The San Francisco call., 1906-10-19
JOB cHAsERS ARE
AFTER G|LLETT.
Tremendous Patronage Will
Be Placed at the Com
mand of Next Governor
VACANCIES ON BENCH
By Thomas B. Sullivan.

by lnOrT7aS Is. sullivan
Political conditions throughout Cali
fornia warrant Republicans in the very
satisfying assurance that Gillett will
be elected Governor. Whether these
conditions have been correctly inter-
preted will be determined, of course,
on November g. but the place hunter
is an early bird and he is swarming
around the st. Francis in all his un-
desirable variety. He wants to be sure
that the dispensers of political pap
know that he is on the right side of
the fence and ready to perform any old
kind of a service for the good cause
In nine cases out of ten he can do
nothing of value for anybody or any
thing except himself, but he must be
tolerated until after the ballots are
cast It is, an interesting and graft
flying fact to the job chaser that the
next Governor of California will have
more places to distribute than any
other chief executive in many years.
Governor Pardee has allowed vacancies
to accumulate like holes in a sieve.
There are jobs for commissioners of
high degree, for trustees of much dig
nifty, nfor regents of learning, for all
sorts of political high flyers.
Al board of asylum trustees for Napa
must be appointed. A harbor commits
sioner, a State prison director, build
ing and loan commissioner, regents of
the State University and other i'm
portant officials must be named to fill
vacancies that Governor Pardee in
some instances has permitted to re-
main as long as a year and a half
Why the Governor has neglected to
make these appointments has never
been clearly understood by his friends
Some surmised tnat he was fearful
of making enemies while striving to
create friends before the convention.
Others incline to the belief that it is
his habit as a physician to be ex-
tremely slow in reaching a decision.
Perhaps 1t is, but whatever it may be
it has practically robbed the Governor
of the qualification of doing a lot of
nice things for his friends. He will Of
course fill all of the vacancies before
he retires next January, but all of his
appointments must be indorsed by the
Legislature and the next Governor may
withdraw them to make selections of
his own. AS Governor Pardee has not
been wildly enthusiastic in the candi-
dacy of Gillett, it is not likely that the
Congressman will sheath his pruning
knife If he gets chance to whack the
Pardee appointees.
1t is toward Gillett and not toward
Pardee. therefore, that the place hunt
ers are looking. although they know
by reason of the recently enacted law
the tenure will be only for what is left
of the unexpired term and not for a
period of four years, as formerly.
JUDGES TO BE APPOINTED.
The next Governor will also appoint
five Superior Judges, and the legal fra
ternity is on the very tiptoe of excitef
ment and expectancy. The amount of
learned material worthy of the ernine
is alarming. If Superior Judges Carroll
Cook and Frank H. Kerrigan are elect
ed to the Court of Appeals there will be
two vacancies in this city and the next
Governor will fill them
Unless every political sign fails,
Superior Judge James w Taggart of
Santa Barbara, Superior Judge Elijah
c. Hart of Sacramento and Superior
Judge Albert G. Burnett of Sonoma will
be elected to the Appellate bench. This
will place at the discretion of the new
Governor the appointment of three
more Judges Altogether the prospect
is pleasing to the men of the law and
their shouting loyalty to the cause is
good to see.
One Of the curiositfes. of the present
campaign in this city is the politically
indecent effort that is being made to
re-elect Frank French as the misrepre-
sentative of the Twentieth District in
the Senate. Even IL French was elected
he probably would be expelled by the
body in whose membership he was
disgrace. Ruef is giving him every
comfort, however, in his struggle. The
saloons in the district have been CO.
creed into his support. and the disrep-
utabie element has been herded behind
him.
When the Laborites refused to stom-
ach him and nominated John Mullen
Ruef read the riot act, but before the
lash could swing Mullen was with
drawn and French substituted. It is
unlikely, however, that this worthy can
be reelected. The Democrats have
recognized their opportunity, and have
placed an exceptionally strong man in
the race. He is Thomas J. Kennedy
one of the best known and most highly
respected men in the district He has
not only the advantage of his own
worth, but that OF his opponents motor
ious unworth.