The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-15

.. CALL HEADQUARTERS, SACRA-
MENTO, Jan. 14.-Several gentlemen came
from the city to-day with the intention OF
saving the San Francisco charter. 1t was
a noble mission. The charter was in nc
more danger than the constitution Of the
United States, but they came just the
same. No Don Quixote charging a wind,
mill ever displayed a courage more reck-
less. AS a matter of fact there is abso-
lutely no opposition to the charter here
The only man known to entertain hostile
feelings toward it is Martin Kelly, and
what feelings he may entertain toward
the charter or anything else are of very
little consequence.
The party embraces Mayor Phelan and
Ndessrs. Fay, Dohrmann, Patton and
Boyd. AS Phelan has been here before
and knows the lay of the land, there does
not seem TO be any good excuse for him
but the others may be excused. Fay does
not count, and Dohrmann, as head of the
Merchants Association, is ever ready to
defend the public interests. All but Phe-
Ian have been led astray by false alarm
and as for Phelan, he turned in the
alarm. Nevertheless he has a mission. He
has had the complimentary vote of the
joint session once, and he wants it not
only again but all the time. No conf
.dence IS violated in saying that he will not
get ii. There are other Democrats to be
remembered. W. W. FoOte has not yet
had vote. At times when the joint ses-
sion adjourned it has been supposed to
be for the reason that the Democrats
were unable to find suitable material upon
which 10 waste their sweetness. Why
SHOULD Phelan and Tarpey, Mcguire and
Hamilton and the rest who are not pos
sibllities nor activities be placed ahead Of
,Nr. Foote? 1 simply ask the question.
DO. Nevertheless the gentlemen are welcome
here. Their presence lends responsibility
tothe situation. If they like the climate of
Sacramento, if they enjoy the stainless
atmosphere of political contamination, if
they wish TO dwell where a Burns sits
serene upon a little throne and rejoices in
possession of halo which he has a gang
employed to polish, Sacramento is the
place for them. But Phelan has lured
them with a gold brick. This expression
Is Becoming trite, but there seems to be
no other to suit the circumstances.
The scene at the Joint session to-day
was more inspiring than usual. There
were cheers, and with good reason-the
Burns crowd thought they had captured
:another vote and found that they had
not. 1t was when their failure became
manifest that the spectators applauded.
They had openly boosted of having won
Knights over from Barnes. When his
name was called he voted for Barnes.
Then the cheering broke loose. 1t was
not that the crowd was for Barnes, but
that Ii was against Burns A woman sat
beside Knights. She looked happy at wit
Messing his triumph. Her approval must
have been no small recompense. The
cheers he received were not from hired
Claquers, but the involuntary tribute of
members and of strangers who heard of
the bargain and wondered if the deal
could be consummated.
AT one time after there had been two
ballots an effort was made to adjourn and
q: rollcau became necessary. Senator
; SShortridge had been in one Of his pro-
found and impressive frances. At the
summons of the clerk he aWoke and re-
:sp9nded Daniel NJ. Burns There was
a roar of laughter and Shortridge might
have looked confused except that he is
out,Of practice. He collected his wits and
voted on the question. 1t is hard that
a Senator should cherish Burns during
waking hours. When he carries the Mex
lean into dreams and snoozes with the
magic name Of the Candelarian at the
end Of his tongue he is in a bad way.
Ihere are those mean enough to say that
..Shortridge was merely posing; that he
was not mapping nor off his guard but
that he desired to attract attention to
himself and to the fact that he remains
true. Shortrdge is not new to the MAX
ing OF United States Senators. He ex-
pended time and energy on making one
of brother Sam. And the success he