The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-02-28


MENTO, Feb. 27.-The Republican con-
ference this afternoon was attended by
eighty members. The proceedings be-
gan in talk and closed in talk The ad-
1ourned meeting of the conference to
be held tomorrow will not bring to-
gether as many legislators as attended
to-day. The followers of Grant suspect
that Hervey Lindley is the prime
mover of the scheme. While they can
not discern the Burns niger" in the
woodpile, they are confident that one is
there and will spring out at the ap-
pointed time.
The Grant theory of the situation is
this: Burns is in the last ditch. He
must do something to make a showing.
If he cannot get a secret caucus he
must have a conference that may re-
suit in an effort to obtain caucus Of
some kind. After the preliminaries
have been discussed some one will sub
nit proposition for a vote in caucus
without prejudice to any candidate or
conditions for the dropping OF any can
didate. On the face the proposition
may be fair, but many of the anti
Burns men will shy at the suggestion
and leave the conference. The Burns
men will insist that something must De
done to break the deadlock, and may
succeed in retaining forty-three mem
bers of the Legislature to listen to
further proposals. Whatever the out
come of the conference may be, Burns
hopes to get the advantage of being
able to say to the people that forty
three Republicans, or a majority Oh al
the Republican members of the Legis-
q SPna-
torial question, but the minority mem
beers walked out and threatened 10 ao-
1ourn without an election
: AS a last resort, Burns might be will
ing to accept the Melick proposition 1or
a caucus requiring sixty-one votes TO
name the nominee. ON these hnes tne
caucus might work for several Gays
without result, and at length PROPOSE
ton would come to amend the rules OF
proceeding to drop the lowest man on
fha list after a certain NUMBER OF pal
lots had been taken. Then Walk-out
might take place II Such RUE were
adopted and the touts would roar that
Burns was willing to settle the fight on
proper grounds but his enemies ana the
foes of the Republican party opposed
him.
Many clear headed and loyal Repub-
Iicans who have the welfare OF the
party and the good name of the State
shane of a caucus and simply adhere
10 the proposition to settle the contest
in Joint convention, yet there are many
anti-Burns men who sincerely believe
that a conference may result in the
election of an acceptable and able
Senator. They may be right in their
Opinions, but the members of the Leg
isIature who are keen enough to see
through the game of Lindley and Dbl
BILE advise against conference with
the Burns people.
A conference on the line Of assem-
bling all the members Of the Legisla-
ture opposed to the election Of Burns
might open the way to the election of
a creditable Senator. Every day the
conviction grows deeper and stronger
that the election of Burns would not
only bring discredit on the State at
home and abroad, but so disrupt the
Republican party that the State would
he lost to Republicanism in the great
campaign of 1900. Better no Senator
for two years than the election of
Burns Should the Legislature adjourn
without having chosen a Senator the
Republicans could go before the peo-
nile and say with truth and honor,
tour party refused to take orders from
the machine politicians and the South
ern Pacific Railroad. We were forced
to the choice of Dan Burns or no Sena-
tor. and we said no Senator until the
question was submitted again TO the
people of California"
This method would give Burns a
chance to obtain his desired vindica-
fion. Men favoring his election to the
office of United States Senator could
become candidates for the Legislature,
and il the people wanted him for Sena-
tor they could vote for them.
Since Saturday afternoon deter
mined effort has been made TO break
General Barnes line, but so far the as
saIllts have failed. The general is In
the fight to the finish, and his friends
are more confident than ever before
that he will win out. From several
quarters he has received assurances OF
support The efforts to break him down
have reacted in his favor. On all sides
it is conceded that he has made clean
and honorable contest for the Senator
ship. ard predictions of his ultimate TIL
umph are numerous.
All ecrts of rumors are in circulation
this evening The medicine men are
expecting relief. One story is to the
effect that the unusual calm of the past
twenty-four hours will be followed by
the reign Of Doodle. Another story is
to the effect that Van r. Paterson will
be brought forward again with great
flourish Among Democrats the subject
of voting for Estee to break the dead
lock has been discussed. The talk is
based on the belief that Burns cannot
win, but will recede from the rule or
ruin" policy. Early in the session Dbl
bile proclaimed the sentiment "Burna or