The San Francisco call., 1898-08-20
STATISTICS OF. REGISTRATION.

is to be hoped that the statistics ot registration III
 this city will not confirm the Republicans ln the idea that this their year and that nothing they can do will produce defeat. There has been falling off of over 10000 in the registrations, but general effort to create the impression that this in some way is favorable the Republican party because the de crease is alleged be heaviest III Democratic dis trcts is scarcely ustihable and exceedingly danger ous It never seems to to the authors of this notion that perhaps the Republicans in these Demo cratic districts have not registered With strange attv they stick to the idea that because the districts showing decrease are Democratic the phenomenon must be in their favor.
 It is certain however, that no one can explain ex- acty why 10000 citizens of San Francesca have decided this year to refrain from voting. Perhaps they take no interest in the issues of the campaign perhaps they think things will get along without thelr interference and that 1t easier to stay at home than to vote perhaps the early closing o registration has caught them mapping; perhaps-but perhapses could be multiplied indefinitely. No one on earth can ex- actly determine why these 10000 citizens have not registered without personally interviewing each one and compiling his reasons.
 Rut why should the Republicans think that this apathy or carelessness, whatever 1t is, will inn prove their chances of winning the election? That the decrease Is heaviest in the Democratic districts signifies nothing politically. Four years ago Budd and Sutro, the Democratic and Populist candidates for Governor and Mayor respectively, carried many of the strongest Republican precincts in the city In all of them they defeated the Republican candidates from party standpoint. Had Estee for instance, run as well north he south of Market street, from party point of view, he would have been elect ed Why then, talk about decrease in registration benefting anybody?
 The truth is, nothing in these days makes party success certain except the nomination ot strong 1n- dependent and active candidates. If all the Demo crats in San Francisco to refrain from register ing and the Republican municipal convention were to nominate for Mayor a man known to be the tool of the political bosses and corporations, the party would be buried under shower of disappearing bal i lots.
 | This is the lesson the Republicans must learn If they would secure political power and retain it. The i Democrats have thoroughly mastered the proposi- tion For twenty years they have been generally put ting their strong and independent to the front, and they have three of four Governors, nearly defeated fourth and converted San Francisco into almost permanent Democratic town. The poli-
 ca character of the registration has had nothing to do with this. Party lines hang loosely on the people nowadays. Conventions and platforms serve to amuse the politicians and the newspapers, but the people look at the candidates, They know that the purest political principles may be subverted by cor rupt officials and that government can be econo- mical or honest when administered by the patronage bosses and the corporations
 To succeed this year the Republican party of both city and State look its candidates and not to registration, sentiment, convention "combina- tions or the favor of corporations and political l