The San Francisco call., 1905-01-08
Political Agents OF
Southern Pacific
Are Active.
OPPOSED TO BARD
Railroad Hirelings
Aim to Defeat
Ventura Man.


John c. Lynch. since last Saturday
night, has asked him to vote for
Flint" remarked Judge Dibble last
night at the Palace Hotel. George
Knight. seated alongside of Dibble, at
once exclaimed: Il will make it
$780,"
Does this offer apply to Walter
Parker?"
NO." replied Knight and Dibble.
1t was explained that Herrin had
not called off Parker, the leader of
the Flint forces in the south. The in
formation Is also given out that Jim
ellis of Sacramento has a free hand
and Gillis Is working as actively for
knight as Parker is for Flint. John
Mckenzie, Harbor Commissioner, is
classed among the eliminated. 5
1t appears that Parker, the political
agent of the Southern Pacific in Los
Angeles, obtained from Herrin au
thority to get into the fight for Flint
before George Knight projected him.
self into the Senatorial arena and de-
spite all of the roaring of the orator
Herrin refused to call off Parker, but
Burke and Lynch were told to go to
the rear with the non-combatants.
In Sacramento Jim Gillis, State Lii
brarian, is the only turtle in the
railroad pond" He is not amenable to
the orders of Jere Burke, Walter Park
er, John C. Lynch or John Mckenzie.
He deals directly with Herrin. On
lockers take note of the fact that all
the railroad workers have special dis
pensation from Herrin to work against
Bard, hence Burke, Lynch and ,McKen-
Zie. while not allowed to express an
open preference for either Knight or
Flint, are given full license to vent
their pent UP Indignation on Bard.
Arthur Fisk understands that the
hands off" order from railroad head
quarters applies to his own candidacy
for the. United States Senate.
Certainly, 1 expect, Herrin will keep
hands off" my fight. The strength of
my support will be a surprise. If prom
ises Of support on the first ballot are
made good / will consider the fight
open and will then take off my coat
and go to the bat. / hear that Mr..
Knight complains that / am taking
votes that would go to him if l were
not a candidate, The facts are that L,
am getting more votes from Flint and
more from Bard than / am getting
from Knight. / have received many
voluntary assurances of support from
members Of the Legislature with whom
/ am well acquainted. They tell me
frankly and without solicitation on my
part that they will vote for me. Yes,
Senator Wolfe, in whose Senatorial dis
trict l reside, will place me in nominal
ton in the Senate and Fred c.. Jones,
who represents, in the other House,
the Thirty-seventh District, will make
the principal nominating speech in my
behalf in the Assembly. My course will
be guided in a sense by the develop
ments of the first BALLOT
postmaster Fisk met many members
of the Legislature at the Palace court
yesterday. The Knight forces are
somewhat uneasy over the formidable
aspect of the Fisk candidacy, but
Judge Dibble, Senators Ralston and
Leavitt and others are claiming that
Knights strength is constantly in
creasing and that the natural gravita-
tion of the great majority of unpledged
Senators and Assemblymen will bring
about Knights election on the third or
fourth ballot in joint convention.
Supporters of Arthur Fisk assert that
the Postmaster will lead knight on
the first ballot and that his strength
will increase as the balloting pro-
crosses Statesmen are beginning to
speculate on the probability of two
gold bricks, one for knight and one
for Flint and each brick a thing of
gilded beauty.
Arthur Fisk will get twenty votes
on the first ballot" remarked a Fisk
boomer at the Palace Hotel last night.
The boomer placed Knights strength
on the first ballot at fifteen.
The forces supporting Frank p Flint
displayed remarkable activity yester-
day. In the Flint camp the depression
caused by Knights capture of the Sac
ramento delegation is vanishing. 1t is
possible that Walter Parker, while Her.
rim is off with both feet, both hands
and both eyes, will turn trick on Jim
Gillis and land the Sacramento bunch
back in Flint's camp.
In rooms on the fourth floor of the
Palace the Flint men assembled yes
terday and discussed the aspects of
the campaign. Parker was the bus-
est and most effective of the outside
workers. 1t was noted that he was
cheerful and confident. He would
rather have Herrin's active support of
F'1int's candidacy than the ''hands
off" programme. Parker is working
overtime and George Knight would
be happy If Herrin would advise the
Los Angeles representative of the
Southern Pacific to take rest.
The question is frequently asked,
What will ,Ruef do with his bunch of
statesmen IN the Legislature?" Neither
Senator George Keane nor Speaker Pro
Tenn. T. S. Atkinson can give the cor
rect tip at this time. The Ruef strength
is placed at ten votes. 1t is conjectured
that these votes VIII be cast for J. o.
Hayes, Eugene e. Schrnitz or Ruef
himself at the outset. Later on, when
the combat deepens, one of the candi-
dates from the south may receive help.
Among the on-lockers at the Palace
yesterday were Thomas Hughes. r. j.
Wade, Oscar Lawlor and John Mitchell.
Los Angeles: Congressman-elect S. C.
Smith, Eighth District; General George
Stone. Stephen T. Gage, M. r. Tarpey.
George Hatton, Charles J. Heggerty
and Henry c. Dibble.
At late hour last night Thomas
Hughes and Frank Brandon of the
| Eard forces were not able to state def
nitely when Senator Bard would ar
rive in Sacramento.
It Is the Judgment of several we'll
informed politicians that Flint, Knight
and Fisk are Understanding Bard's
strength. 1t is the general gossip
that Flint on the first ballot will get
more votes than any other candidate.
but Bard will receive the support of
Assemblymen who are now claimed
for Flint and also some votes that are
claimed for Knight. The number OF
Senators and Assemblymen who will
refuse to wear the railroad collar may
Increase. The remark was made yes-
terday: What a splendid triumph
1t would be for the Republican party
of California II the Legislature should
refuse to elect any candidate on the
Southern Pacific programme"