The San Francisco call., 1906-11-05
RESULT UNCERT TA|N
IN ALAMEDA.
Fight for Assessorship Cen
ters Interest and Both
Sides Proclaim Victory
MANY NEW VOTERS

OAKLAND Nov 4.-After a bonn
bardment for ten days of the voters
of Alameda County by the Dalton anc
the Thomas forces in the fight for the
County Assessorship, the result is in
doubt. Were the conditions in Ala
media County the same today as they
were four years ago, the political fig
ure- makers could get a line or two
that might furnish a basis for close
calculation But there are 5000 to 5000
new voters to take into consideration
and this is quantity that has not been
analyZed, and cannot be, with any de-
gree of certainty; for many of the new
registrations are strangers to political
conditions in this sphere OF activity.
Thomas bases his claims to the VIC
tory on two main points. He asserts
he will get at least the normal Repub-
lican vote, for he has the Republican
nomination Likewise he claims large
Union Labor vote by reason of his
holding that party's nomination
Thomas says he will run strongly in
Berkeley his home town. where there
has been a heavy increase in registra-
ton, presumably Republican He also
says Alameda will poll him a big vote
1t is the home city OF Congressman
Knowland, who is interested in the
rolling up of a big Republican vote
there.
The campaign Thomas has made has
been directed to an open attack upon
Dalton's methods as an Assessor. There
has been no mincing of words in the
stiff charges that have been laid at
the rotund Assessors door. Thomas
has accused Dalton specifically of keep
ing millions of dollars worth of prop
erty, owned by large corporations, off
the assessment roll. He has accused
the Assessor of undertaking corpora
tion holdings and forcing assessments
upon the smaller property owners that
were out of all proportion to those
of the big interests. All of this has
been hammered into the Alameda Coun-
ty constituency. The question will be
answered election day.
Dalton has conducted an offensive
as well as a defensive campaign He
has laid at the door of corporations
the attacks upon him. He has charged
that he is the victim of assault because
he has fought schemes to loot public
treasures. His side has denounced
Thomas as incompetent, and the tool of
other men. All of this has given some
Zest to an otherwise quiet session. Dali
ton says he is sure to win; that Thorn
as claims to the Republican vote are
absurd, and that he. Dalton, has the
people with him. He is making no
estimates, but he points to the fact
that he defeated a strong Republican
candidate four years ago.
George S. Pieroe's friends are claim
ing his election over G. W. Bacon for
County Auditor by a safe majority.
Pierce's fight has been unusual in that
a perfect organization has been main
tanned and not a break has occurred in
his line. Bacon has made his appeal
for reelection largely on the ground of
his work during his present term. Both
men have conducted a clean, high
toned contest.
County Clerk j. P. Cook completed
today the work of sehding out sample
ballots to the voters of the county.
Besides meeting the legal requirements,
Cook rendered the voters no little SER
vice by sending to each one of them
voting card, showing sthe location
of the electors voting precinct and his
voting number. Ample instructions
were also given as to voting the big
blanket ballot, as well as the machines,
which will be used in forty-three pre-
cincts. The machines will be placed
in a part of Berkeley and in the town
ships outside of Oakland and Alameda.