The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-03-06
Patience Must Last a
Week More.
OLD CLOTHES ARE AN ISSUE
THE AFFIDAVIT MAN IS IN THE
POLITICAL ARENA.
Many Unusual Incidents Make the
Election Next Week One of the
Most Interesting in
Years.
Oakland Office San Francisco Call,
u L =

oakland OInCe san francisco CallI
eos Broadway. March s.
If a hundred candidates want to earn
the undying gratitude OF a suffering city
they should resolve not to infiict a single
speech on their victims during the coming
week don't think a hundredvo will be
changed by THE oratory. argument, facts
and fancies and vihfcation promised dur
ing the last seven days of the campaign.
For a year and half Oakland has been
upset by political campaigns of one kind
or another. and by special elections. Now
the only people who are attending the
meetings are the followers of the speak
ers, who so to make showing ana GER
tainly not to be convinced or entertained
1t Is surprising how few can be induced to
spend the evening listening to denunC1a-
tons and promises, even when d few ma
fional frebrandS are thrown in. Nothing
new IS brought up, and each side is kept
busy contradicting what the other camp
says, so that in the end everybody winds
up pretty much where they started out.
l can conceive of there being vaIue TO the
orators in some OF the stump speeches
made, If Barnum were alive and looking
out for freaks for the cap and bells APP
pendiX to his circus. but outside OF this
field some of the ambitious declairoo-s are
very much out Of place.
One of the most amusing tissues" - the
campaign so far has been suit Of the
Street superintendent oI5 clothes. Inc
issue was set up by Mr.. miller's political
opponents, who declared that 10 had once
employed a man who was broke 70 do
some work at his home and had paid him
with suit of old clothes The inference
was made that Mr.. Miller had employed
the man on the streets and had paid him
with old clothes, TO the financial adYan-
tage of said Mr.. Miller. This was very Sc
rious and although / doubt # anybody
who Will help TO elect Mr.. Miller placed
any reliance on the story, 1t was consld-
cred necessary TO resort to the affidavit
man, and when all the sworn testimony
was in il appeared that certain man mad
been employed by Mr.. Miller to work at
his home and that Mr.. Miller had given
him for his days work, dollar. some
meals. and a suit of clothes of as much
value as a new $40 suit, and that said
man had afterwaTd been given work on
the streets, for which he received his
warrants and was regularly paid Inc
next time Miller wants a days work done
around MS home l wish he would let me
know.
! There have been more than rumors dur
STg the past two days of certain nasty
corning some of the candidates now run
ming for ward Councilmen. Details OF
divorce suits and of SQuandered fortunes
nTe promised with all the attendant evils.
I sincerely hope that any candidate VINO
will open up such a campaign Will be
buried so deeply next Monday that he VIII
never be heard from in public LIE again.
The public heart goes out to Auditor
Snow in his greatest sorrow. Sometimes,
In the busy humdrum of public life we are
aDt TO acquire the ndDlI OL I6SdIulllS Oil
official as machine-or register Of facts
and figures. Such men are found to be
convenient in daily life, especially To
newspaper men, but 1t is not easy always
to associate the individual with the Of
fee. With Mr.. Snow, this is not true.
spirit of a visitors query and to explain
anything that may be inSufficiently under
stood. The Auditor has seemed to know
his business so thoroughly that 1t IS a
pleasure to know him and to note tue
sincerity with which he enters into MS
duties Still, to, the mass OF the public
and practical ideas. Now it Is different
We know another Mr.. Snow. The unwel-
come hand of Death has reVealeu the bet
ter side of this worthy officials char
acter and the secrets of his home nave
been of necessity, brought out. Now II
IS known that for years he has been tax
ing a part in the human drama more
noble even than serving the public ana OF
which few knew anything. And T'th TINS
MS office went on with unfa1lfng regu-
farity This is manhood and represents
the character Of the Republican nominee
for Mayor.
Perhaps for the first time since Zealand
was a big city her political complexion is
to be definitely determined next Monday
to a single vote. On looking at the
sample ballot it is seen that there are but
two names for City Attorney. This Is
the most important office In the city gov
eminent not even excepting the Mayor
The two candidates are City Attorney
Dow the choice of the Republicans ant
Municipal League, and Thomas f. Gar
rity. the choice of the Independents anc
the Democrats. In former years there
have always been three leading candl
dates and some others. but this time the
line is drawn squarely. 1t is one OF the
most interesting points to be decided 81
fhe election. Mr.. DoWs friends claim lou
majority Mr. . Garrity's friends say
walk over"
the vote Councilman Woodward will re-
ceive in his ward. One Of the shrewdest
politicians has said SeVenty-hVe. am IN
CIined to double that estimate. 1t beng
big ward Mr. Woodward is confident ht
viii succeed himself
Here is the latest piece Of campaign
experience that has come my way. ] viii
give it verbatim. There is a certain place
in town where there are about thirty citi
zens who will vote as you tell them to Il
YOU do the right thing. Hire room dowr
there and, you know, the saloons art
closed on election days. Well, put few
gallons of wine in there and few sand
Wiches, and during the lunch hour marct
in your men. Let them have plenty OF
'dago red and then give them your mum
Der and march them to the polls. Yot
can do ii easily with trustworthy mar
and about eight dollars. Remember, Da
vie was only beaten at the last election
by about forty men" This was all sale
give away all the details. II l should re
ceive thirty-one votes ] hope / shall no.
be credited with the purchase of the othel
thirty for eight dollars handled by
Trustworthy" man.
STUART W. BOOTH.