The San Francisco call., 1898-10-26
POLL TAX AS AN ISSUE IN
 THE CAMP A|GN
A Collector T alkS of
 His Experience.
Oakland Office San Francisco Call,

Oakland Office San Francisco Call,
 sos Broadway, Oct. %. The poll tax has been brought into the present campaign by the independent can- didate for the Assembly, William J. Schmidt who pledges himself to intro duce a bill into the Legislature to stop the collection of poll tax. There Is not much chance for MT. Schmidt's election. as the Republican nominee, A. A. Me Keon is making a winning fight, but the poll tax matter is receiving much atten- tion.
 John A. Foster, who has made a record on a poll tax collector, published the fol- lowing statement this evening:
 Having read with a great deal of attention and interest the different articles published on the poll tax question, and noting that core spondents either unable or unwilling to give the real reason why the tax is so un- popular, thought l would give my experience was appointed by Henry Dalton as poll tax collector in March, 1894, told him If he o other or ms @ if he apponted me l would know neither friend nor foe In the di duty.' yi@H A--'' OAe '-@' "''' OO HID "-O'e I started in to collect the tax. I found that a man, refused to pay. They stated to that they had always been exempt and did not pro the salaries of the officials of the Police, Fire and Street departments in the city, Judge
  cials and finally brought them all to time
 That is one reason why the tax is so unjust digger be forced to pay and the high-salaried official go free? One president of a bank in seize the furniture of the bank for his poll tax An ex-Judge of this county, who sat on the bench many years informed me that he in all the years he had been in Oakland. I doubt very much whether you could find me chanic or laboring man in this city who would say the same.
 believe that If the tax was collected fairly from every man who able to pay. without respect to his position in society his political affiliations you would hear very little com plaint against the tax. The object of the tax is a good one as it goes to the maintenance of our public schools, less of course, the 15 per cent commission for collecting. And let me say right here, the abuse the poll tax col lector receives Is such that would not ac cept the position again for twice the salary Is enforced in nearly every county in this State, Is made to pay it. JOHN A. FOSTER
 1924 Hilbert street. There is some dissatisfaction over the manner in which the party designations of the different candidates appear on the official ballot. In each instance the fu- sionists are first classified as Peoples party" then ''Democrats' and so on. The Democrats have made some objection to this and claim that their party name should take precedence. This view of the matter does not suit the Populists. who do not see why they are not as deserving of prominence as the Democrats. delega- tion of candidates visited the County Clerks office and asked to have the or der changed, and 1t Is possible that the alphabetical rule will prevail.
 This evening there was a united rally of the Young Mems Republican Club and the regular Seventh Ward Republican Club at Castle Hall. The attendance was very large
 Ex-Assemblyman Bretz is constantly in receipt of letters from all parts of the State stating that the straight Populists intend to vote for Gage as by killing the fusion candidates off the foundation for