The San Francisco call., 1899-05-05


L 4 The Calls exclusive account of
the secret conference at the Pal
ace Wednesday afternoon, in which
Governor Gage, Wendell Easton, D..
NJ. Burns and Major Frank McLaugh-
lin discussed for three hours the sub
ject of official patronage and its distri-
button
When the fact was made known that
the merits of various candidates had
been canvassed, and that some of the
office seekers who had been accounted
as foremost in the race were found un-
acceptable, diligent inquiry was made
10 ascertein additional facts relating
TO the cOnI-lcnce.
Yesterday morning a cruel hoax was
perpetrated on many candidates for the
favor Of the Governor. \ paragraph
was inserted in d daily paper to the
effect that Governor Gage would receive
applicants for office at his room, IA
Palace Hotel, from 10 to > clock
Thursday Many applicants who car
ried the Republican banner last fall,
and who had grown weary of long wait
ing in the vain hope OF seeing the Gov
ernOr to say a word TO him, went TO
the room indicated and found that il
was the apartment Of Stephen NJ.
White The hoax afforded cheap amuse-
ment for the Cnlookers, but the victims
We're very indignant. Mr.. White was
surprised TO receive so many callers,
but perceiving the situation promptly
directed the visitors to the rooms of the
Republican State General Committee
1t was said later in the day that the
announcement to applicants repre-
sented Governor Cages idea Of d joke
at the expense Of Steve White.
Politicians of high and low degree
were in the throngs which loltered
about the court Of the Palace Hotel yes
terday. 1t was expected that another
conference would take place, but moth
ing of the kind occurred. Governor
Gage found it difficult TO get minute
for reflection. The pressure to see him
was 50 keen that one man could hardly
get in a word before another broke in
To advocate his own CT some other one
cause.
D. NJ Burns had an extended inter
view with the Governor at a table
in the grillroOm at the close CT
lunch in which the executive was
joined by Wendell EastOn and j. K.
Wilson.
The story goes that Burns is SO deeply
concerned in his own campaign for the
Senatorship that he is not vigorously
pushing the claim of any aspirants fer
a State office. He has been advised by
men whose friendship ne cannot ques-
tiOn that he should demand the issue
of his commission to be United States
Senator for California. He was told
by plain-spoken adviser TO go tC the
Governor and speak out in this style:
Let us understand each other, Gov
int tn
United States Senator issue my com
mission now, SO l can go TO Matt Quay
Of Pennsylvania and show him that we
are lighting for a common object and
should make the contest together"
Whether Burns used this language
or not is immateriaL 1t is known that
he pleaded his own cause with deal
of earnestness Burns does not like
TO be twitted with the suggestion that
d gold brick has been passed to him
by the Governor. He wants commits
sion and wants il right away.
Men high in the councils Of the party,
who have had in some measure the con-
fidenCe Of the Governor during the past
few days, would not be surprised II
Gage issued the commission, in order
TO enable Burns to get in with Quay
and make a fight for admission to the
United States Senate.
The current Of the conference day be-
fore yesterday ran hard against the
friends of Major Frank Mclaughlin.
He desires that two of his friends shall
be appointed to office. His heart is set
on having one of the two selected 1t
is understood that Gage will appoint
one Of the men so warmly indOrsed, but
il is not the one on which the majors
heart is set. An explosion may be ex-
peCted when the major is told that the
appointment he so much desires can
not be made. The office in question is
not that of Registrar of Voters.
There is sharp fight for the office
of Registrar. The applicants are
Colonel George Pippey Assemblyman
Rickard and Jacob Steppacher. 1t is
the talk that Gage intends to do some
thing for SteDpacher, but cannot ap-
point him Registrar
There is a strong belief that the ad
jutant generalship has been settled, and
that the Governor will soon name as his
chief Of staff Colonel j. c. Currier OF
San Francisco. A member of the eX-
ecutive committee of the Republican
State Central Committee who is known
TO be in sympathy with Colonel Cur
rers aspirations, received a strong in
timatiOn from the Governor yesterday
that the colonel was slated.
In connection with the Paris Expo
sition Commission there is a story of
a broken slate. The beautiful slate on
which was pencled the name of Mark
L. Mcdonald of Santa Rosa has been
smashed. The original slate provided
that there should be a Republican from
Los Angeles to represent Southern Cal
ifornia, a Democrat from the north to
represent Northern California, and a
Republican from San Francisco to rep
resent the central region OF the State.
Exposition experience or training is one
Of the qualifications which the law re-
quires that each commissioner shall
possess. The Legislature appropriated
S120,000 for the show. Each commits
sioner is to receive $4,000 and travelling
expenses. The original slate embraced
B. c. Truman, Republican. Los Ange-
les; NJ H. de Young, Republican, San
Francisco, and Mark L. Mcdonald,
Democrat, Santa Rosa De Young de-
clined the appointment and the report
was circulated the Governor offered
the job to w. II. Mills of the Southern
Pacific 1t is an open question whether
the appointment was rendered to Mills,
but il seems to be settled that he de-
clined it. The Governor finding il no
easy matter TO get the right kind of a
Republican in San Francisco now re-
solves to appoint a good Democrat to
represent Central California. The name
of the Democrat is not divulged, but
he is a resident of San Francisco.
Taking a Democrat from this city