The San Francisco call., 1898-12-19
0AKLAND'S POLITICAL CHAOS
MUNICIPAL LEAGUE roo FOND
 OF CLOSED DOORS.
Republican Party Quite Able to Give an Honest Administration if It Be Not Split by
 Ambition.
Oakland Office San Francisco Call,


 Within the next two weeks the Repub- licans of this city will have to decide whether the municipal convention shall he composed of appointed delegates or whether each member of the party shall be given an opportunity to vote for such representation as he desires. The matter is now being freely debated, and men prominent in the party have been found earnestly advocating either or these methods. The last appointed Republican convention was an unmitigated failure, and no one conversant with the municipal history of the past two years needs to be told anything more about the present administration. It matter not now whether the water companies or few ambitious individuals created the last Re publican city convention. As many peo- pie believe that 1t was the child of cor ruption as there are others who unhesi- tatingly declare it was conceived III Nlr- tue and good faith.
 It is the next convention in which this city is now interested For a few months the old manipulators of politics have been sleeping, and just now there is feeling of distrust, which has been increased by the sudden activity shown by the Munl- Cipal League. which, as at present conSu- tuted. may be considered as an onshoot of the Republican party, having lew specific purposes to fulfill. The Municipal League is to large extent composed or that wing of the Republican party who favor the appointment of delegates to the city convention. This main principle is surrounded by d few others of subOr- dinate interest, inasmuch as they all de- pend upon the men nominated at the con VentiOn, but there is no doubt the chief aim Is to have men in the convention who will not do certain things rather than have men pledged to certain propositions. 1t is stated that the league will have no men In its convention who are in any way pledged, and that it will not pledge any of its candidates for office. This of course, is an impossibility, because it is we'll known that of necessity both the convention and the candidates must be pledged to something or there would be no earthly reason for their being in spe- cial politics.
 The purpose of the league is to secure good government and also the carrying out of needed improvements. This is very proper There is. however, no ar gument yet put forth to show that these same Republican wishers of good govern ment and improvement could not carry out their purposes inside of the party to which, they belong. If they be strong enough to carry out their platform in- dependently, they are certainly strong enough to carry out a double purpose. viz. their plan of good government and the purlfication of the Republican party, which they declare is badly needed.
 There is, however, a very apparent req son for the activity shown at this time by the Municipal League. It is simply this: That there are two sets of men anxious for office. and as they fear they cannot agree on any joint line of action, if they come together. they must each go Il alone. An analysis of the personnel of the leadership of the League and the Re publican party proper bears out this idea. The leaders of the League are Giles II. Gray, an Old-time Republican. who is even now filling a seat as School Di- rector. being elected on the Republican ticket two years ago; John F. TOwle. d Councilman with a good record, who two years ago was a candidate before the Re publican convention for Mayor; J. w. Nelson. q stanch Republican; Cary Howard. Republican; Frank Mott. and many other gentlemen whose Republican, ism is well known. There are just few who are not Republicans, and Colonel Lyons. who was elected to minor office last week is one of these, although it is even whispered that the Colonel is back in the ranks.
 The League is pledged or rather, it's practice provides for the appointment of ally draws toward it that wing of the Republican party favoring appointment. and also many candidates who would naturally desire the support of the League.
 On the other hand the recognized lead CTS of the party proper are mostly in favor of the Republican plan of the elec- tion of a convention at primaries. At the head of these are w. R. Davis, Arthur II. Breed, president of the Republican County Central Committee, and most of the old-time Republicans. These men re- fer to the recent experience of the San Francisco Democracy with it's appointed tached to the work of the Committee of One Hundred that the downfall of ;ts nominees was very pronounced There is San no Franesco neea foTeTen foT an ex ample of the pernicious effect of ap- pointing conventions. Oakland had one two years ago and the result needs nc reference at this time.
 One little incident that occurred at the last city election shows clearly how i'm perative it Is that there should not be a single flaw in the nominees of a success 3ul ticket. At the convention called by the Committee of Twenty-one, F. M. Par cells secured the nomination for Council man from the Fifth Ward. The incumbent was Dr. ". O. Buckland, honest off cial who should certainly nave been re- nominated. He was turned down by the appointed delegates. not being wanted although there is little doubt that he would have won at a primary. He de cided not to be thrust aside through the whim of delegates named by three men ol possibly less, so he made an independent campaign. and between his vote and the vote of Parcells. a Democrat, Aaron Fl. bush was elected in a district strongly Republican. This evil effect of appoint ing delegates Is directly responsible fol the existence of the solid six and all it: malodorous history in the City Council For reasons known to himself, but whict the water combine could easily explain Councilman Fibush resigned. Mayor Thomas then appointed Major Woodward The Major made the sixth member of thu '''soIid six" and that is the reason why il connection with his marvellous eruditioT in drawing up water rate schedules h, has been regarded as the author of all tn unpleasantness of the past year. Had tn logical candidate from the Fifth Ward Dr. Buckland been nominated, he would have been elected and the scandals of tn present administration would not hay, been possible, for Oakland can feel per fectly safe with six such men in her Cit, Council as Buckland, Cuvellier, Girard Pringle, Row and Upton. The turning down of Buckland was not altogether al accident; it was rather clever part o a clever scheme, put up by the wate combine and successfully carried out, ant would hardly have been carried out il any other than an appointed convention.
 The lessons to be learned from the scan dals of the past two years would seem t be that secrecy in the early stages of political campaign is not desirable. Thi remark applies at this time as forcibly t the Municipal League as 1t did two year