about them because they had Mayor
Phelans powerful protection then /
would betray the people who two years
ago had voted for religious liberty, and
who this year. were looking to me for
light and leading on that all-important
point.
Mr.. Phelan pretends that he has no
personal responsibility for nominating
Dodge, Clinton and Lackmann. Months
ago Mayor Phelan announced that
Dodge was to be Assessor. In the pres
ence of his secretary, Mr. Sullivan, he
informed me that he could have stopped
the nomination of Clinton If he wished
to do so. Lackmann's nomination was
an attempt to secure the nomination of
Clinton by the Republicans-a pretty
little trick which would enable Mr..
Phelan to tell those who disapproved of
Clinton's course to beat him If they
could Every one knows that the COM
81 h {- DI,alo Sc x1,-{
vate property; every one knows that he
was especially concerned in his Board
of Supervisors. 1t is too late now for
Mr.. James D. Phelan to evade the re-
sponsibility. Let him stand to his guns
like man and make his fight as best
he knows how. Then We may have some
respect for him. No one can have re-
spect for the man who tries to escape
the consequences of his own acts by
disingenuous pleas and excuses based
on untruth.
The committee of one hundred knew
the real reason why Clinton and Dodge
and Lackmann were opposed. They
knew that these men were accused of
veting against the rights of Catholics.
They were afraid to take up the ques-
ton. One member who was described
by Mayor Phelan as peStiferous
little chap" e. p. e. Troy, said that If
Clinton were not nominated he would
get Oh Tie HUT VI LllS COlNCALlOn anu
say that the members were priest rid
den. This decided Mr. Phelan. He said
he could not afford to go before the
people on the question of religious lib
crafty and equal rights. He might
lose votes. Cowardice triumphed be-
cause above and beyond everything
else James D. Phelan is a moral cow
ard.
But this was not the extent of Mr..
Phelan's offending The third docu-
ment in the Bulletin is an alleged COM
munication in defense of Stewart
Menzies. It says: Having perused
the Rev. Father Yorke's speech OF last
night, permit me to correct one Of his
statements in regard to Mr.. Stewart
Menzies and his being Endorsed by the
A. P. A. In the first place, Mr.. Men
Zies has never been candidate for
office during the existence Of the
A. P. A." This is merely another un-
truth. In 1894 Stewart Menzies was
candidate for Freebooter on the Non
Partisan ticket He received the
A. p A. Endorsement. Mr.. Stewart
Menzies was willing to accept that in
dorsement in 1894, when the A. p. A.
was strong; he is willing to repudiate
it now that the A. P. A. is no more.
Now, Mr.. Editor, I close / have
again put before the people the facts in
this case. Mr.. Phelan and his asso-
ciates will not improve their position
with the people by imputing personal
motives and shouting about clerical
dictation. Again let me say am not
in this matter for personal reasons,
and most emphatically I am not in it
for politics If l were anxious for my
personal comfort, for the friendship of
the rich, for my peace of mind, would
have left town quietly without warning
the people of Mr.. Phelan's treachery
Perhaps it would have been policy for
me to have done so, but God forbid
that the day shall ever come when I
shall mislead the people that trusted to
my word and made sacrifices in my
cause for the sake of my own peace or
for consideration of policy. Principle
belongs to men; policy. is the watch
word of towards.
PETER C. YORKE.
The PAYERS Union.