The San Francisco call., 1899-03-12
THE OAKLAND OUTLOOK
How the Political Situation
Looks From an Unbiased
Standpoint.

Tomorrow Oakland will vote for a new
city government. For over a year the
whole State has been amused periodically
by the peculiar manner in which Oakland
governs-or misgoyerns-herself. To the
outsider Oakland does not appear to an
advantage when viewed by the manner in
which her government conducts itself.
Naturally, the greatest interest centers
around the Board OF Public Works, which
consists of the three Commissioners who
have the power any minute they may
desire and as often as they please to
entirely change the personnel of the
Street, Police and Fire departments. Mr..
Snow, the Republican nominee, and Mr..
Davie, the independents cam
didate. are the only two names attracting
any attention for Mayor. Each man has
paign. Snow has been City Auditor for
ten years, and has always merited the re-
spect of those who elected him. DaV1e
was Mayor for two years, and during that
time started an opposition ferry which
had the result ever since of reducing ferry
fares. and this has been the basis of Mr..
Davies campaign. Another point of diff
ference about which much has been said
is the tax levy. Auditor Snow believing
that ii should be 81, without the II cents
required for bond interest and redemption,
and Mr.. DaYie declaring that the total
tax levy under the charter cannot legally
exceed 81.
The Prohibitionists have nominated DR..
Buckland for Mayor; The doctor once
credit to himself. The Populists have
nominated Mr. Hoenich, and the Socialist
Labor party also has a candidate. But
there will be no appreciable votes cast
outside of Snow and Davie.
The contest for the City Attorneyship is
absolutely between two men, there being
not a single side-shoW candidate. Mr.
Dow is the choice of the Republicans and
Municipal League, and Mr.. Garrity of the
Independents and Democrats. Mr.. Dow
has been a city official for six years, and
Mr. (,aTritV has ALWAYS been persistent
Democratic candidate, and although on
one occasion he carried the city of Oak
land in county fight he has not yet been
elected to office. City Engineer Clement.
the Democratic nominee to. succeed him
self is opposed by NJ. K. Miller, the Su-
perintendent of Streets Both men are
Competent engineers Mr.. Clement has
given general satisfaction in his office,
and Mr.. Miller has been frequently COM
ment. Both are comparatively young men
and as there are no other candidates who
will figure in the returns the issue be-
tween them is largely personal one
T. T. GiIpin, who has been City Treas
urer for eight years, by the grace Of
Oakland Republicans, is up for another
term; his opponent is J. E. Salpaugh, a
Populist, who obtained some notoriety
while a Southern Pacific engineer, about
five years ago, by refusing to take out his
engine during the strike.
progress for City Auditor. Arthur H.
Breed, chairman of the County Republic
an Committee, is opposed by ID. I. Hlns-
dale and Captain Ed Hackett. Mr.. Hins-
dale is the choice of the Municipal
League and Mr.. Hackett of the Demo
Gratis and Independent Republicans. This
is one of the few places on the ticket
upon the filing of which the Republicans
and the Municipal League did not agree.
over the selection of the City Council
there are as many interests at work as
candidates In each ward there are three
or four candidates for one office, while for
the four candidates at large there are eX-
actly quarter of hundred names on the
ballot.
There are also many names from
which to choose eleven School Directors
and Library Trustees. But there is never
much of a scramble over these offices, for
there is no salary attaChee to them ana
the positions are solely tSose of honor.
1t is not easy to arrive at any probable
result of Mondays election by looking
| over the figures of the past. John L. Da-
vie fiuctuates considerably as a political
candidate, but he always runs with con-
! Populism was at its height and the anti
ran for Mayor with the , single P,op99iiist ,opp9iht
business man of Oakland, was nominated
/ by the Republicans and indorsed by the
| Municipal League and Democratic con-
! Nelson's votes should have been 5000 and
! Davies 2O0O. But when the returns were
| in Davie was elected.
Two years ago Davie ran again. On
! this occasion he was opposed by w. R..
Thomas, Republican; Seth Mann, DEM
ocrat; A c. Henry, Independent, and
Rev. S. Goodenough, Poopulist. The The vote
45O, and Goodenough 500. This year all
these votes have to be DIVIDED between
1900 new votes from the annexed districts.
the political complexion of which is a
matter Of guesswork
Snow has always carried the solid Re-
publican vote of Oakland. Whenever he
was nominated for Auditor 1t has always
been conceded that he would carry the
he has always done so. II is TO this abll-
ity of Shows to carry his party that he
depends for his election.
! More than ever attention is being di-
| rected to the silent vote. In Oakland,
| out of its 1900 voters, about 5000 talk.
! The other 5000 think. The 1900 are always
/ atfng among those not Versed in Oakland
politics an Impression that everything Is
| going their way, and that the other fell
! lows have not ghost of show.
! Oakland has another element among her
! voters not found in most cities. 1t is the
! commuter., There are probably 1000, peo-
pIe travelling daily between Oakland and
! San Francisco who vote across the bay:
! These people meet nearly every day of
| their lives, and the natural result is that
/ they consider themselves a sort OF fra
! tcrnal society. They discuss their poll
! tics together, and as rule vote pretty
much the same way. On the Republican
/ ticket TINS tlnle tIleTe are SlA CdHuIudle5
/ for the Council who are commuters. and
of these most of them will probaiy get
the solid vote of their daily fellowtrav-
elers.
Some Individual more enthusiastic that
iudicious has circulated a handbill stating
| that the Christian Endeavorers are tax
ing a hand in the election of certain can
! didates. Z. c. Lyons. president OF the
| Alameda County Christian EndeavoT
Union, said tonight that any such state
! ment is absolutely false, and that the
Endeavorers are taking no hand what
ever except as Individual citizens in the