The San Francisco call., 1898-02-23
HOT BATTLE
 OF BALLOTS Mercantile Library Elec- ton Is Set for
 TO-MOrrOW.
Lively Times Expected Through the Agency of an OppO-
 SitiOn Ticket.
A Vigorous and Spicy Campaign Document Issued by the
 Opposing Hosts. ss

It Is evident that the peculiar variety of time widely advertised for "the old town tonight is in store for those who are to participate in the special election to be held tomorrow for the selection of officers for the Mercan- tile Library.
 Owing to several palpably irregular features in the annual election recent ly held the board of trustees has de- clared that election null and void and has ordered a special election on the day mentioned.
 The polls will be open from a. m. until p. m. and from until p. m.
 Besides the regular ticket, com posed principally of officers seeking re- election, there is a very lively "oppo- sition" ticket in the field, and this Is the element which promises to supply the vinegar and spice for the cam paign. The opposition" ticket is con- posed as follows: President, Edward E. Perley; vice president, Charles G. Hooker; treasurer, T. R. Zimmerman; recording secretary Captain E. Dan iel; corresponding secretary, Miss Frances Hodgkinson; trustees-James Wightman, Alfred Bouvier, Julius Kahn, A. E. Kellogg, George H. Ca baniss. William Himmelsbach, F. F; Deering, Miss Agnes M. Manning and Miss Rose c. Gallagher.
 The opposition" forces have issued, for the consideration of the library members, an appeal for the support of their ticket, which is rather spicy. Ali ter animadverting upon the negligence and ignorance of the old board of trus- tees, as indicated by the mismanage- ment of the election, which was no election, the document states:
 The committee of members, in renomin- ating a ticket for the coming electlon hereby reiterateS it's arguments against the reinstatement to office of certain members of the present board now candl- dates for vindication and reelection. The continued absence of the recording secre- tary and others, the unfortunate absence of the president at klondike TOT four months, the recent misapproprlatlon or nearly 5000 by the ex-librarian ana US total loss by reason of the boards neg lect to renew his bond; the selling Of H. brary property for s7500, bought few days afterward by the Standard Oil Com pany for s15,O00 in spite. of the alleged de fective title; the unpaid bills for books, papers, coal. gas and consequent impair ment of the library's credit; the fact that the very minutes of the boards S meetings have been kept on scrap paper, read and approved in punches of three meetings at a time and at long intervals inscribed Tn the minute book, tell the tale of negli- gence and mismanagement.
 Continuing. the appeal pays a flat tering tribute to the personnel of the opposition" ticket and makes very specific promises of a business-like ad- ministration of the library's affairs in the event of that tickets election, sum- ming up thus
 The opposition ticket is a protest against the past mismanagement of our splendid library. Its members are not prompted by motives of personal animosity nor self interest. It places no blame upon those members of the board who have striven to do their duty under adverse circum- stances. It is an honest attempt to infuse new life into our organization-to elect of ficers pledged to the performance of their duty to the library and to the mainten- ance and upholding of its credit and finan cial honor