The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-11-10
ANXIOUS TO DON ERM|NE
Supreme Court Com
missioncTs Seek
New Offices.

Twenty-one thousand eight hundred
and thirty-three is the Republican plu-
rality in San Francisco, and the great
county of the State has reclaimed from
Los Angeles the silken banner of the
faith. The total vote cast in the city
Tuesday, according to the semi-official
figures now in the hands of the Regis
trar, was Sc, 739.
William S. Wood, leader on the Re
publican electoral ticket, polled SO, S14
votes, against Il 1851 cast for John Gar
Der, who headed the electoral ticket Of
the Democratic party. These figures
show that the Republican ticket was
given a fraction more than two out Of
every three ballots cast, an unprece-
dented record in San Francisco.
The difference between the vote Of
Tuesday and that of the national cleo
tiOn of 1900 is not as great as was eX-
pected. In 1900 the total vote was g.,
152, only 1857 less than that cast a the
election just concluded. The registra-
ton showed difference between 1904
and 1900 of almost 10000, and in view
Of this fact 1t is difficult to explain the
small difference between the total votes
cast at the election of these years. 1t is
held by some, however, that when the
voters registered for the election just
passed they thought they were going TO
have a fight on their hands, but the
apathy OF the Democrats in the State
soon removed this proba bility, and,
accepting the result Of the contest as a
foregone conclusion, thousands did not
take the trouble to vote.
The lawyers are eagerly watching
the returns relating to the constitu-
tional amendment to establish an ap-
pellate court with nine Judges. The
Governor has the appointment of the
nine Judges for the first term of two
years. After that the Judges are to be
elected for a term of twelve years by
popular vote. The amendment provides
that the Commissioners of the Supreme
Court shall go out of office in May
next. There are five of the Commits
sioners. They are all candidates, ac-
cording TO reports, for judgeships in
the appellate court Governor Pardee
has been requested to consider their
claims and arguments have been made
in their behalf.
The principal arguments are that
they have had large experience and
that they are in actual touch with
much Of the business of the Supreme
Court. There will be three branches of
the court one each at San Francisco,
Los Angeles and Sacramento. The
bench of the new tribunal must have
not more IMAM SIX members OF one pO-
litical party. This will give Governor
Pardee a chance TO appoint three Dem
ocrats and six Republicans.
AS the full bench viii have nine
Judges, the five Supreme Court Com
missioners are candidates for a major
ity Of the seats. The Commissioners are
y. Z. Chapman, Wheaton Gray, J. A.
Cooper, d. H. Smith and r. G. Harri-
son. The last named was on the Su-
preme bench of California twelve years.
n. P. Chapman has the longest term TO
his credit as Supreme Court Commits
sioner. In addition to the Supreme
Court Commissioners there is a host of
other candidates
The completion of the count in San
Francisco shows that so far as the city
is concerned the amendment to estab-
fish the appellate courts was given an
overwhelming majority, but the count
throughout the State has yet to be re-
capitulated- The completion of the
count here also substantiated the fig
ures given out late Tuesday night
which established the election Of the
entire legislative ticket of the city. In
every district the Republicans won by
majorities that leave the most disgrun-
tied Democrat Of them all without the
slightest ground for contest.