The San Francisco call., 1898-12-29

Burns and Governor elect Gage for the reappointment of Police Commissioner Moses Gunst will here be told. Those who read cannot fail to believe, and if dIscredit attaches to the gentlemen whose names have been mentioned above, they have only themselves to blame.
 In brief, the situation is that Gov ernor-elect Gage has undertaken, st the request of Colonel Burns, to continue MT. Gunst. Burns gambling partner, in office. To do this he has found it neces- sary to disregard the provisions of the law and the dictates of common cour- tesy by fixing the date of his inaugura- tion for January f, thus shortening Gov ernor Budd's term by six days. Mir. Gunsts term of office as Police Com missioner expires January 5. Gov ernor Budd has declined to reappoint him. Governor Budd's term of office expires January Il. Thus it becomes necessary for Governor elect Gage, in order to carry out his promise to Dan Burns, to resort to measures that may be considered somewhat questionable from the standpoint of law and good taste. The manner in which he has gone about the task is partly made plain in the following statement made yesterday by Governor Budd at the Palace Hotel. The Governor at first declined to discuss the subject, but when pressed for an answer he said:
 A few days ago I received a message from MT. Gage, through my private secretary. MT. Gage wanted to know if l intended to appoint 6 successor to Police Commissioner Gunst."
 Continuing, MT. Gage said: Colonel Burns has been very kind to me, and l feel that 1 am under obligations to him. He wants Gunst to continue in office, and now that I am in a position to handle this matter for him feel that l ought to do it. 1 am in no hurry to be inaugurated, and would prefer to let matters take their l ual course, but if it becomes necessary can be inaugur ated in time to handle this appoint ment. Unless I get the proper assur ances I feel that I ought to take such a course as will prevent any mistakes
 T sent MT. Gage a reply, assuring him that I would take the matter un- der advisement."
 Have you ever been solicited by any gllC COi4CC1 lllAlS lAllo dPpOAAiNAiAtANs hOS asked.
 By no one except MT. Gage and MT. Gunst himself. MT. Gunst came to me some time ago and said that he de sired to be reappointed. l gave him no definite reply. but he may have gathered from what I did say that l was not favorable to his reappoint- ment.
 MT. Gage called on me on Tuesday and announced that he had fixed the date of his inauguration for January 4 at the request of the executive com mittee of the Republican State Central Committee. I presumed that ended the matter, and so expressed myself. was somewhat surprised to read in the papers this morning a number of inter- views with members of the executive committee in which they state that there has been no meeting of the eX- ecutive committee since the election, and that the matter of the date of MT. Cages inauguration has not been dis cussed by it's members.
 "This is the first time in the history of the State where a Governors s term of office has been shortened to less than four years. Governor Markham was inaugurated on January s, 1891. My inauguration occurred on January Il, 1895. and on January II, S99. I will have held office four years. The appointment of a Police Commissioner for San Fran cisco is the only appointment of any importance that will occupy the con- sideration or demand the attention of the Governor of this State between January 3, 1899, and January Il, 1899. "
 Some days ago The Call obtained the information that Governor-elect Gage had sent message to Governor Budd announcing his intention to reappoint Police Commissioner Gunst. Acting on this information John D. Spreckels held d conference with Mir. Gage What oc- cured at that conference and the pur- pose for which it was held is set forth in the following statement made by MT Spreckels yesterday:
 When MT. Gage and I met preached the subject of the appoint ment of a Police Commissioner for San Francisco for the purpose of learning what action he intended to take regard ing the reappointment of Mir. Gunst. l was desirous of preventing him making
 
 Markham when he appointed Gunst and which resulted in the holding of mass meetings in this city at which promi nent citizens denounced the appoint ment as a disgrace put upon the city.
 MT. Gage evaded the point and de- clared that he had not yet given the matter serious consideration. I then told him that I wished him to appoint he to the position. I did this for no other reason than desire to force him to say, if such had been the case, that he could not do so because he had al- ready promised the place to MT. Gunst. Instead of doing this he asked me why I did not seek the appointment at the hands of Governor Budd. I replied that being a Republican I would not seek an appointment at the hands of q Democratic Governor.
 "Mr. Gage then said that he felt him. self to be under heavy obligations to me, but that he would be forced to live up to a rule he had adopted of declin- ing to make any promises in advance of his inauguration. I saw that noth- ipor 1uor,Id iDdi1oa him fo diccIoca t.to