The San Francisco call., 1899-03-07
Hearst's Conditional
Offer Rejected.
SOUGHT TO GAIN CONTROL
DEMANDED CHAIRMAN MANN'S
RESIGNATION.
Party Leaders Charge the Editor
With Having Broken His
Promise - A Thinly
Yelled Threat.

A deficiency of $4,000 in the treasury of
the Democratic State Central Committee,
as a result of its recent disastrous cam
paign, has brought to light a remark
able chapter in California Democratic
politics and also promises some coming
chapters of interest.
The story is nothing less than an attempt
on the part of w. r. Hearst to force Seth
Mann, chairman of the State Central
Committee, to resign, and to place NJ. f.
Tarpey, now and for a long time man
ager of the Hearst estate, in the chair.
The story far is known only to the
State executive committee and a few 9TH
ers in the confidential councils of the par
ty. but it will interest every member OF
the party from Siskiyou to San Diego.
Mr.. Hearst, it will be remembered, ar
rived here from New York in the closing
days of the campaign The party was
short of campaign funds about ten days
before election, and Seth Mann, who had
been named by Mcguire as chairman of
the State Central Committee; w. z. Law
lor, chairman of the campaign committee,
and a few other party generals and stan
| officers, faced the problem of how to
make proper finish to the campaign
without money.
In this dilemma Messrs Mann and Law
lor called on Mr.. Hearst and stated the
needs and limitations of the campaign.
Mr. Hearst SAID IN GHeCl. 10 IlB III
| ahead, gentlemen. Go to whatever ex-
pense is necessary and L Will attend TO
the bills"
This was definitely understood by the
campaign managers as a guarantee. that
bills incurred would be paid.
The following day the Examiner started
a subscription, agreeing to double all con-
tTibutiOns. The day before election the
contributions were announced as amount
ing TO $3009 30, which Mr.. Hearst increased
to $60lS 90 for the benefit of the campaign
When the campaign committee got ITS
bills together it was found that the eN-
penditures made under Mr.. Hearst guar
antee amounted to about $40 900, and that
there were bills outstanding 10 the eX-
tent OF about $4,000
Democratic managers sought TO close up
the campaign accounts. Mr.. Hearst had
gone East and Messrs. Mann ana La"I9r 10
called on A. NJ. Lawrence, managing ed
itor of the Examiner, and inquired what
Mr. Hearst would be pleased to DO ABOUT
the situation. The guarantee given by
Mr.. Hearst was recalled and stated by the
two gentlemen.
Mr.. Lawrence gave no satisfactory an
swer but communicated with Mr. Hearst.
After a time Messrs. Mann ana Lawlor
called again by appointment Mr.. Law
renee, as it is reliably stated, ana as the
incident is told and understood by mum
Der of Democrats, informed his callers
that Mr. Hearst had no recollection of CIV
ing a guarantee such as they had stated.
That was a disag agreeable misunderstand-
ing at best, but Mr.. Lawrence had some
thing further to say. He Informed Mr:
the fact that Mr.. Hearst was not respon-
sible for the deficit, Mr.. Hearst would pay
the $4,000 owed if Mr.. Mann would resign
the craftsmanship Of the State Central
Committee and let Mr.. Hearst name the
man to fill the vacancy.
This was simply an offer of $4,000 for the
craftsmanship of the Democratic State
Central Committee of California. But Mir;
Lawrence went further and intimated
that if Mr.. Mann did not resign ii was
likely that the management of the cam
paign and of the current course of the
committee would be found open to criri-
cism. 1t was further intimated that If
Mr. Mann would quietly get out of the
way he would receive a most fiattering
notice in the Examiner for the ability he
had displayed. etc, and that resolutions
here and there to the same effect would
undoubtedly follow. Mr.. Mann thus re-
CeiVed a fairly decent put reSoiute DID
M Mr.. Mann quietly informed Mr. Law
renee that resigning was the last thing
he thought of or would do.
1t is said that not long after this a
prominent Democrat who had a little pat
ronage matter in hand went to Mr.. Law
renee and asked him to see Chairman
Mann and get him to use his influence
in his behalf.
"Oh. it's no use to see Mann" said .GII. M
the man to see"
Matters remained quiet for a time and
then in the Examiner of February 2 last
came tap of the club as a gentle re-
minder that II was about time for that
resignation, for that day the EXAMINER
!
the following editorials
The stratton primary election bill is making
its way rapidly toward adoption. Has the
Democratic State Central Committee consid-
| cred the measure, as we suggest II should do /!
We regret TO say that 1t has not
What is the committee for at a time like
this if not to grapple with problems affecting
the party welfare and to try to steer the party
/ clear Of rocks? Is the committee so certain
| primaries that it feels interest in the bills
! before the Legislature which deals with party
I &c hnxr naT1 TGtt
failure to study the Stratton bill and all other
bills of a kindred nature and to seek to infiu-
! ence the Legislature to a wise course in dealing
with them?
It seems to us that the committee should give
| some proof that 1t is not in a trance.
| On the evening of February the Dem
| ocratic Central Club, the largest party
organization in the city. having a mem
bership of l100, held meeting at which
! tracted no particular notice at the time
! They were introduced by Democrats in
| the secret and passed with whoop by
members who knew only or the slap at
! the State Central Committee in the EX-
| aminer. In the light of explanations
! they are part of the story They were;
Resolved That the members of the Demo
! cratic State Central Club. having full faith In
! the honor, ability and integrity OF the Hon
! Seth Mann, chairman OF the Democratic State
/ Central Committee, do hereby pledge hlm our
! most loyal support and such assistance as ne
may call on US to give TO al1 nm mn, p sba stand
| the test of law and Democratic principles, ana
| further commend his course as cnalTIldH Vi
! said committee and hereby volunteer any as
! sistance in our power in carrying out the same
| 1t was observed that the Examiner
| avoided any mention of Mann or the COM
| pliment paid him in its report of the meet
| ing and his name has not appeared in
! its columns since the ultimatum was
/ given.
The campaign committee decided to
communicate with Mr.. Hearst personally.
! A few days ago telegram of inquiry was
sent him and an evasive reply was re
ceived Thereupon it was decided that the
| Democracy could survive without Mr.
Hearst, and a meeting of the executive
committee day two later Chairman
Mann was authorized to appoint finance
committee to endeavor to raise enough
money to pay the deficit. The commit
tee has been appointed as follows; James
D. Phelan. James H. Budd, Walker c.
Graves l.. f Byington, Oscar Hooks, f.
j. Fallon. Timothy Treacy. This com
mittee met last Friday for the first time
and will make an effort to raise $4,000. If
1t does not succeed the deficit is likely to
be referred to a full meeting of the State
Central Committe, which will probably be
called soon.
Chairman Mann will not resign, Mr..
Tarpey will not be the chairman right
away and Mr.. Hearst will not be in con-
troll of the State machine