The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-03-02
PARTY USAGE.

7 the second Republican conference OF legislators
the precedent and authority OF party usage were
trotted out as stage properties by the supporters
of Burns The caucus has been the way heretofore
and must always be the way to settle Senatorship.
1t is precedent usage and custom, they plead.
The answer to it is that party usage and custom
grow and precedents are established along the line OF
action for one time or many times expedent for the
partys welfare and as means OF perpetuatng its
power and making it useful fundamentally for the
public good.
The caucus was originally adopted to keep parties
out OF the hands and leadership OF their worst ele-
ments 1t was adopted for the reason which has
led to the substitution of the Australian ballot
for the open ticket system beat the bosses and main
tain much purity possible in the administration OF
party affairs. The served this purpose at first
and for considerable time. But the bosses have now
found way to it for the very purpose was de-
vsed to defeat In its very secrecy they have found
means to the ends they wish to accomplish. Take
the Burns candidacy example 1t rested entirely
On secret bargains made before the election. 1t
influenced by forces which the Republican party
pressly repudated in the campaign, and by alliances
which if known would have defeated the party. When
it was with the understanding and intention OF put
ting them through successfully by pleading party
usage, custom and precedent for the secret caucus
1t was expected that this usage would be unhesl-
tatingy assented to because it usage, and after it
had done its work and Burns elected the actors
in the party tragedy would successfully plead prece
dent in avoidance of responsibility.
1t soon became plain, however, that precedents es-
tabshed in processes needu at the time to preserve
party harmony and strength and good repute were to
be used to tarnsh the fame and mperll the future OF
the party and those who have its welfare at heart and
who have as much right to establish precedent
as had they who established the caucus, and for the
same purpose the partys preservation refuse to go
into secret convention They do this with motive
Of personal ambition nor in the spirit of dscipleshp
to the fortunes of any aspiran but solely in the in
terest of party now so we'll entrenched in public con-
fdence that nothing can destroy It but itself All
party usages are established in the first instance for
the preservation and welfare OF the party. When any
CUSTOM no matter how venerable a precedent is to
be used for party damage and destruction, in the
spirit which originated it, it should be abandoned for
any plan that will accomplish the purpose that
brought it into existence
Therefore is that there is only precedent for
party men to follow, and that is the rule that all
plans shall be laid to preserve and not destroy the
party to strengthen and weaken it, to increase
and not decrease public confidence in it
The party men at Sacramento who look for
vival OF California Repubcanism and desire its
triumph next year comprehend this principle, and
they stand manfully by it will be the saviors of their
mar