The San Francisco call., 1899-05-06
From a Photograph Made by

Il am here doing what every citizen
ought to dO-take an interest in politics
Now, l find that affairs here are poll
tcally in an inchoate state. 1t reminds
me Of the situation in 1882 Then, If you
remember, the municipality was in debt
and there had been mismanagement of
public affairs. The Board of Trade. the
Chamber of Commerce and other bodies
proposed issuing bonds for $500 900 to pay
the citys debts. and all that sort of
thing: but that came to nothing. At that
time the Democrats were entirely reor-
ganzed by a committee OF fifty chosen
by the State and County Central commit
tees From that committee emanated q
system of clubs. known as the Forty
seven District Clubs These clubs elected
delegates to a convention in Union Hall,
and that convention nominated a sue
cessful ticket, including Washington Bart
lett for Mayor and John Sullivan, Captain
James Mcdonald, J. Henley Smith, e. b.
Pond Fleet F. Strother Thomas Ash
worth and others for Supervisors.
They took office in January. 1888 They
compromised some litigation with corpo-
ratiOns and the first year they built
some SchOolhouseS, etc, and ran the gov
ernment within a ene-dolar limit. The
second year they built more schoolhouses,
ran the government for H12 cents and
left 5000 900 in the treasury.
IT believe that If the citizens would
take advantage of the opportunity now
offered and go to the primaries this rec
ord could be repeated by the city govern
i
party, but surely by the Democratic par
ty At that election James j. Flynn was
elected County Clerk on pledge TO run
the Office for $4,000 a month. and he did
It, He told me that he could run 1t Tor
$4,000 by cutting off the dead weight which
every Office has got to carry, more or
less. -.
zens want now and they can have 1t II
they will go to the primaries ana elect
representative men to both conYentioGns
and hold the parties responsible. Inc
conventions will, in turn. elect county
committees that will see that pledges are
kept ohioo+ of myself and
the friends associated with me Will Will pc
TO repeat the government from 1883 to
1SS5 Whatever individuals are nom
mated, the convention will adopt plat
form and create a committee that Will see
it carried out.
of running a ticket for municipal conVen-
ton delegates at the primary eiecloIl'
There will be an organization IN eacI As-
sernblv district and also an auxiliary CLUB
in each primary election precinct. When
these precinct clubs are organized they
will each eject one or more delegates 10
general city committee. which VIII gov
ern the campaign. 1t is not yet known
lust how large this committee will be.
This will be done within thirty days In
my opinion this will be the strongest Dem
ocratic organization San Francisco ever
had AS to how the plan is working, all
| can say is that the work goes braVely
on and the progress is something aston
ishing even to me, and you know l have
seen organizing done before.
What figure will the Committee of One
Hundred cut? you ask. Under the STRAIT
ton primary law. which. by the way, is
the best thing this municipality ever Sc
cured the duties of all party governing
bodies are purely ministerial. They must
apportion delegates determine the num-
ber,. stipulate how elected. file certificates,
etc.
I'm my opinion it will make no particu-
lar difference whether delegates are elect
ed by precincts. by districts or at large.
OF course if they are elected at large,
they will represent one element of the
party. which is not Democratic By
either of the other plans there would be
minority representation and it Is always