The San Francisco call., 1899-10-19
PHELAN ON PATRIOTISM.

L
ton Mr.. Phelan's narrow minded partisanship
could not be concealed. With that peculiar intel
ecual obtuseness which is one OF his gifts he turned
what began as compliment intended to coax Repub-
lcan votes into an insult Speaking OF the Repub-
lcan ratification meeting he said: Il sorry for
nv Republican friends Why, the gentle
men who appeared before you are fighting wars in
the Philippines although Major Geary met but few
of them over there
The Mayor evidently proposes to claim not only all
civic virtue but all national patriotism for what he
calls "a new Democracy" Begging for Republican
votes knowing that they have twice elected him, he
yet feels strong enough to utter the charge that Re
pubcans were not patriotic enough to enlist under
their countrys flag in the Spanish war. He is not
sure that even some Of them to the Philippines,
for Major Geary did not find many of them over
there" According to the Mayor the Republicans, for
whose votes he hopes are without civic pride and are
void of patriotism The First and Eighth regiments
of the California National Guard were composed OF
his new Democracy, according to his view, and Re
pubcans refused to heed the call OF their country
and Sate 1t stretches ones creduly to believe that
after being called unpatriotc towards by the Mayor
the Republicans OF this city will ndorse his character
zation of them by giving him a single Republican
vote Let him get his votes from his party. His sur
suit of the kind that has been uttered is charge
that membership in the Republican party is inconsis
tent with the love OF country and with the instinct
which defends the flag. 1t is charge that the coun-
try would have been without soldiers and the flag
would have lacked defenders had it not been for
Mayor Phelan and his party
BY the way, the Mayor is Of military age. There
are evidences exant OF his virility But it is not re
corded that he resigned an office and rushed to the
front like the unthinlng warhorse into battle. Hav
ing abded at home intrenched in official dignity be-
hind corps OF card-passers who must be before
he can be reached, how has he earned the right to
impeach the patriotism of Republicans? Roosevelt
resigned an office to enter the army. Hamilton Fish
and members Of the Astor family left their millions
behind to enlist privates, and some OF them died
fighting The fact that they too inherited their
wealth did not quench their OF obligation to the
nation whose laws protect their property They did
not content themselves with presiding at meetings and
making pretty speeches, but they went out to fight
If Mayor Phelan is so sensitive the subject now
why did not his patriotic feeling overcome him year
ago? If he had put on his sword and badrc belt and
war harness then people would be patient under his
criticism now But he did not. Major Geary did not
find him in the Philippines The Call started the first
movement for the equipment Of the Red Cross So
cety Republicans poured money into its treasury
as did Democrats. Mr.. Phelan Mayor Of the
city had proper respect shown to his office In all
the activities and hospitaites shown forth by
people, as Mayor he was given proper place. He
seems now to make the mistake OF taking all this
personal and not official and both he and Major
Geary show deliberate purpose to coin it into po
litical capital No reasonably object to the
magnifyng of his own spectacular and oratorical
vice by the Mayor. To laud himself is natural with
him. and as he is acquainted with his subject and loves
to present it, no one would deny him the opportunity
But when he goes beyond this and attacks the pa
t1iotsm OF the whole Republican party there is re-
vcaled a malicious disposition and a narrow mind
His oense is heightened by the fact that he has been
at every election repudated by sufficient number OF
his own party to have beaten him, and has been al
ways elected by Republican votes he expects to be
now 1t remains to be seen whether Republicans
will ratify his contempt for their patriotism and his
vicious attack upon their courage.
In the meeting in which he let loose this vile ac-
cusation there were discordant notes DR. Dodge de-
Of know-noth;rgsm VIII the doctor publicly tell of
the occasions on which he has voted Tor Republican
candidates, or will he dodge?
Mr. Cummings, candidate for Auditor, followed and
urged most strenuousy and with every appearance OF
anxiety that those present vote the straight Demo
cratic ticket from top to bottom. So the four-and-
twenty blackbrds each sang different song. They
agreed in one thng-that Republican votes are neces-
sary to elect them and therefore advised Republicans
to snub their own ticket. But Democrats were or
dered to vote the party ticket straight
z@@ssz.=E@-@-@