The herald., 1898-10-04
TUESDAY. OCTOBER =, 1893.
WRONG KIND OF CERTIFICATE

WRONG KIND OF CERTIFICATE
The San Francisco Chronicle is max
ing a great to-do over certificate o
good character given to the Republica
candidate for governor by Mr.. Josepl
H. Call, special United States attorne.
in land cases against the Southern ia
cific and other railroad companies In Cal
ifornia. Mr.. Call certifies that he ha
known Mr. Gage long time, and believe
him an honorable man and good law
yer; that he (Gage) has repeatedly refus
ed to take cases to try for the Southern
Pacific Railway company, and, on tn
contrary, has fought several case
against that corporation to successful
issue. He is sure that Mr.. Gage is not
tool of the Southern Pacific ring. and car
never become one.
The mistake which Mr.. Call and tht
Chronicle and other Republican news
papers make in parading this certificate
is that they rush into defense along
lines where no attack has been made.
On the 26th of August-the day fol
lowing Mr.. Cages nomination-The
Herald contained the following editori'
al COMMENT
While thus conceding the personal
worth of the head of the Republican
ticket we are far from indorsing his
candidacy or predicting his success in
the forthcoming contest. Between Mr..
Gage as an individual and the infiu-
ences which stand behind him there is a
wide margin of difference.
The Republican party OF California is
today dominated by bosses, with head
quarters in San Francisco and the
Southern Pacific Machiavelli just in tt.
background. These bosses, in casting
about for the most available material
with which to hoodwink the people, hit
upon Mr.. Gage as a man unexception-
able in himself and free from previous
political entanglements He Is good
enough Gage for them II he may be
made to carry their ticket through and
assure the success OF their program. II
is worthy of note that the Gage boom"
did not oringinate in this end of the
state. There was no spontaneous up
rising Of Republicans demanding that
Gage should be put forth as their stand
ard-bearer. In fact, Mr. Gage was
hardly talked of seriously in this con-
nection until after Boss Burnes had
made his voyage of discovery to this
city. 1t is a new thing for the political
manipula.ors of the north to urge hon.
ors upon U.S. When they do so there is
some ground for suspicion. We fear the
Greeks when they como with gifts In
their hands.
The straightforward facts in this case
are that the Southern Pacific Machia-
velli wishes to head Southern California
off from future representation in the
United States senate. Uncle Coils does
not dare trust any Southern California
man when It comes to another passage
at arms over the San Pedro harbor
question. And he fully intends to bring
that question before congress again at
Its next session. That is exactly the
milk in the cocoanut That is the whole
secret of the effusve politeness of the
boss politicians Of the north. That Is
the Interior purpose behind the Gage
boom"
1T DOES NOT FOLLOW THAT MIR.
GAGE HIMSELF is A PARTY TO
ANY SUCH COMPACT, OR THAT
HE HAS GONE INTO THE RAIL-
ROAD CAMP IN ORDER TO SECURE
THIS NOMINATION.
There is nothing in this and nothing in
what The Herald and other Democratic
papers have since said to which Mr.
Calls certificate Of character is responE-
I've. 1t has not been charged that Mr..
Gage ever distinguished himself doing
politics for the Southern Pacific rail-
road or fighting lawsuits for it, 1t is
this very fact that makes him good
enough Gage for the purposes of the
ringsters. That they have thought it
best to throw their entire strength for
a clean man is no reason why our sus-
picions should be allayed. Mr.. Gage
can be made their tool even in allowing
his name to head their slated ticket
Boss Platt in New York was glad enough
to champion the cause of Theodore Roos-
evelt, even though he has no love for the
popular Rough Rider and despises his
civil service methods, because Platt
knew that it was either Roosevelt or
defeat for himself. The crafty ringster
is never averse to stealing the livery OF
the lord to serve the devil in.
What the Republican party of Cali
fornia most needs is certificate of
character for It's Sacramento convention
"a certificate that will clear the Burns
Herrin- -DeYoung crowd that put up the
slate and placed the good name of Henry