The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-10-20


l am certain he has not been given any
authority TO do so. The Merchants As
sociation Is not In politics. and II 1t is be-
ing used for such purposes II Is an out
rage So far as my knowledge OF the
membership goes / should incline TO the
opipion that majority are Republicans
Every member would bitterly oppose any
attempt by Mayor Phelan or ANYBODY
else for that matter 70 drag the associa-
tion into his political fight"
Philip n. Lilienthal, manager Of the
glo-Californian Bank; II DO not be-
lieve the Manufacturers Association has
given Mayor Phelan any such indorse-
ment The membership is too nearly
equally divided politically 70 take any
such h action; have certainly not heard I'D
meetings, but from my knowledge of its
purposes l am positive the organization
l. not making anybody's political fight
for which II was formed II IT is."
W VI, II, Croker president Of the Crock
Phelan seems to have cast dignity to the
winds, but he Is in q desperate way just
now. Even II he did have the indorse-
ment Of the Merchants Association IT
conducting q campaign. But he does not
have its Enforcement, and II he is using
lts name II is because Of his desperation
Mr. Phelan is losing ground steadily; he
has forfeited many votes in the past
week. Men in the highest standing in the
community who supported him two years
Is changing against him every day. It is
noticeable In the clubs and other places.
Of all the clubs and kindred organizations,
ought to know how to conduct himself
even during political campaign with dig
nifty, but Mr.. Phelan certainly seems to
have forgotten everything but his greed
for office. There seems to have been q
great change In him during the past year,
support him now. They VIII p not, nor otI viii
many of those OF his own political faith.
The Merchants Association has not nor
VIII II indorse him"
Thomas Magee, real estate-I have
heard absolutely nothing about the Mer-
chants Associations Endorsement of
Mayor Pheian, and it does not seem like
ly that such action would DO taken.
B. s. Spear, auotioneer-I don't know
anything about such an Endorsement and
do not believe Mayor Phelan has been
in politics. Mayor Phelan is, however,
and he has hard fight on hand He has
benata many Votes Is and IND he SeI is making des
he needs them. He is utterly lacking In
dignity in this campaign. He rails against
the bosses but he is the greatest boss of
Frank J. Vail. junior partner Of the firm
OF Sanborn1 Vail & Company and first
The. statement that the Merchants Asso-
citation, acting as a body has either Off
cially or unofiicially. given Endorsement to
ar. Iheians candidacy is an unqualified
expressed their preference one way or an
9ther for there are both Patton men and
pheian ., men IN the association, but the
II under It's constitution.
Il; ". Dohrmann, president Of the as
ISOLATION. would not speak officially for
still IN force and he has not yet resumed
the duties of his office. Personally.
though. he was willing to speak ''Thhe
statement that the Merchants Associa-
ton has Endorsed Mr.. Phelan Is an abso-
lutte untruth. Politics does not come I'M
der the province Of the association. Mr..
Phelan spoke at our banquet the other
day, but not upon political matters nor
anything akin to politics. Campaign
questions were tabooed even II any one
had been inclined to breach them. Mr..
Phelan has for years been very close to
the associa ton, as he is one of its prorni-
nent members and hardest workers. but II
tnere ls any preference for him it Is in
diyidual"
Marcus Hecht Of the firm of Hecht
Brothers Co, 3l2 Pine street, said "Al-
though l am not active In the affairs OF
the association / am sure that no actfon
looking to the Endorsement of any politi-
cal candidate has been taken. The by
] should have been Informed IL any such
action had been taken. and do not be-
lieve that II has"
Isaac Upham, of the firm of Pavot
Upham g. Col don't think the associa,
ton has taken any such action as Is stated
indorsing Phelan for Mayor. The report
must have been given circulation by the
Mayor and his adherents, as It could not not
possibly come from the association.
think II would be impudent in the ex-
treme to introduce politics into an or
ganizatton, the main prestige OF which
Is derived from business men who de-
pend upon II for the furtherance of bust
ness and not political ends. Individually
| don't know what the members have
done, but as body do know they have
not taken any such ridiculous measures
to support Mr.. Phelan. 1t seems to me
absurd that even individually the MEM
bers would pledge themselves to any
candidate, as every man likes to choose
for himself how and for whom he shall
cast his vote. think the rumor has been
circulated by Phelan's adherents and not
the Merchants Association"
The manager OF the firm of Kittle &
Co. maintained that the report circulated
by Phelan's henchmen was, as far as he
knew, untrue and without the least foun-
dalton. Although l have heard but lit
tie about the rumor that the leading
merchants of the city had pledged them
selves to support Phelan, l know, never
theless. that there is not the slightest
truth in i. 1t seems absurd for intelli-
gent people to believe that men of such
standing as those enrolled as members of
the Merchants Association would tie
3hA,,oa d0wn IN fhsa xuou 80 o,,pvnrt