The San Francisco call., 1899-10-22
THE MUNICIPAL FIGHT.

NI r PHELAN Is experiencing some difficulty
urging Democrats to vote their party ticket
and Republicans to bolt theirs. Voting
SIRE ght IS auded as virtue in Democrat and con
de,nred as vice in Republican. At the same time
not word can be uttered nor a charge made against
the personal character, standing and fidelity OF
single candidate on the Republican ticket Yet in his
speech to his party followers in the Forteth District
ON tie 10Th nst. 1r. Phelan said: The Republi-
cans are acting as traitors the charter; they are
reasonable when they introduce partisan politics
IN his Judgment partisan politics consists in Republi
cans voting the Republican ticket! He charges re-
peatedy that Republicans have no sympathy with the
people This charge may be examined in bref COM
parison between Phean and Hon. Horace Davis
When Mr.. Davis was elected to Congress he was
large manufacturer OF -four and his principal market
I'm China. He had by enterprise and intelligence
built up great and profitable export trade with that
country. In his busy life and many contacts he had
observed the growing danger to American labor here
OF Chinese coolie competition. HI believed that
crisis involving the fate Of white labor was impending
He was not only witness to its growing Distress
but he felt the pinch that hurt the white laborer In
Congress he took strong position in favor OF Chi
nese exclusion. He pioneer in the measures
OF national legislation for the relief OF the white labor
of California from Chinese competition His learn
prominence and he devoted them all to ndoctrnating
Eastern sentiment with OF the needs OF white
labor here. We all know now how necessary was
such education in the East Looking back we are
amazed at the total indifference felt there upon that
subject
When Mr.. Davis took that position and stood for
the rights OF white labor Immediately his export trade
was struck at destructively by China While he
stood unnchngly for the rights OF labor he saw his
trade with China disappear and suffered the loss Of
its profit with no expression OF regret for it was
riiced to what he considered be his duty to his
fellow man. He had inherited no fortune He had
TO begin winning one the level with the masses
of the people H remembered the first stages of his
career and he saw others starting he had hand-
capped and thrown by the competition Of Chinese
labor and he stood seadastly, while his export bust
ness ebbed away to nothing.
All this means that Horace Davis who is nightly
accused by Mr. Phelan OF having no sympathy for
the people, did in their behalf make sacrifice at
which most men would hesitate. To him Chinese
exclusion was principle which not be weighed
against money losses SO he lost the money. in
tens OF thousands and cheerfuly abded by principle
Now Mr. Phelan is among the people calling
Horace Davis "a traitor" to their interests
VIII some one tell just what Mr. Phelan has sac
rifced in behalf OF the people! What trade has he
lost cheerully in the interest OF white labor and its
scale Of wages? By what principle has he stood at
loss to his pocket? Has he not, the other hand,
sacrificed principle his ambitions? In 1896 when
he in sympathy with the gold Democratic move
ment which was a principle that thousands of men
followed regardless OF its effect upon their personal
fortunes, Mr., Phelan was anxious to be Mayor and
so he let the principle go. When he expected in
the organization Of the gold Democracy his absence
t.r eed he md that he A.
nomination for Mayor.
These incidents illustrate the difference between
him and Horace Davis. The white laborers Of this
city owe to Mr. Davis acknowledgement that when
they needed friends he stood with them to his own
great loss Just what they to Mr.. Phean remains
n be figured out.