The San Francisco call., 1898-08-18
FUSION IS NOT YET ASSURED

As chairman of your committee on credentials l beg to report:
 That, according to the statements of the representatives of the two sets of delegates applying for seats m this con- vention, a deplorable condition of sf- fairs has existed and still exists in the Democratic party in the city and county only the interests of the party in that city, but of the entire State
 That such a condition calls for prompt and effective action in the interests of good party organization, which was ex- ercised by the State Central Committee by the appointment of a committee of one hundred to appoint delegates to this State convention from the city and county of San Francisco. That the open primary Is basis of our party organization and in keeping with the true spirit of Democracy; that while I ratify the action of the State Central Committee in this instance in exercls- ing a duty which the contendlng fac tions of the party in San Francisco themselves forced upon said committee and am therefore In accord with the Ir1a- jority report of this committee or ere dentials, I nevertheless would suggest that 1t be the sense Of th1s conVentlon that the committee of one hundred ap- pointed by the State Central Committee be advised and directed to call open primaries to elect delegates to the coin- ing municipal convention to De heIu III San Francisco, that each factlon or tne party in said city have representative upon the board of precinct officers at said primaries and that the delegates or that municipal convention elect coun- ty committee to act in all matters aP- pertaining to the affairs of the Demo- cratic party in the city and county or
 F. A. CUTLER,
 Chairman Committee on Credentials.
 The minority report was then handed in by w M Gibson, who was request ed to read It. It Is as follows:
 We, the undersigned members or vour committee on credentials, beg leave to submit the following report:
 After a patient hearing of the ques- tions presented to us while sitting as respectfully announce that we have reached the following conclusions, viz: first:
 That the temporary roll of the con vention be made the permanent one, with the exception of the delegation from San Francisco.
 Second, That the San Francisco or ganization of which organization Ma jor F. J. Harney is chairman, Is the regular organization of the Democratic party of San Francisco. and is the same organization whose delegates were seat ed in the Democratic State Convention of 1896, and its delegates are entitled TO seats in this convention to the exclu- sion of the representatives Of the so- called Committee of One Hundred now on the temporary roll of the conven- tion for the following reasons:
 Taking up the consideration of the question at the time when the sub-com- nittee of nine of the State Central Committee cited the representatives of both organizations to appear before them for the purpose of endeaVor1ng to bring about an adjustment of the then existing differences, we find that the general committee had not con- ferred authority on any person to sub- init on it's behalf any question concern ing it's existence to the State Central committee thereof. as an arbitrator; and that 1t did not submit to a subcommittee Of the State Central Committee the right to abolish it and create new committee or their own.
 In our judgment the subcommittee of the State Central Committee exceeded its authority in resolving the San Fran cisco general committee out ot exist ence.
 While we admit the authority of the State Central Committee to interpose it's good offices for the purpose of bring ing about adjustment of disputes among Democrats, we respectfully submit that such interpretation should always be exercised in accordance with the time-honored Democratic usage of per mftting the Democratic voters to ex- press their will by means of primaries, and we believe that in the matter now submitted to us the Democratic State Central Committee, through it's sub committee, exceeded its jurisdiction ana arrogated to itself autocratic powers.
 We believe IL WOulu De Q0StIu OI Democratic organization and reversal of the respected doctrines and methods of the party to permit the State Gen. tral Committee to appoint county committee for the purpose of appoint ing delegates to conventions. Such course is tantamount to naming the can- didates. and performing all other party functions without permitting the voters of the party any voice in party manage ment.
 We find that the following was the method pursued by the Committee of One Hundred in the selection of dele gates to the State convention. Each member of the Committee of One Hun dred was allowed absolutely to appoint one delegate to the State convention, making loo in all, and the remaining fifty-four delegates were appointed by the vote of the same Committee of One Hundred, and called delegates at large.
 This method is not calculated to bring out the Democratic vote on election day, and is neither Democratic nor just.
 We find that in the composition of the Committee of One Hundred, seventy three of its members were selected from the nine Republican Assembly districts of San Francisco and only twenty-seven were selected from the nine Democratic Assembly districts, and We further find that in forming the Committee of One Hundred the subcommittee of nine of the State Central Committee selected