The San Francisco call., 1898-11-01
PHELAn's POLITICAL MORALS.

EFT no one think it is any pleasure to news paper to find public man false where he should 1b be true fathless where he should be faithful pretending where he should be sincere It is not with any pleasure that we nave exposed MT. Phelans appalling hypocrisy in reaching out tor the sunoort of reformers and pursts and NonParti- sans with one hand and with the other for that o the classes and bosses whom he has denounced
 Moore, in his Yelled Prophet" has drawn pic ture of false pretense that will live through the ages Since it was written men have often seen Mokanna in the midst of them commanding the purest faith, the most unbounded enthusiasm the highest sacrifice, only to abuse them all and when his veil was lifted to expose the repellent features of greed and selfish ness.
 Phean has played this part with great address If Moore had taken him the suggestion of his story of Khorassan he could hardly have drawn closer the model.
 The fancy of this State will never let go the picture of some men, who in high place have justified the hope invested in them, Governor Irwin such man. He sought office frankly and administered 1t laborousy and with instant attention to all of its duties He was reckless of present popular applause, disregarded the dress parade of his official station and seemed thoughtful only of faithful discharge of his duty, leaving that to perpetuate his memory.
 Sargent was such a character in the Senate No one recalls him either as poseur or holding office as a qualification of: personal vanity. Such men have ideal which forbids that they barter principles or talk with two mouths for the sake of honors: and power To thern public office is simply change ot work, from the private to the public station But MT. Phe lans ideals are different " H wants the eHhilaration of public elevation, the qualification of vanity, the sensc of being better thaf his fellows without ac- quiring the moral qualities. exhibiting the practi- cal genius which would justify the claim
  on his trousers, a brass belly band and sword, spontoon a: cockade, rather than sober desire to abide by fixed principles and follow their lead to the good of others. ~
 Itis natural therefore that he ldall as he has, It is natural that he should publicly court the men who stand for reform and privately surrender tothose whom he has denounced as the arch corruptlonlsts against whom he alone could defend the people.
 His treaty. with the Haruey- Rainey combination is the complete revelation of his character It the lift ing of Mokannas veil the passing of deusion, the awakening from a dream. Phelan was the reform idol He turns out to have feet of clay All of his professions fall Nothing is left of him except an am bition that is now exposed as a public danger, be- cause the means he seeks for it's qualification show
 him to be an irsincere and dangerous Ii he will promise the public. patronage to men whom he has just denounced as thieves in order to get office, what may he not do when elected if the support of crimi nais worse than he has alleged them to be become necessary to the further pleasures of ambition3 The fear that his surrender to Rainey exists IS not fined to Republicans who intended to support him; it extends to Democrats who have been induced by him to make enemies of the very into whose arms lie. IS now rushing.
 "A three-faced- would be a great curiosity in nature. But here. we have of triple visage in politics One face was shown to the Democracy in committee of one hundred assembled. Another face was poked through the. curtain of the Non-Partisan convention and now third leers in the lair of liar ney and Rainey. :
 The people want little to do with such man and with such Mayor If he stand faithful to one-third ofhs allies he must betray the other two-thirds The people want a rlan whose obligations run to one party and who has no sinister and midnight alliance which: claims. his paramount allegiance.
 % Let every one watch. the result of the meeting of Harneys committee and see whether it will manfuly reject the public patronage which Phean has so un- nanfully offered as a bribe for supporting him. -