The San Francisco call., 1904-09-21
THE PRIMARY FRAUDS.

IMMEDIATELY after the primary election in this city
charges of the partisans that
1t is unfortunately that such charges mpnge
partisanp that makes the general public in
different 1t is also unfortunately true that large body
of business and professional negeu of their civic duty
It through politics that municipal state and national
receives oca and derives the personnel through which Its
authority s
fountain head of all Those who snub the primary polls have
Civic reformers have swept the
the the character government alive their
duty of the opportunity they have for the right guild
many cities been pasmodic efforts reform, but
these usually excited by peventabe abuses that would
not exist all who protest against existence
had been mindful of their duty the primary political processes
1t was this condition that moved the late Senator Ingalls, to declare
political purity expression
OF hopeessnes and if true, boded ill for the republic.
No popular useu endure which the people
Indifferent purity of politics No partisan
say there is partisanhp impure politics Both great par
es have been amed by it. and their higher aims and declarations
of principle have been nuhed by the filth of the gutter spatered
upon their declarations OF principle Only eternal vigilance of the
best all parties the baobox from pollution
To San belongs practical
tempt to compel purity IN the primary processes OF politics. That
powerful organization the Merchants Association the agent
instrument OF this That association had its genesis in
determination to make the city physically cleaner than was To
the Improvement the condition of Streets
the better condition OF the the triumph of the bonds for parks
and other needed and desirable municipal improvements 1t has
inagurated the system safety dangerous
promoted the decency and welfare of the city
1t emineny proper that this nonpartisan organization
should forward from promoting the physical cleanliness the
nrocesss Of notifies + Ese ootd ny @ tH - ~ ' f Pnay @
charged with fraud the primary be relied
push revelation OF all the facts by reliable
testimony.
Indifferent citizens which party
what individuals prohted by the frauds If there frauds and
violations the purity of elections law let the guilty be punished
The gratifying fact that the law vndcated and enforcement
attempted by the Merchants Association evidence of the
OF that body stand guard the balobox hereafter
Mr. Fairfax Wheelan the member of the
taken upon himself the burden of this necessary
applause and support of all good citizens He has undertaken diff
hu and perhaps dangerous task Everything that promises in
tdate him will be put in motion by the class which makes the
ballot merchandise and the balotboX refuge of fraud His fellow
citizens will understand this and will give him the backing
support Of every element of decency in the city.
Whether he succeed fail in the fnaly the
hdence him and believe that his evidence and his
the conclusions OF his and
OF duty. The Merchants
much that best in municipal life and conditions
stands for all that best by suppementng physical
beement by determination that moral and political beement
sha b add thereto