Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-18
RUFF AS A MENACE

papers are in open revolt against Abe
Ruef the Republican boss and callfor-
MAS autocrat. The fact speaks hope
fully for the political morals Of San
Francisco. and for the resumption of
popular government in this state
As long as the Republican partisan
press was united in support Of Ruef
anything was possible to the machine.
But with a returning sense Of shame
and responsibility ON the part Of the
newspapers some Of them are demand
ing honesty in politics.
Under the heading, ."Overboard With
Ruef and His Buccaneers" the san
Francisco Call says;
THE shameless colonization of the
burned districts at the primary on
Tuesday by suffers i'm the service of
Abe Ruef constitutes the gravest
scandal that has ever disgraced Cali
fornia politics. The frauds were so
gross and open that they call for radi-
cal action. 1t rests on the honest rep
representatives of interior districts to
save San Francisco and the state from
the grip fastened on the city by the
gang that has stolen the representation
of the Republican party and, possibly,
that of the local Democracy. The facts
are notorius; there is no dispute about
them. Whole colonies of suffers regis
tered from uninhabitable shacks and
stables and they voted the orders of
Ruef. In the only district not carried
by the local boss the successful ticket is
under the orders of Herrin. 1t is a
clean sweep for the organization.
The people of San Francisco will not
have one representative in the Republic
can convention. Ruef will have ISL of
the city delegates. and Eggers for
Herrin, holds the other eight.
Throw them out with ignominy.
San Francisco will never grumble at
being deprived of such representation.
Conditions in the Democratic party
are quite as bad. Though Gavin Nc
Nab still has hopes. on the face of the
returns it's representa- tion was stolen
by the same methods as those that
proved successful in the Republican
primary, and this success was worked
by the same man, A. Ruef. The Call
does not profess to offer advice to the
Democracy as to it's course in dealing
Instructive features about the result of
this primary and the motives that
throw a searching light on the designs
of Ruef."
The San Francisco Bulletin is equally
indignant and demanding. Under the
heading: why Prolong the Farce? Let
Ruef Cast the Ballot" the Bulletin
says:
Under the present regime why have
an election? The barbarous tribe which
follows the leader who dictates the
path to follow, and whose good will is
purchased by skulls, does not hold an
election. Under the present condition
an election in San Francisco is a farce.
why bother about the burned voting
machines and go to the trouble of
securing others? One is sufficient. Let
1t be made of gold and inscribed with
the kings image and coat-of-arms, and
let it be set UP under the remnants of
the blasted dome of the city hall, and
in the presence of the majority of the
voters of San Francisco-the majority,
mind you--let Abe Ruef cast one ballot
for the people, and let them say loud
Amen and have done with it."
All IIllS Is SlAHiHCdll duu lull VI nope,
but it is useless to expect that the Re-
publican machine convention at Santa
Cruz will throw out Abe Ruef Not
this year, at any rate. 1t will be Ruef's
own convention. 1t could not, as at
present constituted. exist without him.
He is the state convention-more's the
pity, He represents all the corrupt and
corrupting influences of the state
machine, for he is lot only the autocrat
of San Francisco-he is the dictator of
California.
Abe Ruef is menace to popular gov
ernment in this state. Backed by the
power of the railroads and the worst
machine this country ever saw, he
laughs at the people, sneers at popular
rights. names the candidates and casts
the ballots of all California;!
1t is high time to put stop to this
lord of misrule 1t can be done in a
day. Will it be?