The San Francisco call., 1899-06-25
BUCKLEY RISES
IN DEFENSE OF
THE PRIMARY LAW
Will Crowd MCNab for
the Honors.
A PRETTY FACTIONAL PLAY
EMINENT ATTORNEYS ARE TO
APPEAR IN THE CASE.
Buckley viii See That McNab and
Estee Are Not the Only De-
tenders on the Primary
Firing Line.
A PRETTY FACTI0NAL PLAY
EMINENT ATTORNEYS ARE TO
APPEAR IN THE CASE.

me attack on the primary law lust
IsSdIIy oegun by the valiant remnant OF
lhe almost defunct Non-Partisan organf-
-dlIoh mas already developed an interest
4hs situation. The Non-Partisan party
no" consists Of George X. Fitch and
ABOUT SIX other estimabIe gentlemen. AS
'-'e ne" election laws give this small and
somewhat ancient coterie of good citizens
no chance to run a full-fedged municipal
ticket OF their own, they have decided to
Hsnt the existent primary law-the third
10 be secured by the friends of good gov
eFhlnent and one to which their full sup
port was lent until its effects on their
own organization became apparent They
nave engaged attorneys and filed a con-
test.
The Election Commissioners have rallied
10 the defense Of the primary law by ap-
pointing Attorneys Gavin McNab and
Morris NJ. Estee to save it. 1t is not nee
essary tC repeat any of the many III
natured remarks of the political gossips
concerning this display Of legal talent.
MesSrS. McNab and Estee. regarding
whom the gossips say respectively "Phe-
Ian and Burns 80 viii doubtless make an
able defense of the StrattOn primary law
before the Supreme Court.
however, now comes Christopher A.
buckleN, proposing 10 see that the pri-
defended. The Buckley clubs Of the va
rious districts have been busy recently
passing sets Of properly prepared resOlu
ions concerning good government, and
one frequent clause has praised the pri-
mary law. Within a few days the Buck
ley Democratic clubs of all the districts
Will elect representatives to a general
committee, which viii consider the dan
ger 10 the primary law and sanction by
some plan the employment Of able coun-
sci TO assist in defending the cOnstitu-
uouality of this statute. The matter has
gone 50 FAR that the names Of David
frledenrich Of Naphtaly, Friedenrich &S
d" gHaT . low
Pearson and Henry Hogan have been con-
fldered. Some or all Of these attorneys
will be engaged for the Buckley defense
The move is beyond criticism from a
purely legal standpoint, as the saying
about the cooks and the broth is not sup
Iosed 10 apply TO cOurtroOms. but ii is
llAereStlng from the standpoint of fac
JonaL Democratic politics. Gavin McNab
Is credited with bOSsing the Committee of
one hundred and the element most act
lively opposed to Buckley's return to party
power. Buckley represents the element
most bitterly opposed to McNab and his
friends. McNab gains the first entry in
The race TO defend the primary law, and
now Chris Buckley comes along propos-
ing tnat some other eminent attorneys
force their way into the defense. Politi-
clans and all those interested in the prl-
mary law viii await with interest the
McNab welcome to the Buckley counsel
and the way by which the latter gains
a tootho!d In the case. Concerning the
primary law, Mr.. Buckley said last night
The whole press and public have been
clamoring for years for law that would
give citizens the right TO 90 and voice
their sentiments at an election
and the power to say who
should represent them in NOM
mating conventions and in their govern
ing county committees. 1t is a we'll
known fact that for ten years the Demo-
cratic party has had no primary election.
except the one of 1899, and that was of
such a nature that no one wanted a repe-
titi0n Of ii. Since then there has been
no election of any kind for delegates TO
a convention Of the Democratic party.
Now we have a primary law that is the
best thing ever given the citizens of this
city if they will only take advantage CT
it. This law is now attacked by the very
people who cried most loudly for such
law. Their reason is obvious-it does
away with political piece clubs and with
parties being controlled by trick and de-
vice. We propose, through the Demo-
cratic organizations of this city, to en-
ploy the very best talent to see that the
defense Of the law is properly looked
after. and I have confidence that the Law
viii be sustained"