The San Francisco call., 1898-06-09
May Not Be a Candi- date for Governor.
SOME SIGNIFICANT FACTS
PHELAN'S INTERESTS HAVE
 BEEN INVOLVED.
HAVE
Recent Occurrences That Seem to In- dicate That the Statesman Will Ask to Be Returned to
 Congress.

Has Congressman Mcguire decided to retire from the race for the nom ination for Governor on the Democratic ticket?
 This Is the question that the shrewd ones among the politicians of both par ties are trying to solve. Ten days ago the question had not even been sug- gested The public had full faith in the assertion that Mcguire had burned his bridges behind him and that if he failed in his desire to win the place at the head of the Democratic ticket he would retire to private life and the con- temptation of the many things he has said and the few things he has done during his career as a statesman.
 To-day the aspect of the case is diff ferent Indeed, there are good grounds for the belief that Mcguire has decided to remove his name from the list of gubernatorial candidates and that he will ask his party to aid in returning him to Washington as Congressman from the Fourth District. The morn ing paper which assumes the doubtful honor of being the mouthpiece or the man who called American seamen pi- rates gave authoritative corroboratlon a few days ago to the alleged surrender by Mcguire of his cherished ambition to become the Governor of the State of California. In an editorial comment ing on the indorsement of Maguire's candidacy by a Democratic county convention, the paper says:
 The Tulare convention indorses Mn Mcguire for the Democratic nomination for Governor and instructS it's repreSen- tatives in the State convention to support him as long as he is a candidate. Whether MT. Mcguire considers that he can serve his State and himself best in Congress or in the Governors chair, this evidence that the mud campaign that has thus far been waged against him has had no effect must gratify his pride.
 This. coming as it were from Mcguire himself, is held as convincing proof that the statesman has agreed with himself to forego, for the time being, his determination to be Governor or nothing. It is as if the Congressman had said to the good Democrats of Tu- lare County:
 T thank you for your kindly expres- sion of fealty, and it may be that l will avail myself of your votes. It all de- pends upon whether or not l decide to again become candidate for seat in Congress-
 The expression of such sentiment as this. when considered in connection with his many open and emphatic dec larations that if he failed in his de- sire to secure the gubernatorial nomi- nation he would retire to private life, Is open to but one construction. It is that he has repented of his rash de termination to achieve that what he now finds is beyond his reach, and that he will soon surprise his friends with the announcement that he believes his duty to himself and his country de- mands that he return to the halls of Congress as a humble representative of the Fourth Congressional District.
 The conditions that are to be held accountable for this change of heart are plain to every one. Within the space of a very few weeks Mcguire has found that instead of being a man of the people with a popular following in his own party, he is, instead, a man whose scalp is sought for by the State administration; stumbling block in the way of the soaring political ambi tions of Mayor Phelan; an object of de- testation for all patriotic citizens who resent his declaration that the brave men of the American navy are pirates; the ardent advocate of economic prin- ciples that are intended to saddle the burden of taxation on workingmen and the farming classes. Besides these things he has found that he must di- vide with Mayor Phelan the love and support of the Venal editor Of the al- legged organ of the Democratic party-a support that cannot be given to two men, both of whom want to be the next Governor of the State-and also that all political authorities agree and the recent election in Oregon proves that this is to be a Republican year. Small wonder that he should stand appalled, at the situation and conclude that he "can serve his State and himself best Itra he returned COnpracc
 With Mcguire out of the race the gubernatorial aspirations of Phelan be- come somewhat formidable from the standpoint of such other Democrats as would not be averse to accepting the place at the head of the ticket. An additional proof that the Mayor has finally decided to attempt to climb to the top of the political ladder is found in the rumor that Andy Lawrence is seeking the nomination for Lieutenant Governor This ambition of Law rence's is not taken seriously by any one. with the possible exception of Phe- Ian and Lawrence himself. Should he become a candidate for this or any other office the fact would afford an opportunity for the publication of his record as an Assemblyman, a proceed ing that would be instructive, so far as the public is concerned, but would prove disastrous to the party with which his name is connected. It Is not likely that the party leaders will so far forget themselves as to commit po-