The San Francisco call., 1898-08-15
THE FARCE OF THE WEEK.

H1LE the peace negotiations between the | \N| United States and Spain will constitute the
 serious business of the drama Of the week, and rumors of war between Great Britain and Russia will furnish the gloom and intensity of menacing tragedy the gathering of the Democratic clans, tribes and factions at Sacramento will provide an entertaining farce for those who like hilary and do not object to noise.
 Although the gathering is to be made up of Demo crats it is not certain whether the assembly will turn out to be Democratic convention Populist rati- icaton meeting The issue is not one of importance, and the result either way will seriously affect the commonwealth or the changes of the moon but the proceedings will nevertheless be worth watching. When the Popusts set their Mcguire trap for the Democrats they baited it with the office ot State Treasurer Everything else they took for themselves, but they left that position with its control of the State money as a temptation for those they were alter. It is now to be seen whether the crowd at Sacramento will grab for the treasury and be content will set up full ticket and demand everything in sight
 It is not likely there will be much of fight though there will surely be plenty of noise The racket ot the cats in Mr. Foote's back yard which has disturbed him of late will be nothing to the racket which will be raised at Sacramento and Billy willdoubtess wear deeper scowl this week than Henry did when 1t was announced to him last week that he IS morally and probably legally responsible for some 400 cats Green street.
 There Is breed of apes known as the "howlers," ;" from whom Democrats differ only by slight degrees of development, the process of evolution having not yet gone far enough to wholly separate the primeva relations between them The howlers, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica, the most bulky of American apes and are those whose muzzles most projecting They are stupid animals, but have derfu power of voice Some of the species, it is added are brilliantly streaked with red and yellow.
 It is in habit rather than in outward form and show however that the relation of howlers to Demo crats is most clearly seen In each tribe of the species there IS always leader. Whenever he howls all the others hasten to gather around him, and each one grabbing anothers tail begins to howl also, that in a short time after the leader has given the signal the chorus beats cat chorus out of hearing.
 The grabbing of tails has of course good deal to do with the raising of the chorus. It is formal ceremony merely It will be readily understood that if tail be rightly twisted the accompanying howl will be much increased in tension At Sacramento, for example if some Foote or Harney howler be in position to catch the Mcguire fellow by the tail about the time he is going to raise his voice it may be accounted as certain the resulting screech will raise the keynote of the campaign so high the Iro quos Club will have to climb another to get half way up and the Examiner won't be able to reach it even with siren.
 Altogether there is going to be fan at Sacramento, with noise enough to take the edge of the rumors of war in the Orient. Read The Call and get the news of all the proceedings