The San Francisco call., 1906-08-10

local Democracy for the ap-
preaching primary would lend
gloom TO q funeral. Nothing but
extreme courtesy can give the remnant
or the unterrifed the dignity Of a party
name. but the Democrats still have the
faculty Of never knowing when they
are down and out. They argue that
their chances for electing a Governor
are as good this year as they were in
the Budd campaign. and like fellow
whistling through graveyard to keep
his courage Up, they are going into the
hght
They are taking some unusual and
perhaps ill-advised comfort in the Re
publican situation and expect TO see q
dark horse, maybe Gage, nominated for
Governor. For the present Republican
aspirants in the field the JefersOnians
predict dire disaster 10 several per
sonal ambitions.
with comfortable logic the leading
candidates are being swept out Of the
convention at Santa Cruz. One is ad-
mittedly a good man with strong rec
ord upon which 10 appeal for public
support, but he Is not in touch with
tho machine.
His manager, It is gleefulIy an
noUnced, can make more enemies in a
in a week, and as a machinist he
couldn't get a working card in any pO-
litical machinists' union in the country.
Another candidate is so ostentatiously
being coated with Herrinism that the
erguing Democrats believe he is de-
Eberately being made odious simply to
sidetrack him at the proper time and
run somebody else on 10 the main line
o. the conventions favor. All of these
ideas Of what the Republican organiza-
ton may DO are breeding hope in the
Democratic breast. But-of all the hopes
bred by the Democrats, that Of Cages
candidacy is the most preposterous
Democrats and Republicans alike know
Eis record in two campaigns.
But the weird fOrmality Of electing
Democratic series Of delegations from
San Francisco viii be proceeded with.
Gavin McNab otherwise known as the
regular organization, viii have opposi-
tton in practically only one district, the
Thirty-niuth This district will be the
battlefield Of the day for both Repub
lcans and Democrats. This is where
Fairfax Wheelan and George Keane have
locked arms 10 rush Maestrettt of the
political map and this is where Little
Dick" O'Connor and the Fat" Burkes
viii try 10 teach McNab a small lesson
ia practical politics.
O'ConnOr took offense at the organi-
10 be an unequal distribution Of pat
ronage. So small a matter as that
shouldn't make even a Democrat fight,
but Little Dick" is OF the old school
and the contest is on.
The opposition has been attended
with a few features Of unusual inter
est AS a preliminary measure OF pre-
caution, the Fat" Burkes organized
There were so many political dead ones
at the meeting that somebody sug-
gested that one Of the cemeteries must
have cracked during the earthquake
and turned them loose upon an unsus-
pecting political public.
The only resolution OF importance
adopted at the meeting was presented
by Al McCabe and seconded by Jimmy
Hanley. II was Three cheers for our
Jobs" and was carried with marked
enthusiasm. Little Dick" O'Connor
was promptly and unanimously elected
treasurer and the organization ad-
jOurned sine die. It is understood that
all bills in connection with the move
ment should be presented to Mr.. O'Con-
nor.
II has been the political habit OF
OConnOr TO help Maestretti wherever
he could in this district but the situ-
alton this year suggests that each will
have all he can do 10 help himself In
the Thirty Assembly District
McNab IS threatened with opposition
but as not even a ticket has yet been
chosen, the case doesn't appear to be
serious.
IN the Forty-second District Colonel
Biendeld is 20 the front with an op-
posing delegation. He threatens to
have 80 votes in it's support, but as
the Registrar has only the record Of
forty Democrats IN the whole district
some surprise has been created to tell
by what trick OF the political trade
tho colonel expects TO expand forty
into 80. It IS quite probable that his
optimism viii not so into the ballot
box.