The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-11-04
The EXAM|NER'S
ESTIMATE OF
RHODES. BORDEN
Undergoes a Change
in Two Years.
WAS THEN A RAILROAD MAN
rs NOW TIE NOMINEE OF THE
"REFTINGv BOSS.
The Paper Supports Him, Thus Show
ing Tt. Is Not Fighting for
Great Principles, but
=. for Policy.

Rhodes Borden; Democratic candi-
date. for Superior. Judge, was before
the people of this city two years ago
as "a candidate. for the office TO which
he now aspires. At that time the Ex-
aninery which purports to be anti-rail
road pointed out Mr. Borden's alleged
close relationship with w. F. /. Herrin
and other men:identified with railroad
interests.
The Examiners opinion of Mr.. Bor-
den's fitness for public office was ex-
j pressed in an. editorial printed Septem-
Der 20, 1896. Whether its estimate was
at that time rightor wrong this paper
is not prepared to say. 1t was at that
time the Examiners opinion.
The times have changed, and the Ex-
aminer can see no relation now between
Rhodes Borden and the railroad. He
is a nominee of Mr.. PheIans Committee
of One Hundred, and as such the organ
Of the netting" boss can see no wrong
in him, The Examiner is thus OBJ
viously not waging a battle for prin-
ciple, but for policy.
Here is the Examiners estimate of
Rhodes Borden as expressed in its col
un1ns September 29, 1896. If it were true
then it should be equally true to-day:
THE CONVENTIONS WORK.
The Non Partisan convention
made its first mistake last night in
putting the name of Rhodes Borden
on its official ticket Mr.. Borden
may be a most estimable gentleman
in private life. We are willing to
take the word of his friends for that.
His record. in public life is colorless
and speaks neither for nor against
him. But when a man who is I'M
known comes before the public seek
ing Office; it is inevitable that he
should be judged by the. friends who
present his claims and urge his cleo
ton. Among the friends who urge
Mr.. Borden's election we find such
men as T. B. Bishop, Joe Napthaly,
w. F. Herrin, Eugene CARRIER and the
rest of the 'coterie that carry on poll
tics for the Southern Pacific Com
.pany." AS these men have never in
the past allowed their personal
friendship to interfere with their de-
votion to corporation interests, their
advocacy is something to be ex-
planned away.
The error of the convention is not
a capital one. It is an error that the
voters of the city. can readily correct
But it reminds the convention of the
need of extreme care in selecting the
other important parts of the ticket.
The part of the ticket in which bad
influences are most to be feared, in
which they can act most harmfully
to the public interest, is in the selec-
ton of candidates for Supervisors.
The men who manipulate politics for
the corporations will bend all their
energies TO get a corrupt majority
into the next Board Of Supervisors.
Tney will seek to load down the Nom
Partisan ticket with purchasable
men, and it will take a most watch
full care to keep them off. The mem
bers of the convention should re-
member that as the charter stands
to-day an honest Board Of Supervis-
ors is worth all the rest of the city
government put together. It will be
of great importance even under the
new charter. IF they succeed in pre-
senting the citizens with a model
ticket in this regard they will have
performed a great public service.