The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-03-01
~ALL HEADQUARTERS, SAC

.RAMENTO, Feb. 2S,-Dan Burns
is beaten. Though barren of
other results, the events of the past
two days have demonstrated beyond
doubt, if any existed, that the
Southern Pacific Company's candi
date for United States Senator will
never be elected, and the State will
be saved from the misfortune that
would have followed such election.
| Yesterday the Republican members
of the Legislature held a Senatorial
conference and We'd with each other in
denouncing Burns candidacy as a
menace to the Republican party and
prejudiciaI to the interests of the people
of the State. To-day they held another
conference and repeated the action of
yesterday. There was no mistaking the
sentiment of the conference. Two or
three of the leaders of the Burns forces
| tried to stem the tide of indignant pro-
| test that was poured out on the head
of the Cadelaria candidate and his at
| tempted manipulation of the machinery
of the party to gain his selfish ends, but
their efforts proved worse than futile.
Even Burns closest friends and polit-
! zeal managers admit that he cannot
| win, unless he can succeed in inducing
| the Republican legislators to go into
caucus where the secret ballot would
protect those who have a desire to be-
tray their constituents by voting for
him. The conference of yesterday dem
onstrated to a certainty that great
majority of the Republican legislators
are bitterly opposed to a secret caucus
or a caucus of any kind. for the stated
reason that they will not permit Burns
to force himself into the United States
Senate by means of any dark-lantern
method, or with the aid of political
triekery. The fight must be fought to
a finish in the open, where the people of
the, State will be able to see all that
transpires and thus place themselves
in position TO mark the traitors and
punish them as they deserve.
BY judicious doses of bluff and blus-
ter Burns has kept the legislators in
doubt as to his strength for weeks. Now
his pitiful weakness is exposed and he
is seen to be as dead, politically, as the
proverbial doornail. His race has been
run and the Republican members of the
Legislature will now engage in the nee
essary task of selecting from among
States Senator who will be acceptable
to the people of the State.
In the conference to-day Grove L. Il
Johnson made the statement that the
candidate for whom he was voting
would withdraw if other candidates in
the field would agree likewise to retire
from the race.
Senator Davis of Amador, who knows
we'll a hers know that "a
candidate is Dan Burns, sought at once
to ascertain if Johnson had authority
to make the statement. If Johnson
speaks with the sanction of Burns the
way may be cleared for the election of
a United States Senate The Call I'M
derstands that U. S. Grant, w. H. L. !
Barnes, r. N. Bulla and Irving NJ
Scott have signified Willingness to be
eliminated from the contest for the
sake of of securing the election of a
Republican United States Senator. pro-
vided Burns would agree to step aside.
At the conference to-day the position
of Burns in this respect should be
made clear Johnson, Dibble or some
other legislator in the confidence of
Burns should go there clothed with au-
thority to express views of the Can
delaria candidate. Senator Shortridge
and admirer of Burns, might be en-
gagged to again express the true in
wardness of the machine campaign.
Three weeks ago Burns might have
exercised a powerful influence in nam
ing the next United States Senator
from California, but his power has been
wasted since that time in a vain eff
fort to crafty a selfish ambition to
have himself elected to the Senate
Heryey Lindley is still acting manager
of the Burns campaign. but the events
of the last few days afford him no hope
of success as a manager of the Colo
neFs'' fight.
Thomas r. Bard has written a letter
to each of his three supporters in the
Legislature in which he announces that
he is not a candidate for United States
Senator and avows that he does not
seek to control the action of the men,
bers of the Legislature who voluntarily
accorded him their support. Mr.. Bard
holds that he never was candidate in
the strict sense of the term but was
simply voted for by his friends in the
Legislature.
Assemblyman Greenwich, who had
been voting for u. S. Grant until the
Ventura County Committee instructed
him to cast his vote for Mr.. Bard, will
tomorrow rejoin the Grant column.
Speaking on this topic tonight Mr..
Greenwell said that he had not eX-
pressed a preference for any candidate.
Il shall probably vote for Mr. Grant
Tomorrow. Sdlu ASseiiolJ lli1h vi eSA-
well.
Tt is known that DR.. Rowell enter
tains a high regard for the abilities and
party service of General Barnes and 1T
is regarded as almost certain that the
Fresno Senator will join the Barnes
column At one time DR.. Rowell had
made up his mind to cast his vote for
Senator Bulla, but when his resolution
was formed the Ventura influence to
brace up the supporters OF Mr.. Bard
began to be felt and so the change to
Bulla was not made.
In the message by telephone which
]. T. Richards of Santa Barbara re-
ceived Monday evening from Thomas
r. Bard the latter did not signify a de-
sire that the members of the Legisla-
ture who were supporting him should
vote on his retirement for u. S. Grant,
Mr.. Bard did not say to Mr.. Richards
that he desired Sena tors Flint and