The herald., 1898-03-14

else will be sacrificed to their advantage.
This is the order that has gone forth, and
William F. Herrin is manipulating accord
ingly in the political dark corners and by
ways of the Republican party.
1t is a generally accepted political fact
that the people and politicians of the south
ern part of the state demand the success
sor to Stephen M. White in the United
States senate This demand is made for a
double reason. The Santa Monica and
San Pedro controversy is still an import
ant living issue. over which the southern
part of the state and the Southern Pacific
have locked horns. In the second place. a
southern senator is demanded for geo.
graphical reasons. Senator Perkins Is
practically a northern man, and an equit-
able division of the spoils would suggest
a southern man as his associate.
This is just what the Southern Pacific
does not want. The great corporation
knows that 1t would be political death for
southern United States senator to sup
port it's cause in reference to Santa Moni-
ca. However serviceable a southern sena-
tor might wish to be, he would not dare
to fly in the face of an almost unanimous
public opinion.
For that reason Mr. Herrin has been in
structed to so manipulate matters that
just distribution of political honors will
force the southern part of the state to ac-
cept the gubernatorial prize and give the
senatorial plum to the north. This is the
reason why Herrin is active so early. 1t is
said that he has made several powerful
combinations with southern BOSSES and
there is not the slightest doubt that in the
last week he has used an opening wedge
into the Republican organization of this
city.
When Herrin began his work in this di
rection he found that the claims of two
southern men were being vigorously adj
vanced for the position of United States
senator. The first and more powerful Of
these is Henry T. Gage, who occupies the
eviable position of not deliberately seek
ing the honor with which his name has
been associated. Henry I. Gage of Los
Angeles is one of the ablest and most prom
inent lawyers of the state, If his reputation
is any indication of his ability. He is a
close personal friend of United States Sem
ator White, and has been associated with
White in the conduct of many cases. While
they have never been professional partners,
they have enjoyed a close personal and
business relationship.
Many of the legal victories won by Gage
were at the expense of the Southern Pacific
company. In the famous overlapping At
lantic and Pacific railway grant suits, in
stituted by the United States against the
Southern Pacific, Henry T. Gage was one
of the consulting attorneys for the federal
ernment and rendered very material aid in
the prosecution of the cases. The Southern
Pacific company lost, and hundreds of
thousands of acres were returned to the
United States government. Under the cir
cumstances, the love of the Southern Pa
cific for Mr.. Gage could not be expected to
be particularly demonstrative. In the bril-
liant scheme of Mr.. Herrin, however Mr..
Gage Is the only logical candidate of the
railroad for the Republican nomination for
governor of California. The Southern Pa
cific would rather have Mr.. Gage in the
gubernatorial chair than in the United
States senate. 1t is a choice of two evils, as
the prominence of Gage cannot seriously
be overlooked. Gage has also given public
| expression to the Southern Pacific heresy
that corporations establish a boycott on the
individual. So violent an opinion has GER
tainly placed Mr.. Gage on the blacklist of
the railroad, but, as the advocacy of his
name is persistent, he will be thrust for
ward as the leading candidate for governor.
| If Herrin succeeds in this part of his plot,
the United States senator must come from
| the north. 1t would be absurd for the
| southern part of California to claim both
honors, and, as a matter of political JUS
| tice to the rest of the state, the southern
| ers could not be given both prizes. 1t is in
the Republican state convention, there
fore, that Herrin must fight his battle
If the railroad were to follow it's own
dictates in this campaign, 1t is said, the
nomination for governor would be giver
to Bulla. This nomination would be in har.
mony with the scheme to take the sena
torial prize away from the south; but the
corporation is forced to recognize the is
sue created by Cages popularity and prom
inence. For the present, at least, Bulla
must remain far in the background. Al
present it looks as if Gage was the first
choice of the railroad for governor.