The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-07
AGENTS OF CORRUPTION.

| q T the Capital City, where there is in
! I ! progress the skirmish preliminary to Sena-
torial election, the ugly head of corruption has
already reared itself Bribery, intimidation and fraud
are the instruments employed for the purpose of elect
ing to station where patriotism probity, lofty ideals
and practical sense dignity high conception OF honor
must be requisites of any fitting incumbent Even the
circumstance that political FOUNDERS, social outcastS,
gamblers and thugs active in attempts to shape the
destinies of the commonwealth TO their purposes
is enough to bring blush to the face of manhood
That they should be directed and abetted by office
holders and jobbers shows that public affairs have
fallen to low estate.
There is only one remedy. These unclean creatures
must be hurled from power to which they never had
right, and which they have abused until decency,
Inundated and outraged, clamors protest Let them
go home bafhed and forever deprived of their evil
potency. Let the Federal brigade be shown that no
set of placeholders safely their positions to
forward base ends, to place upon fair California
lasting brand of shame The State has already en-
dured too much from its Dams and its Gunsts, its
Jakes and its Dennerys.
That Burns is trying to buy his way to the Senate
there has been doubt since the rising of the first
suspicion that he possessed the unspeakabe erontery
to thrust himself into contest where the light OF
publicity would be turned full upon him. His record
has been stained and spotted by crime and there has
been from him expression OF regret for his mis-
deeds He has batened and thriven until he is rich
and arrogant and brazen He defes all tenets of re-
spectability and demands that a State which failed
to punish him for his crimes shall vndicate him by
sending him to the Senate. Ungrateful to have es-
capped the penitentary, he wants an apology for the
telling OF the truth AS we'll and logically could
the State erect a monument to the memory Of
Durrant.
The election of Burns would be the worst single
blow the Legislature could administer to California
II would be an insult to citizenship and to the coun-
Gil OF the nation.
The opportunity to turn to Grant has been inn
paired by the indiscreet supporters OF the gentleman
from San Diego They have permitted themselves to
appear in the attitude of bribers. Dan Cole grown
gray in politics, and ever lucky at finding himself in
receipt of salary in his enthusiasm for Grant offered
to pay the campaign expenses OF Assembyman
Clough, the condition being that Cough sign
pledge to support Grant for the Senate Cole pro-
claims that this was done his motion and with
out the knowledge of anybody else but it has sin
lister look and has hurt the cause it designed to
strengthen Knowing Burns to be the epitome of all
that is bad in politics. the public has been inclined to
place him a plane below that occupied by any
other candidate. The exposure of Coles scheme
tends to make the plane OF the two common one.
Burns cannot win by corruption. Grant cannot
win by corruption. 1t will be marvel, in the
absence OF further revelations if there shall not be
created revusion sweeping them both from the
field.