The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-11-12
A DEAD SIDESHOW.

| u MONG the political frauds swept away by
( I Tuesdays election was Deacon Fitch's Non
Partisan party. This hoary old delus1on
has for years been the bette noir of the Republican
party OF this State. Processing reform and disclalm-
ing all knowledge OF practical politics. its moral IN
fuence among small number of thoughtless people
has been considerable. 1t has been able on occa-
sions, by indorsing regular nominees, to change a
few votes and thus aid in the election Of official
here and there But this influence has generally been
exerted in behalf of Democrats. Seldom have the
Non-Partisans attempted to promote Republican sue
cess notwithstanding their convention and
made up almost entirely of members of that party.
1t is gratifying to note that at last this Democratic
sideshow has overreached itself and come to grief.
Heretofore Mr.. Fitchs convention in doing" Demo
cratic politics has been extremely conservative 1t
has confined its efforts to indorsing weak Republicans
and strong Democrats, and in this way has concealed
from the public its character as reform body
But this year, believing he had cinch the people
which could not be broken, Deacon Fitch flung his
banner as Democratic sideshow boldly to the breeze
and Endorsed substantially the entire Phelan ticket.
The effect the public is shown by the returns.
With few exceptions every nominee Endorsed by the
Non-P artisans has been defeated by overwhelming
majority.
Moreover in the cases in which Endorsed candidates
have been elected their may be discovered in
influences entirely divorced from Non-P artisanism.
For instance, Asa R. Wells, chosen Auditor, was
elected in consequence of the weakness and bad
character of his opponent. F. K Lane, chosen City
Attorney, was elected because his opponent bore the
name of Fitzgerald and thousands of Republicans
thought he the unpopular Commissioner of
Labor, candidate for Public Administrator the
Democratic ticket SO with the others. Lackmann
and Heyer two of the Supervisors Endorsed by Non
Partisans, would have been elected anyhow. Deacon
Fitch Endorsed them only because he knew oppos-
ton would be useless.
Almost without exception every other candidate
nominated has been overwhelmingly defeated Mr.
Fitchs favorite for Sheriff 5000 votes behind his
opponent; his nominee for County Clerk is beaten
by 7ooo his District Attorney-an especial pets
laid out by 1000 majority; his Superintendent Of
Schools, another pet is beaten by a plurality OF
Icooo his candidate for Assessor has lost by nearly
5000. Not single Police Judge or Justice of the
Peace indorsed by the Non-Partisan Convention
has been elected while nearly all the Supervisors and
School Directors who received its favor have been
sent to the political boneyard An especially active
fight made by the Non-Partisans against Sur
veyor Tilton He wins by 5000 majority.
For long time the Republicans of this city have
had Non-P Partisan sincerity under surveillance The
methods adopted by Deacon Fitch which founded
upon gratuitous assumption of political purity were
never entirely free from suspicion of Democratic
ob-chasng But when the Non-Partisans went in with
Phean openly Endorsed his entire ticket copied his
platform and repudiated the best set of Republican
candidates presented to the people of this city
an expose followed which has resulted in the COM
plete destruction of the Democratic sideshow.
1t is good thing that non-partisanism as practcea
here is dead. 1t always was a fraud.