The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-07
LEGISLATORS NSULTED BY
THE IMPERIAL GOVERNOR
Considers All Who Vote for Grant as His
Particular Personal Enemies.
Brazen and UnSeemy Assumption Of Autocratic Power
by the Executive, Who Turns His Office Into
Burns Senatorial Machine

:. CALL HEADQUARTERS, SACRA-
,:MENTO, Jan. 6.-GovernOr Gage has
begun his term of Office by offering an
insult 10 every member Of the State
Legislature And the insult was Of
.fered because the Governor believed
that the act would result in the election
of D. NJ Burns 10 the United States
Senate.
Whether the members of the Legisla-
ture will take the slap in the face that
has been given them by the new Caesar
without resenting it remains to be seen.
The ofense is too pronounced to be mis-
construed or overlooked and it is now
simply question of whether the men,
.bers Of the Legislature will hold out
their hands to receive the shackles with
Which the Governor and Colonel Burns
would bind him or assert their freedom
and, independence at the risk Of losing
Soma small Grain of political patronage.
j. = IF viii consider a vote for Grant a
: ::tgsraoral affront.''
Such is the declaration made by Gov
-ernor Gage, and this in face of the fact
that more than a score of members of
the Legislature have already openly de-
.csqred their intention to vote for Grant
: for United States Senator. The can
didacy Of Colonel Burns must indeed be
in desperate straits when it becomes
necessary for his friend, the Governor,
10 take advantage of his position to at
tempt to force them to surrender their
: liberty Of conscience, a right that is
that Of every free-bOr American citi-
:. zen. Governor Gage says in effect:
- a.. II will not permit you tc cast your
vote for Grant for Senator. If you
insist on doing so against my or
ders I will consider you ny enemy
and: will punish you"
;.:tMr. Gage did not talk this way dur
ing the campaign. Then he said that if
the people would elect him he would
consider himself The servant Of the pep
-ple and would serve their interests as
: they should dictate. AT the same time
the people elected Mr.. Gage they elected
men to come to Sacramento to make
laws for them and to elect a United
States Senator. These men are also the
servants of the people, but Governor
Gage does not so consider them. He
apparently believes they are his serv-
ants. This belief being firmly fixed in
his not overcrowded Uranium he has
ordered them to carry out his own per-
sQnal wishes and not the wishes of the
people who elected them.
Such a condition of affairs might not
result in injury to the peoples inter
ests were another man than Mr.. Gage
in the Governors chair, though the
affront would be as great. But Cover
nor Gage has, within the past two
weeks, proved himself to be the willing
tool of D. NJ. Burns and a gang of co.,
rupt politicians who are paid TO carry
out. the wishes of the Southern Pacific
Company and kindred corporations. He
carried out the wishes of Dan Burns
by fixing the date Of his Inauguration
for January 4, thus enabling him to
retain Nose Gunst, Burns gambling
partner, in office as member Of the San
D.. Francisco Board Of Police Commits
sioners.
Burns desires to be elected United
States Senator and his desires are sec
onded by the Southern Pacific Com
~ pany on the authority of no less a per-
son than w. r. Herrin, the CORPORA
. tlon's s political manager. Since his can
qlGacy was announced it has become
apparent that a majority of the men,
DeES OF the Legislature will refuse to
vote for him. His defeat is certain un-
less. something is done to force legis-
q lators into line Governor Gage was
ordered to CO the forcing and the plan
. he has sele, ed is worthy of the man.
a person who will violate the solemn
pledges made by him to the people Of
" ttle state in order to take orders from
Burns and Herrin would not hesitate
70 Insult the honor and intelligence of
Legislators and to use the power that
the people have given him to prostitute
the honesty of men and to further his
own private and selfish interests.
. Evidence is at hand, and plenty of II
10 prove that Governor Gage is usi,,o
the patronage of his office and the
power that is his by virtue of his no.
sftion to assist the Senatorial candidacy
of y. NJ. Burns. He is not only oDnos-
ing Grant, but he is opposing other can
,didates, many of whom are so far su
perior to him in intellect, uprightness
and all that goes to make up a model
citizen that comparison is unnecessary
Governor Gage is seeking to elect Burns
and he is using such means as have
made the political manipulations of
Colonel Burns a stencil in the nostrils
OF all self-respecting people.
The Call has opposed the Senatorial
candidacy of Mr. Grant and will con-
tinue to oppose 1t for reasons that have
been plainly stated on numerous oc-
casions. Criticism Of Governor Cages