The San Francisco call., 1906-08-09
PRIMARY POLITICS
IN THE DEBRIS.
Ruef Colonies in the
Ruins and Schemes a
Plan \ of Vengeance
FISK'S NEW ROLE
BY T. B. SULLIVAN.


The primary election which will take
place next Tuesday in this city offers in
very few of the Assembly districts even
the suggestion of excitement. On the
republican side Ruef and Herrin will
win without contest in all but five or
perhaps six of the districts. They have
their forces thoroughly organized and
may dispose them in the contested To-
cal1t1es as they please. Even in the
districts where a fight Is on, except in
the Thirty-ninth District, the rivalry is
OF small concern.
In the great burnt zone of the city
the condition of affairs is ludicrous.
Stufhng and colonizing there have been
notorious, and even the small registra-
tfon, that speaks habitation among
leaning walls, threatening chimneys and
debris, represents a residence simply
for political purposes. A few men are
living in tents and bunkhouses for pur-
poses only of primary politics, and Ruef
has taken excellent care that the colo
nization Is for his benefit.
The political organization of the State
Is superior even to earthquake and fire
and the destroyed area of San Francisco
must have its political representation in
the Legislature and elsewhere. Ruef
and Herrin have seen to 1t that their
sense of political morality is not shock
ed by the personnel of men who, from
the debris of the city, must have share
In the nomination of Governors and
United States Senators.
WAR IN RUEF's CAMP.
In the Thirty ninth District the fight
Is for blood. It presents a pretty fam
lily row among the Ruef followers and
appears to involve several side issues
that are supposed not to be matters of
public interest. In this district the
Ruef administration has decided to
down Frank Maestretti, who has been
considered in times Of peace and of
war and Of graft and scandal the very
center of the Schmitz regime
1t Is given out that because Macs
tretti would not honor Jack McGlynn,
friend Of Senator George Keane, the
hair of the Works Board man must fly
and Keane has invaded the Thirty
ninth District to turn the trick. The
reason so artlessly given Is not the true
one. Keane is acting on instructions
from headquarters, now located over a
French restaurant on Bush and Fill
more streets
Since the earthquake the adm,nistra-
tior has been looking for better repre-
seEtatives before the public. Friends
OF the local regime are kind enough
to indicate that 1t can't dismiss any
body and appoint somebody else with
out working a distinct Improvement.
With such a chance as that to win pop
ularity the game should be easy
Before the shakeup Maestretti was
supposed to do the raw work Of the
administration, but his work became
SO raw that Keane has been delegated
to cook him. All the forces in the dis
trict that were Maestretti's strength
are now Keane's. The Police Depart
ment, the Fire Department, the Aims
house. that never goes begging for
voters, are now behind Keane, and the
horizon looks dark for Maestretti.
WHEELAN AN ALLY OF KEANE.
Allied with Keane is Fairfax Whee-
Ian. most unusual of political combi-
nations. But 1t is not because the de-
cent element of the district likes Keane
better, but because 1t detests Maestretti
more that the alliance is made. 1t looks
like an early funeral for Maestretti.
The fight in this district involves
also the Twenty-second Senatorial Dis
trict, which is formed of the Thirty
ninth and Fortieth assembly districts.
Thomas E. Atkinson, Speaker of the
Assembly, is Maestrettf's candidate for
State Senator. He looks upon the sit
uation with some concern.
In the other districts where Ruefs
rremacy is contested the quarrels are
not serious. In the Thirty-sccond DIS
trict the brothers Welch will fight the
boss, but 1t is expected that they will
not go the limit. In the Thirty-fourt
Senator French of unpleasant memory
is seeking a vindicativn. In the Thirty
fifth John DAILY wants to have some
thing to say. In the Thirty-sixth Fred
Eggers and Phil Crimmins are strug-
Cling for a stand. In the Thirty-sev-
enth Postmaster Fisk is striving to
elect the delegation. but the issue In
volved is simply who will deliver the
package to Herrin. The question of Sc
iecting political messenger in an AS
sembly District has not yet assumed
proportions great enough to excite the
public. In the Fortieth Dan Ryan has
organized to defeat Jesse Marks and
Henry Ach, with Ruef behind Marks
and Ach. With these possibilities of
defeat Ruef will carry to Santa Cruz the
gentlemen who probably will choose
our Governor. legislators and admins
traitors of the laws.