The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-10-01
NoN-PARTISAN EMBARRASSMENT.

~ EACON FITCH'S on-Partisans have been
] placed in very embarrassing position by the
- excellent platform adopted and the strong can
ddates nominated by the Republican convention.
Mr. Fitch is himself Republican, and like most men
who believe in he principles OF that party he prefers
Republicans to Democrats IN Office. lhat is TO say
all things being equal Deacon Fitch would prefer,
from non-partisan standpoint, to indorse good Re-
publicans AS two-thirds Of the members OF the
Non Partisan convention are Republicans, and as
four-ffths of the vote marshaled by the party on
election day is Republican, may say that the SEN
timent we have attributed to Mr.. Fitch is shared
generally by his party.
The pledges adopted by the Republican convention
are the counterpart OF those formulated III PAST years
by the Non-Partisans Some OF the Republican can
didaes have long been recognized as the special ia
vortes of that party In short, the Republican plat
form and the Republican ticket is all that the most
ardent NonPartisan could desire, provided his feel
ngs and sentiments Republican. Even Deacon
Fitch, the most uncompromising OF local CiVle ie-
formers. cannot deny this.
We have said that the action of the Republican
convention has placed the Non-Partisans in an EN-
barrassinq position This statement requires expla-
nation For long time Mayor Phelan has been
connubiating with Deacon Fitchs party with view
TO making it an addendum to his machine ne re-
suit of his work is found in the fact that the Non
Partisans did not await the action Of any convention
as 70 Mavor but renominated Phelan before he
had been named by his convention In other
words the Nom artisans declared that no man IN
San Francisco was fit TO be Mayor except MI
Phelan, and that as to him they would tolerate no
rivalry They declined even to await the result OF
search by the Republicans
The only thing necessary after this to establish the
fact that Mavor Phean was doing business with the
No1-Partisans on Democratic basis would have
been the prompt Endorsement OF all the other Demo
Gratis named by that gentleman for office Why this
was not done does not appear. Probably the Re
publican Non Partisans thought delay would better
subserve their purpose. Undoubtedly Phelan con-
sented to pestponement the theory that the Re-
pubcans would adopt bad platform ana nominate
a weak or machine ticket. Had this been done the
contrast between Mayor Phelan's honest candidates
and those OF the opposing party would have been
sufficiently striking to have justified the Non
Pa.tisans in becoming a tail to the Mayors kite
But Mr. Phelan doubtless percelves his mis-
take The Republicans have completely demolished
his campaign of buncombe and tap-doodle. Ihelr
platform is as good as his and their candidates are
stronger and better. What will the Non-Partisans
now do? They cannot indorse Pheans ticket
without losing their claim to the title OF ndepen-
dents and they cannot ndorse the Republican ticket
without breaking faith with the Mayor. In short the
Non Parsans are in what is known in local politics
as "hole" If the Phelan programme is carried out
not only will split result in the convention, but the
respect now entertained by the public for the Non
Partisans will be succeeded by disgust and contempt
It has often been said that the Deacon Fitch party
was designed to aid the aspirations of Democratic
ofice-seekers, and that the Republicans in 1t were
used 70 perfect the scheme Whether this is true or
not will be ascertained during the next few days.