The San Francisco call., 1898-05-05
Termed Them CalloW Youths and Now Wants to Com
 mand Them.
FAT BAIT FOR FRANK C00MBS
Some Inside Facts That May Prove to Be of Interest to Some
 Local Politicians.

War and its attributes are playing sad havoc with the plans of some of the aspiring politicians of California To be a talking politician in times of peace is one thing, but for a lolitician to talk in war times, when the passions of the people are inf1amed and every thing is made subservient to the spirit of patriotism, is quite another.
 The latest victim of his own tongue is Congressman Mcguire. That worthy and voluble statesman has been talking out loud," and, unfortunately for him and his political aspirations, his words have not been such i-s to merit the commendation of goodAmer- jeans. He has called the American seamen pirates and has, by inference, said that the brothers in arms with the brave fellows who followed Commo- dore Dewey to victory in the bay of Manila should one and all be strung up to the yardarms of their ships for acts that found approval in the hearts of every American worthy of the name. Here is what the man who aspires to be the war Governor of California has to say on the subject.
 The question before the House was a declaration of war against Spain, to date from April 21, when that mon archy unceremoniously dismissed from her shores General Woodford, the American Minister, and refused to communicate with the United States.
 T consider the seizure of the Buena Ventura and other seizures on the part of the United States as nothing more than piracy"
 If it be piracy to inf1ict injury on an enemy that has already declared war, then there are some hundreds of thou sands of California freebooterS who are ready and willing to sail under the black flag with Captain Sampson and Commodore Dewey and the other brave defenders of the national honor.
 At any rate, when the talkative Con- gressman comes home to make his can Vass for the office of Governor of the State that is sending some thousands of her sons to fight for honor and lib- erty on the pestilential shores of strick- en Cuba, he will have to do the tallest kind of talking to make the people be- lieve that he is the brand of statesman that is needed to administer the affairs of state.
 There is still another gentleman who believes himself to be high in the politi- cal Counsels of the State who is at this moment suffering the bricks of his own nimble tongue. He is Colonel Harrison Gray Otis, warrior, editor and states man. A few days ago, from his supe- riGr position as veteran of the Civil War. he poked fun at the National Guard of California. He called them ''callow youths, and in his superior wisdom ridiculed the idea of relying upon them in the inevitable conflict with the valorous warrior of Spain. Now, Colonel Otis aSpireS to the title of brigadier general and the command of these same 'callOW youths" who are n in bo inc struggle The appointment has not yet been made, and is not likely to be, but this fact does not prevent conjecture as to what effect such a misfortune would have on our soldier boys. If the colonel were to make half as many mis- takes in war as he has in politics, the chances are about even that before the second week of the campaign some Spanish general E-Guld sell him gold brick or would bunko him into turning his own guns against his friends. Be that as it may, the National Guard will have none of him, and he will probably be permitted to continue in his present peaceful occupation of being the cats paw for every Tom, Dick and Harry in the field of State politics.
 Fortunately for c honor of the State the Maguires and Otises are few and far between. There are others who are patriots first and politicians afterward For illustration there is w R. Guy of San Diego, who would like to be the next Attorney General. Some time since he quietly and unoStentatiously ten dered his services to Governor Budd when it became apparent that Califor- nia would be called on to do her share in the national defense. And there are others, many others.
 Some very pretty political g-pulling Is going on just now in connection with the appointment of successor to United States District Attorney Foote. Frank L. Coombs of Napa, who was speaker of the last Assembly, has been promised the place and will probably get 1t unless he consents to be side tracked as per the plans of others who want the job. These plans took definite shape about a moth ago when Coombs was rendered the appointme- of State Librarian. Before accepting the ap- pointment Coombs consulted with his friends and finally inform0d d the party leaders that he would decline the honor unless it was definitely understood that in case he accepted it he would not thereby resign any of his claims for the appointment of United States District Attorney or release any one from the promises they had made in that con-
 ~ction. This ultimatum was con-