The San Francisco call., 1899-06-10
SAN FRANCISCO Jnna Q 1Sc

SAN FRANCISCO, June 8. 1899.
To the Editor of the Chronicle: The ar
ticle on the twelfth page of the Chron-
icle to-day, beaded "Garret McEnerney
Named by Rainey as the New Bourbon
Boss, is without foundation in fact.
| am not now, nor have l ever been. nor
will | ever be, an active politician, boss
politician, a political leader, a diSburser
of political patronage or seeker after
political preterment / am an attorney,
engaged IN the proper uphOlding of such
causes as | believe are right and honor
able, and have no other ambition except
to continue 10 hold the good opinion of
those of my fellow citizens who have
honored me with their friendship and con-
tidence
l have not taken the interests of the
Fire Department into my charge. nor
have l any wish to shape the policy of
the Democratic party, whether State or
local.
The gentleman responsible for the arti-
Gle in your paper was msinfOrmed.
] have sent copy of this letter to the
other newspapers for publication. Yours
GARRETT w. McENERNEY.
The story published in a city paper
yesterday that Samuel Rainey had abdi-
Gated as a boss and transferred the reins
of bossism TO Garret McEnerney is prob
ably correct as far as Rainey is con-
cerned. but is wrong in its application to
Mr.. McEnerney. The politicians who
I
doubt very much whether Rainey has
| any power or privileges in the line OF
! bossing to transfer. Buckley maintains
with a good deal of earnestness and
| fTankness that Rainey never was any
! thing more than a messenger boy for the
real and true boss.
1t is known to the insiders that Mayor
! Phelan became greatly alarmed few
weeks before election day last fall. and &c
/ make his calling and election sure invited
| the assistance Of Rainey After the com
! bine Rainey was expected to handle GER
! tain interests, and above all was appoint
/ ed to bring the Fire Department into line
i AS the campaign progressed Phelan and
/ others were cOnVlnced@ to their surprise
/ that Raineys influence was not anything
| like as powerful as it was represented tc
| be.
/ since the election last November
/ Rainey has been posing to the outsiders
! as a boss upon whom great responsible
! ity for Democratic party management
/ devolved, but Buckley and Phelan are
not deceived regarding the measure OF
/ Big Sam : power. As the time is near al
/ hand for a showdown at the primaries
/ Rainey perceives that he cannot con
! troll the Fire Department, even with the
assistance of Chief Sullivan, so in order
! to retire from the field with some degree
/ OF prestige he proposes TO abdicate anc
/ transfer his underlined strength to Mr.
/ McEnerney. The trick of naming a sue
/ cessor was a little clumsy inasmuch a!
/ the designated successor was not con
/ suited. Mr.. McEnerney is too bright tC
, be taken in by the Rainey ruse, hence
/ another man must be appointed to bear
/ the burden which the Fire Department
! boss is ready TO lay down.
There is a deal OF conjecture regarding
/ the relations between Rainey and A. NJ
/ Lawrence 1t is suspected by friends OF
Phelan in the Committee of One Hundred
that Rainey has been deriving comfort
] and promise of aid from Lawrence.
The Democrats of the Thirty-third Dis
trict have organized a club at the
Potrero and elected D. ]. Lucey president
and Hugh O'Hara secretary.
Democrats of the Thirty-tifth District
( have organized a club and called l.. j
Dolan to the presidency of the organiZa-
ton. The club has indorsed Mayor
Phelan and the minority Supervisors.
| The Forty-second Assembly District
Club of Democrats indorses Mayor
/ Phelan and denounces the "Twinkling
/ Star Improvement Company"