The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-06-17
A POLITICAL WARNING.

IT is unnecessary for The Call to reafhrm its com
plete devotion to the Republican party of the
United States nor its determination, to the extent
of its influence to enforce ordinary decency upon the
party management in this municipality and in this
State The approaching election IS OF great local
consequence and already the notes OF preparation are
to be heard on every side A Republican municipal
convention is to be held and Republican ticket
nominated. Many thousands OF reputable citizens,
who are large factors in the enterprise the intelli
gence and the accumulated property OF San Francisco
and who pay heavy proportion OF the taxes that sup
port the municipal government also Republicans
and deeply interested in Republican success at the
polls A ticket that commands their support can be
elected A ticket that exctes their disgust will be
beaten of sight.
The vital question, which has to be settled without
delay or evasion is whether the decent and honest
clements OF the party are to control its nominations
and its management during the canvass. II
corrupt and degraded machine politicians have
grip upon the organization that cannot be
dslodged or relaxed defeat stares the Re
publican ticket in the face Never in the his
tory OF this State has the despotsm OF the railroad
represented by Dan Burns William F Herrin and
Governor Gage been so defantly exercised Sub
stantial1y and practically the entire State patronage
without even pretense OF regard for the public wei
fare is being boldly used in the railroad interest
There is no office so low or so high that it escapes
this shameful contamination Mr.. Huntington and
his emissares, whose opportunity is due to gross
treachery and fraud, must believe that the of
the people are both corrupt and cowardy.
II this concentrated and arrogant railroad influence
is to be exerted in the manipulation OF local party
machinery and in the municipal convention, the best
Republicans in this city will stand from under. They
will contribute neither OF their OF their in
uence to the support of railroad nominees to any
ticket for which Dan Burns and the machine politi
clans be controls and with whom he is combined are
responsible The very existence of this community
as ranking with the great metropolitan centers OF the
United States is involved in the question OF clean
municipal government. The degradations OF its past
history illustrated and deepened within the last few
weeks thoroughly understood, and party fealty
not strong enough overcome the indignation which
independent and conservative Republicans feel and
constantly expressing against the presumptuous die
tation OF tools OF the Huntington monopoly who are
paid for their corruption principally by their stealings
from the public crib.
The time is proptous for Republican success. San
Francisco shares with other American communities
ell over the continent the opinion that the salvation OF
the country largely depends upon crushing the pro-
Ietarian movements that were represented by the
Democratic and Popust fusions in the last Presden-
tal and State campaigns. But OF at least equal inn
portanCe is the predominance OF responsibility and
brains within the ranks OF the Republican party itself
Ii the railroad is determined keep its unccan hands
upon politics, let it openly take possession OF the FIJI
sion organization. to which it has already done its
transfer this State in the election OF 1000 1t
cannot monopolize the management OF Republican
politics in the municipal struggle upon which we are
about to enter.
We hope that wisdom and decency may be locally
recognized and accorded their Just weight Substan-
tal citizens free from reproach representing both
labor and capital, and exempt from any suspicion of
subseryiency to monopolistic corruption should be
placed in positions OF leadership within the local Re
publican organization y convention should be held
in which the sound character the complete indepen-
dence, the practical intelligence and the undefed
Republcansm OF every delegate should be beyond
dispute cavil Mr.. Phean, if he obtains a renom-
nation from his own party should be confronted by
man who possesses all the qualification for leading
municipal government that he especially lacks and
whose name and standing would be a guarantee
against demagOgism and for the wise exercise OF the
appointing power under the new charter Every
nominee upon the ticket should be equally adapted
to the position to which he is assigned and the com
bned result OF patriotic and honest discrimination
should be invested with the invncibe strength of fit
ness and character
These are the outlines of a campaign that would
sweep the motley collection OF fusionsts into oblivion
and place San Francisco in the front rank of progress
sive AmerCanisu. For such success The Call will
strive with all the energy and power it can exert But
it will not submit and the sturdy Republicans of this
city will not submit to railroad domination and to
machine prostitution