The San Francisco call., 1899-07-12
THE REPUBLICAN, PRIMARIES.

ID the force and the universally of the protests
\ made against the policy of voting blanket
- ticket at the primary elections the members OF
the Republican County Committee have been duly
informed of the extent of their blunder in devsing
such policy 1t is too late for them to correct
the error. When the petition for the blanket ticket
comes up for consideration by the Election Commis-
sioners the committee withdraw the petition and
leave it for the Commissioners arrange for the
elections in accordance with law.
If such course be adopted the committee will go
far toward setting itself right before the public, and
ii is but reasonable to presume it will do Moth
ing be gained in politics by defylng public
opinion There is profit to party in alternating
the confidence of the rank and file on the very eve
OF campaign. At the time the blanket ticket scheme
was devised the members of the committee may not
have been of the opposition to 1t within the
party ranks They now however, fully aware OF
it, and not to withdraw it would be to persist in
blunder even when known to be SUCH
In addition to the popular antagonism to the
scheme there is the further consideration that in the
opinion of many able lawyers blanket ticket would
be invalid That issue will be raised before the Elec
ton Commissioners if attempt be made to uphold
the petition There is need for raising it. The
whole matter can be cleared by withdrawal of the
il-devised petition and request that the Commits
soners provide for the election by Assembly districts
When the blanket ticket scheme has been dis
posed Of the interest of the public will in the
choice of Assembly district candidates for the county
convention The very fact that the election of dele
gates is to be made by districts will tend to bring
about the election of truly representative 1t
will be easy to procure the choice OF unfit
or machine politicians by district voting it would
have been under the blanket system. That is OF
the chief why the better element OF the party
has demanded election by Districts and it
mains for that element to profit by the advantage.
Every municipal election involves some issue OF
notable importance to the community, but this one
has many such issues. Upon the officers who to
be elected will devolve the duty OF organizing the
government under the new charter and inauguratng
the new system Of administration. 1t cannot be
doubted that it will be the best interest OF San
Francisco that duty be intrusted to the Republican
party nor is it to be disputed that the independent
voters will gladly support the Republican candidates
if they are truly representative OF genuine Repub
hcanism. They will not support the ticket if it be
made up of men who represent only the domination
of the railroad and the cunning of Burns.
A clean ticket clean victory, but any other
kind means foul defeat Let have delegates to the
convention chosen by Assembly districts, worthy rep
resentatives of Repubcanism, and strong and
trustworthy ticket. Then the contest at the polls
need not be feared In this issue the Republican
party can afford to DEFY the railroad and the Bosses
but cannot afford to offend the people