The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-09
Oakland Office San Francisco Call
To

are not in a humor to plead or to coax,
but they are demanding that their rep
resentatives in the State Legislature shall
represent them and represent them con-
sisteptly.
The honors having been voted to these
nine men the county now expects that the
oft-repeated pledges to represent their
districts in accordance with the expressed
wishes of their constituents shall be OBJ
served and faithfully carried out. The
three Senators and six Assemblymen were
not sent to Sacramento for the purpose
ofrsee6ing personal gain or self-aggran-
dizement, except as it shall become their
reward by fidelity TO the people who sent
them there. They were not elected to
represent their personal tastes, but the
etwcnty-six thousand people who are privi-
legged to cast a ballot in this county and
. the seventy thousand who are not.
Prior to the election there was but one
sentiment expressed in all the speeches
made by these representatives. Each wish
ed to do his whole duty by those whose
favors they were then seeking, and Ala
media does not believe that these pledges
. are TO be cast aside and regulations blast
al at the behest of a corrupt individual.
Prior to the convention at which eight
OF these nine representatives were elect
ed. there was some talk about the hand
OF LOlOnel Burns DelnS seen IN various
combinations then maturing. County Re
corder Grim spread the statement that he
had asked the colonel to support him for
the office he then sought, and that Burns
had told HIM he could not be Recorder
but that he might get some other nominal
ton. The result OF Burns taking hand
in the light for Recorder has long been
known. Spear, who was Burns man and
the only man on the whole ticket in whose
favor Burns said a single word, was hope
lessly showed under and Grim was elected
Ia m u n
This is significant of the feeling toward
Burns in Alameda County, and had there
been the remoteast suspicion that he was
manipulating the legislative ticket not
one of his nominees would have shared
better than did Charles Spear.
This talk regarding Burns manipula-
ton in this county was vehemently de-
MED. and made the excuse for nominees
to again reiterate their pledges of honesty
Of purpose and fidelity to their districts.
Everybody was anxious TO impress upon
the voters the fac that they were entirely
free from all railroad or ring influence
OF any kind, and in spite of the gratuitous
assumption on the part of some of Col
onel Burns friends, Alameda County will
not pass Judgment in advance of those
in whom the highest trust has been
placed. The oft-repeated boast that the
colonel can control six and possibly seven
votes from the Alameda delegation is re-
OF strengthening a decaying structure. 1t
Is possible that he may ultimately draw
two or three votes from this county, but
there are thousands who have sufficient
confidence in their representatives to be-
lleVe that this is an exaggerated estimate.
A canvass of public opinion has not
brought forth one Burns man in five hun
dred Everybody questioned on the Sen
ntorial matter admits frankly that the
election Of Burns would be lasting dis
grace, or else they hide their leaning to-
ward the man from Mexico by remaining
silent, and the camp of the silent ones
has yet to be found.
A glance at the personnel of the dele
cation will help to snow why this county
is confident that its representatives have
not ceased to represent it by representing
corruption. Senator Taylor, who is in
trusted with the honor of representing
Alameda and large slice of the county
this side of the estuary, has already, so
tbs reported from Sacramento, openly re-
undated the charge that he is wear
than Senator Taylor that his future in
politics and in public life would be eter-
nally damned If he should SO misrepresent
his eminently conservative district by vot-
ing for Burns. The Senator cannot afford
to jeopardZe his career just at a time
when he is on the Threshold of scoring
"a success and being rewarded with public
approval 1t has always been the boast
of Alameda that her political life is far
cleaner than that Of Oakland, and the
Encinal City would accord a peculiar re-
:Ception to any man who would betray it's
confidence in the halls of legislation. No
one in Alameda has any idea that Senator
Taylor intends any such political hara-
lliri.
If. Senator Stratton wanted to shake
. the faith of Alameda County in every
thing that man holds sacred he could do
It by voting for Colonel Burns Senator
INT RI haI
for Judge Morrow. After that he is rot
pledged, but there is not a voter in his
district who has the remotest idea that
; this Senator will ever answer Burns"
70 the rollcau.
The position Of Senator Leavitt is one
of great interest. 1t is known and was
known all through the campaign that he
was a warm personal friend of Colonel
= Burns. His business relations lead him
very closely to the colonel. and Leavitts
somewhat rapid progress in politics was
j., largely due TO the fact that he had some
strong. political friendships. Senator
Leavitt also knows that the people in his
. district are not DESTROYS that Burns
should go to the United States Senate
Had il been known that Burns was
candidate three months ago, and that
Frank Leavitt intended to vote for him.
the Senator from that district would
have been c. W. Logan, a Democrat.
Everybody realizes that Senator Leavitt
is III Il delicate position. and his brilliant
record in the Assembly two years ago has
since been regarded as the Foundation of
n stable public career. Four years must
pass before he will come before the
voters again, but this period is too short
for voters 20 forget breach of faith. and
Leavitt's friends are loud in declaring
that he will do the right thing by those
he represents next Tuesday.
Assembyman Knowland of Alameda
has already declared himself He is not
In the Burns camp, and no one suspected
that he would be. Knowland has always
been regarded as a clean, upright man.
and there is no reason to believe that tho
public career on which he has Just en-
tered will be any less reputable than his
private life.
Assemblyman McKeen from West Oak
land has been credited 20 the Burns col
uinn. but this is hard to believe. Nc
Keen is in the prime of life and las al
ready expressed 2 wish that his term in
the Legislature will not be his only po-
ltical experience. He is known to cher
ish an honest pride in his work as n
legislator. and for a quarter of cen
fury he has enjoyed the reputation of
being a man of his word, fearless and
conscientious. IT is true that for this
quarter of a century he has been in n
position of trust with the railroad COM
pany, and it is also true that his late
employers desire the election of Burns
Assemblyman McKeen, however. has
frequently said. and doubtless trulv that