The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-11

hostile to the citizen who is prominent
and aggressive. Now what do sane peo-
pie think of such rot? Cobb admitted that
if the charges were true, then public off,
Gals were frauds, our courts farce and
our civilization a sham and deIusion.
l could not see how all this mad TO DO
with the matter in hand. for some officials
are frauds, some courts corrupt and our
civilization more or less of bluff. If 1t
were not Burns would not be running for
the Senate, because the officials and the
courts would have interfered.
Nevertheless it was a mighty good
speech, and would have fooled the stran-
other speeches never quite reached the
commonplace. Nominating speeches are
a nuisance, anyhow, when there is an
advance understanding as to who is to
be named and by whom. None of the
speeches made to-day won vote. None
Of them set forth a single fact not fully
Bulla, Barnes, Knight and Estee were
all on the list before nominations closed.
Balloting was about to begin. A rustic
over the audience Many kept tally, be-
ing aided by the resonant announcements
of Clerk Kyle. The result did not ere
ate surprise. Perhaps it caused a pang
or two of grief Perhaps these jolly AS
semblymen want to keep the public IN
suspense.
Anybody who can read the end Of the
matter in the tally sheet of to-day would
be justifiable in hanging out his shingle as
the seventh son of seventh son. Only
this is plain-the Burns strength was
overestimated by the imported Burns pa
triots, and while they can beat the world
claquing and cackling, no one is borne
into the Senate on the shoulders of the
Federal Brigade.
One difference between the Burns and
the Grant strength is that the first came
out in it's entirety and the second may
have something in sight regardless of
sudden breaks IN support which carry
votes from one candidate to another.
oftentimes without logical explanation.
Such breaks occur suddenly, and they are
certain to eventuate, or balloting would
continue to the day of adjournment. To-
night there is more excitement in the
lobby than there has been before. Men
who know all about 1t are telling what
is to happen tomorrow, and as a searcher
after truth 1 have listened. But other
men who also know all about it lay down
a programme wholly different. AS there
are about as many of these programmes
as there are men in the lobby space for
bids this production here.
Political sentiment is a subtle and Gu
rious thing. Beneath the surface 1t is
working tonight, its tangible manifesto
of the candidates who have not been
prominent, who have made no boasts and
the failure of the leaders in the race to
acquire more than initial support. They
knew this support alone could not win,
and had banked upon the inability of the
OF course there are some kicks in the
aftermath of the ball. While the cost to
guests was S. a plate, one of them said
to-day the contract price of the caterer
was 80 cents q plate. This is not a fair
view, for there were many other expenses
decorations, carriages and music-while
a sight Of the handsome maids and ma
irons was worth the price of admission
even if the guests failed to get so much
as a sandwich.
It is learned that some of the can
didates have been displeased at certain re-
marks made about them in the papers.
Thus is the mission of the journalist made
grievous to him, for he writes unkndly
only under the impulse of duty and ali
ways with a feeling of pain. He desires
to elevate and refine, to expose iniquity
and yank the mask off the false alarm
This is not perfect figure. but it will do
Despite the cheering rainfall, 1 imagine
certain touts will always look back to
this winter as having been a hard one
They have worked faithfully, but their
wages show symptoms of stopping, and
there is no likelihood that they have
saved much.