The San Francisco call., 1898-08-18
lCTIONS ARE STILL FIGHTING

at and perhaps he did not receive so marked attention. There was a China man in San Francisco who shot his uncle few months ago, and who ex plained when asked: Why. he too muchee talkee." l am sorry they hanged that Chinaman. He ought to have been at the convention to-day.
 Governor Budd made a fair presid- ing officer, and did much to relieve the tedium of the creeping hours. He might have refrained from making an address after the permanent chairman had assumed the gavel, for people were tired and hungry. Budd had already declared that he would not be a candi- date for any office, and as to what he had accomplished while in office there was nothing to be told Besides. Per manent Chairman Cassin had just made a speech, which l do not suppose was of his own composition, and which might have been omitted without seri- ous loss. Cassin is not a man of line presence. His voice was never intend ed to charm, his enunciation IS bad and I do not see why he was chosen unless because of the opposition of the FIX aminer, which is of course equal to an indorsement from decency. McNaD wanted Dockweiler as permanent chairman, and was overruled. He did not want Cassin, and was oVerruled again. I suppose that CasSin was part of a programme as thoroughly prepared in advance as that which de- feated the Harney wing. Doubtless a little time will show why's and where flores. Cassin was ready for business the moment the committee had report ed in his favor, and drew from his pocket a list of the committees he was to name. He had thoughtfully been saved the trouble of making out the lists himself, and really did not seek to know whom he had selected until he had consulted the memoranda. had always supposed that permanent chairman had the privilege of choosing committees, instead of merely naming with no more personal judgment than manifest in the utterances of a phono- graph. In the smoothness with which this matter glided along there was touch of genuine purity-Los Angeles brand.
 I venture the prediction that the Democratic ticket will be buried, deep; that not man whose name may be upon 1t will come near to election, and that Mcguire will go down to defeat with the rest. The Democrats act as those without hope. They do not view the coming contest with an appearance of interest. They are too apathetic to quarrel save in sullen, glowering way, and though a few epithets are banded among them the assailed are too dazed to resent. The party is hampered by the exposure of its own methods and it has been hypnotized by the sword-swallowing Populists.
 To-day, as yesterday, there were ladies present and they stayed through to the bitter end. On behalf of suf- ferers who stayed because they had to l desire to thank them again It puzzles me that they should consent to martyrdoin. Perhaps the committee of citizens furnish them as part of the decorations.
 At the evening session the first cir constance to become prominent was that Chairman Cassin is incompetent. He could not hold a turbulent crowd in check. He is not well informed as to parliamentary usageS,, and unless the person whose duty it is to pull the strings shall keep constantly on duty, Cassin will get the convention in a tan gle. Once in a tangle he could not straighten 1t out in a thousand years
 The second circumstance thrusting it. self upon attention was that the fusion plan is not being nurtured in the Demo- cratic breast with anything approach ing affection. In fact, few short, snappy speeches were made indicating plainly that the fusionists are to have a rocky road to travel. The idea of Democrats seems to be that they would rather be licked as Democrats than as partners of the Populists, so long as they must be licked.
 There was considerable fun. a pleas ing change from the days solemnity One gentleman with megaphOne vocal equipment set the banners futtering, and another with all the forceful vol ume of cracked piccolo, squeaked and piped till a wave of laughter engulfed him. Nobody cared what either was talking about
 Delegates yelled for recognition and the chairman said "All right, go ahead" Then the member went ahead until somebody who could outyell him cut him off.
 Rogers of Los Angeles was numer- ous He seemed to suffer from chronic state of dissatisfaction with the fact that San Francisco exists and was apparently near the point of moving to wipe it from the earth. thereby render ing a number of return tickets value less. I am glad he did not go to this extreme.
 The interesting theme of the evening was the discussion of proxies Frank Gould pleaded for the return of the proxy system. and after all the whole matter was laid on the table. Some of the members did not think so, but the chairman did.
 Just before this vote a gentleman having been duly recognized ascended the platform when clamor for the putting of the question sent him back to his seat. It was objectionable rude
 ADvERTIs