The San Francisco call., 1899-10-17
Mayor PhGIan Pro-
claims Himself
Leader Of q New
Democracy and
Claims Re-eleC-
ton.
He Sees No Political Virtue
in the Opponents Whom
He Must Meet at the
Polls.

Il ETROPOLTTAN HALL was
II III crowded to the doors last night
IRH by members OF the local Democ-
v racv. who assembled to ratify
- their municipal ticket and cheer
their nominees. Most Of the candidates
were given an opportunity to deliver ad-
dresses and plead for the votes Of their
hearers. Mayor Phelan was, as matter
of course. the central figure of the event
and the leading speaker. He delivered
long address carefully prepared lie stu
diously steered clear Of the rocks OF ma
1ional politics and the Inconsistencies IN
which his own utterances have lnVoI'eo
him He elaborated at great IenG III upon
The history Of the origin and development |
of the charter and claimed LOT hlLise4A
and associates the right TO conduct the
+5rs+ adninistration Of the city's affairs
under the charter.
In making this claim Mayor Pheian
enunciated a new political doctrine anu
proclaimed the existence of what perhaps
IS a new political party masking uloeL INC
name and usurping the allegiance lhat pe
longs to an OLD one. OF this new poiIllCai
Marty NIayor Phelan, by his words, sought
- leave the impression that he is the or
e~9uizer and leader. He says that the
democracy of which he is the dictator
was born in the agitation for new chaI-
,ar This Democracy is not concerned
with national issues and mas us pe4u6
solely IN realm OF munlclpaI dlAdllS'
III MAYOR al $50 discussed from his point
Of view the aHalrS Of the CITY LOT ltle @ !d9t
year He claimed Tor himself ana lhe twO
Democratic members OF tAe bOaLu u -, -
peryiSOTs all OF the victories NudS 4S@
been won Tor the people during lAe 4d2I
year over various corpoIduuIs, - Ite
Charged that mis- Republican opponents
are tluged and even saturated py lIe POI
i.1 of me capiIalistiC and corporate C4do9,
mud. while he would not charge them WIZ -,
dishonesty, he insisted that they cann4t pe
fair. The Mayor ADDRESS d44u q O-1O0A
closed the ratification. . ,roTo,,
In opening the meeting Jasper McDon-
aid vely briefly referred 10 the DeIiiOCI atlC
frages Of his hearers. FRANK Il SIoI1o tl
was introduced as the presldent o. IlIe @
meeting. and took the opportunity 10 eIi
large upon the lines OF the QpeAtnS a.
raiv,d from the Democratic conNenIOH
the courtesy of a nomination. MT Goul1
held the platform for few minutes anu
1hen introduced Dennis j. Geary as the
f7rst speaker Of the night The lntr0uuC5
fiou In its way was gem. MI 1OGIu
safd me hoped the audience Woulq give MI;
f;a4r,- more ballots than he had received
bulIefs nj Manila AS the major had the
GOOD fortune 10 miss the bullets the rec
CmmendatiOn made IOf MN was Gel l'l'41-
Major Geary was uncomfortably bellig-
ereut during his address. ne IaiIIS TI
bristled with military adJectlVes. lie
saw in Mayor Phelan a great war Mayor
whose fame for some mysterious reason reason
has been carried across the seas. Every
body on the Democratic ticket, IN the
Majors opinion. is a military gentleman
who is now fighting the good fight. one
by one the various municipal nominees
presented themselves and asked the
patronage and support OF their hearers
for the offices they seek
1t was not until Assessor Dodge began
his address that the meeting assumed
Characteristic phase. DR.. Dodge, with
that peculiar modesty which marks him,
talked about himself fiatteringly for over
an hour. He frankly announced that he
had made a most efficient and honest
official He gave an extended but not
particularly thrilling lecture on assess
inent IN general and his proficiency par
ticularly in the art.
Several unsympathetic listeners in the
gallery called time but the modest
Assessor declined to stop. He wished. he
said, 10 show the audience two or three
charts illustrative Of his splendid admin
istration. The two or three charts proved
to be five, and then another call for time
was made. This time the speaker said
he would quit If they wanted him to do
so. but an encouraging voice shouted,
"Go on: Wen listen to you if we have to
stay here all night" and the Assessor
continued without further interruption
TO the end
While on the subject of charts Mr..
Dodge made a rather dubious impression