The San Francisco call., 1905-01-31
PLAN To FIGHT
PARTY BOSSES
Many Tax-Paying Citizens
Are Quite Ready for a
Non Partisan Movement
METHOD OF NOMINATION
An Independent Convention
Relying on a Petition for
Place on Official Ballot
METHOD OF NOMINATION

Taxpayiug citizens Of every calling
and in every Assembly district of the
city are considering the advisability Of
putting forward q purely n-partisan
ticket In the next municipal campaign
in San Francisco.
1t is said by. the taxpayers of all par
ties that something must be done to
promote batter government in local af
fairs. Citizens who are desperately in
earnest talk Of vigilance committee or
ganization to redeem the City, but con-
servatiVe, progressive men are of the
opinion that such heroic measures will
not be necessary provided a fair deal
can be had in the casting and counting
of the vote
The existing election laws provide a
method OF creating nominating conven-
tions by delegates chosen at primary
elections. The trainers OF the law had
the notion that the people of each AS
sembly district would elect the best
men as delegates and that the result
would be the nomination in the con-
vention Of men who did not owe allie
glance to the political bosses. A lead
ing citizen who strongly favors a nom
partisan movement remarks:
The primary election law is good in a way.
but the bosses By control OF the party works
assistance of the Registrar of Voters and the
Election Corpmlssioners defeat the real pur-
pose of legislation which framed to place
the power In the hands of the people. At
hrst glance 1t would TO be easy enough
for the Independent Republicans in the several
Assembly districts to put up delegates free
from boss influence and thus gain control
Of the nominating convention.
similar victory might be achieved by in
dependent anti-boss Democrats A proposition
- merge the two conventions thus. created is
frequently advanced, but 1t is doubtful whether
hA a an tcfA ~
the nominating patronage The placing in
the field of two tickets representing the in
bosses just the opportunity they desire
1t Is well understood that the Ruef-Schmitz
by side with the RuefHerrn machine of the
Republican party. and either machine be
reinforced in an emergency by the Hearst
o Brien forces of the Democratic party. The
regular Democratic forces under the leader
ship Of McNab. Lane and Phelan are badly
demoralized by defeat and dissension. 1t is
doubtful whether the people would support
nominations emanating from that faction OF
the Democratic party.
a nor-partisan convention representing all
elements of good citizenship and when that
placed or the official ballot by petition. 1t
will be called to mind that the convention
Metropolitan Hall. which gave Eugene E.
Schmitz his first nomination for Mayor. was
not composed ne delegates chosen at the pri-
mary election. rhe delegates to the nominat-
ing body were appointed by labor unions and
industrial organizations throughout the city,
1t would be feasible for the Merchants AS.
sociation at large and independent clubs in
the several districts of the city to send dele
gates to a non partisan convention. No doubt
many of the labor unions would send repre-
sentatives. In general sense the convention
should reflect the views of the tax-paying and
industrial citizenship OF San Francisco.
Citizens who have determined to join
a non-partisan movement should bear
in mind that participation in a primary
election for delegates to a party nom
mating convention will disqualify them
from the right to petition to place a
name on the official ballot, hence the
suggestion is made that the taxpayers
take no hand whatever in the primary
election for delegates to a municipal
nominating convention