The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-10-25
German Central Club
Opens It's Fight.
SPEAKERS WITH GRIEVANCES
ALL PREPARED TO MAKE AND
ANSWER CHARGES.
Mcguire Tells of His Relation With
His Party and Says Its None
Of His Opponents
Business.

The personnel of the Republican
ticket and the motives which prompted
the various candidates to seek the sup
port of the voters of California were
construed, or rather misconstrued, &C
cording to Democratic ideas at Metro
politan Temple last evening. The meet
ing was the first big rally of the Ger
man Democratic Central Club. Many
speakers were enlisted to "enlighten"
the gathering, the enlightenment con-
sisting of lauding Democratic candi-
dates, grilling Republican candidates,
apologizing for Democratic shortcom-
ings and venting latent spleen upon the
head of the corporations.
NJ. Greenblatt, proprietor Of Ger
man paper, was the first to speak. He
concentrated his energies in the deliv-
cry of an anti-railroad speech, occa-
sionally giving vent to the contempt IN
which he held Republican newspapers,
and concluded with an efferVescent
sentence or two on the mulutudlnouS
virtues of Democracy. DR.. Max Mag
nus followed Mr. Greenblatt in a speech
in his native tongue. This pleased the
German contingent Immensely, put the
American more, as the effort was re-
freshing variation. Chris Runckel,
Democratic candidate for Superintend-
ent of Schools, H. P. Andrews, candl-
date for Attorney General, and Frank
H. Gould followed as named. MT.
Gould spoke at length on the motive
responsible for the interference OF the
Southern Pacific in politics..
The office of Governor is one OF vast
Importance" he said, and for many
reasons the railroad has an object in
view when it enters the fight to I'LL
that office. In event the Legislature
enacted provisions beneficial to that
giant monopoly it is needful to nave
one in that chair that will assist the
measure; if the enactment Is 1nlm1cal
to the interests of the railroad it is
necessary that one should be there
willing to place a veto on any such
measure. The distribution of a patron
age that pays in salaries each year, as
near as l can estimate, the round sum
of 81 000, 600 also falls to the lot of the
Governor and the distribution of that
patronage might assist one who so de-
sired to pay his debtS-his political
debts.
1T is known that no corporation
could get behind James G.. Mcguire, and
therefore the people should gather to
his support The Railroad Commission
and the State Board of Equalization
are offices that require men likewise
willing to see that justice is given the
people as we'll as the railroad. The
be questioned as to their integrity and
they stand upon this most important
issue"
E. L. Fitzgerald, Democratic candi-
date for Public Administrator, next
took the platform and endeavored to
explain how easy it is to be on two
great registers at the same time. He
then retired and was not again in evil
dence Finlay Cook, candidate for Po-
lice Judge then explained that he had
no desire to drag any of the gathering
to the Police Court, but asked the gath
ering to assist in pushing him into
office r. P. Doolan, nominee for Super
intendent of Streets, made brief ad-
dress, brief through the fact that just
as he was becoming enthusiastic Mayor
Phelan and James G.. Mcguire entered
the hall, and the cheers and enthusiasm
that greeted them drowned the
speakers voice.
Three cheers for the standard
bearers Of the State and municipal
tickets" was shouted from the gallery.
Phelan and Mcguire bowed their recog-
milton of the cordial reception rendered
them. Mayor Phelan spoke first. There
is much in common between the State
and municipal tickets" he said, and
when the support of the people is given
one it will not neglect the other" The
speaker then explained a few conditions
he chose to consider issues and then
branched, taking issue to statements
that have been made, picturing Ma
guire as antagonistic to property inter-
ests. He then drifted to the railroad
question, referring to it as the gigan-
tic conspiracy of the railroad" In
view of this conspiracy the people
should be willing to trust the highest
public office in the gift of the people to
the hands of James G.. Mcguire.
I'VE all know his record, and that is
a sufficient guarantee that he will not
betray the trust imposed upon him.
Gage has no public record, and the peo-
pie do not know how he stands upon
questions of vital Importance.
A few more remarks and Mr.. Phelan
gave way to Chairman DR.. Max Mag
nus. who introduced the standard
bearer Of Democracy. When the last
cheer had died away Mr.. Mcguire said:
II am pleased to meet such splendid
gathering and to receive such a hearty
welcome. | am pleased to see that you
all feel a deep interest in the issues of
this campaign and realize their great
Importance. Being hoarse from con-
continued speaking 1 will not speak on
the issues of the campaign but rather
choose to reply to those who devote
more of their time to me than to the
current issues.
"To my mind the issues of the cam
paign involve matters of greater i'm
portance than men, but 1t seems that
others hold different view. / am both
surprised and fiattered to find that my
opponents think 1 am more important
! than the issues They tell the people
that they are afraid that I have not
been consistent Democrat. l have
paid but little attention to these re-
marks, but now / will state that I con-
slider it none of their business. My re-
lations with nv party are between my
party and myself, and I care to take
no advice from Gage or Barnes. They
I know nothing about Democracy. Now
as to my relations With the Democratic
party.
I'm 1875, when I entered public life, I
was nominated as a candidate for the
Legislature and was elected. In 1882 I
was nominated in the regular Demo-
cratic convention for Judge of the Su-
perior Court and was elected In 1892
1884 and 1896 / attended Congress as a
regularly elected Democrat, and in 1898
I seek the office of Governor. I have
been Endorsed, it is true. but have never
been elected to any office except to