The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-10-03
EVEN ALAMEDA
LEARNS SOME
NEW TRICKS
Politics Without Any
Precedent.
THE PURISTS MAKE HISTORY
INDEPENDENT REPUBLICANS"
ARE A PUZZLE.
THE PURISTS MAKE HISTORY
INDEPENDENT REPUBLICANS
ARE A PUZZLE.
Frank Jordan Very Carefully Con-
tributed a Chapter to the
Novelty Of the Interesting
Situation
Oakland ONCE San Francisco Call.

ualS and not party principles are coming
to the front rapidly, and the ballot which
the voter will have TO study will contain
more names than were ever presented to
the electorate on this side of the bay.
There have already been nine conventions
held, each of which has put up a whole
ticket or a part of a ticket. These nine
aggregations are the Non-Fusion Popu-
lists, Independent Republicans, Socialist
Labor party, Republicans, Prohibitionists,
Fusion Populists, Democrats and Silver
Republicans. In addition TO these are nu-
merous independent candidates, and be-
tween them all it is a Chinese puzzle to
distinguish a party demarkation.
There is one issue between the city and
the county; one between one branch Of
the old American Protective Association
and another branch; an issue between
friends of Hilborn and Metcalf; an issue
between skaters and non-slaters; issue be-
tween the young men and the veteran ele-
ments an issue between stalwarts and re-
formers and purists; an issue between
successful candidates and soreheads; and
all of these apply with equal force to each
OF the multitude of parties, and conse-
Quently the total number Of such issues
10 be decided at the election is more than
legion. This is why the people are look
ing in vain for the old party lines.
Many innovations in the methods of
calling and conducting political conven-
ton were learned Friday night. It was
genuine Voltairean exhibition-eVerythin
Vas torn down. but little was built The
San Leandro convention was blasted from
the platform. in the platform and on the
floor The Independents even went far
Their; they tore TO pieces the primaries al
which the San LeandrO delegates were
elected. Everything was wrong, wicked,
corrupt and deserving OF contempt; out
everything that the Independents did or
said was absolutely right, clean, fncor-
ruptible and deserving OF public conf
dence 1t was a revelation to the lobby
10 see those we'll known Republican" re
formers, Johnny league, W alter Burweu
who was vice president G { the Mcguire
demonstration two weeks ago; hugh ..
Aldrich, John Mcleod, who was beaten
in the Democratic convention for SherlH
a week since; K. h. Larsen, e. A SEQ
vile and others, busy on the floor of the
convention purifying the Republican
partv In his opening speech Y. S. North
e ~, declared in enormous tones that it was
TO be a strictly Republican convention
and no one nominated or even connected
receive a particle Of support from the au-
gust body in Germania Hall. Somehow
or other the convention went TO pieces
Democrat was nominated for County
Clerk a Populist was placed in nomina-
ton for Sheriff, a Populist for Assessor,
q Prohibitionist for Tax Collector, a Pro-
hibitionist for District Attorney, a Popu-
list for Public Administrator and one or
two Republicans for other ofnceS, Whlle
Democrats or Populists We're indorsed Tor
Supervisors and the Legislature.
Another entirely new feature in politics
was the method of taking the vote that
was adopted The chairman declared
that there were no proxies, yet out OF the
300 delegates called about 100 attended
ballots cast. There were but two dele
gates present from Alameda, yet the En-
cinal City voted twenty-five solid every
time a ballot was taken. There was not
q single delegate from Washington Town
ship yet on one occasion somebody voted
seventeen solid for somebody, and it
went as did many other remarkable fea-
lures of the remarkable gathering.
Just why the convention should have
declared itself an independent Republican
convention is not yet clear, for many OF
the delegates and candidates had already
knocked at the doors of more or less of
the eight previous conventions, and being
disappointed in every instance, had de-
cided to organize a convention to which
they could open the door for themselves.
OF course there were many good, consct-
entiOus Republicans in the convention,
men who undoubtedly believed that there
is a demand for reform In the party
ranks. To a certain extent such a belief
is true. but it can be truthfully said with
out possible fear of contradiction that no
such methods as were adopted to call
and carry on the convention at Germania
Hall will ever appeal to the intelligence
or confidence of the mass of the voters.
Whoever drew up the Independent plat
form was a genius. The kaleidoscope
platform is a truthful reflection of the
convention. Its first paragraph reaffirms
the principles of the Republican party.
The purity of elections is extolled. Mr..
de Young was conference.-the Southern
Pacific likewise. Religious interference in
politics was scored and the American
sailor and soldier were justly lauded.
President McKinley's "sagacity, wisdom
and craftsmanship were kindly reviewed
and of course the body insisted" that
our flag shall wave forever in any place
where 1t has once been planted.
Some objection hRpn raised
planting of the flag, this term gener-
ally being considered as meaning the put
ting away Of something where it eXer-
cises no more influence on the world
above, and surely the convention did not
mean that, Republicans refer TO the
Funny is no word to use in connection
with the following paragraph, reviewed
in the light of the personnel Of the con-
I'VE stand for the honor, integrity and
perpetuity of the Republican party in this
county, and shall oppose to the uttermost
any attempt of corrupt wire-pullers, po-
litical bosses and corporations TO control
its primaries or conventions"
This is beautiful sentiment, but think
rabid Populists, one of whom-a Mr..
Thompson-was nominated for con-
stable somewhere. and Others on the
Then came a section referring to equal
rights to all" etc. "a government OF, by,
and for" etc, and while debate on TINS
applied gag law to a Second Ward dele
gate, who was so incensed that he picked
up his hat and bolted the Whole Works.
And while President Mckinley states
Inanship" was endorsed civil service was
most generously condemned.
There is no doubt whatever that the
local Republican party is beset with dan
gers. Blind indeed is the man who can
not see that much dissatisfaction followed
the San Leandro convention, and that I'M
less this dissatisfaction be healed before
November 8, there will be some sore dis
appointments. The same is true Of the
so-called fusion ticket. Members of all
three parties that helped to frame that
ticket are dissatisfied and are preparing
10 battle against opposing factions at the
polls. There never has been q time when
q stable, independent movement in which
the public could be induced to place con-
(hdence, faced such an opportunity to be
successful but it has now passed.
U'hPr6 ffaH m