The San Francisco call., 1906-10-03
Gallagher Will Work
Out Ruef's Vengeance.
Troubles of the Boss
Reach Acute Stage
and War is Bitter.
By Thomas B. sullivan.

The rebellion of Maestretti and his
now the topic of foremost interest in
local political circles. Ruef has deter
mined to hound the Board of Works
man and Tom Atkinson out Of political
life, and he will use all the power Of
the municipal administration to accom-
plish his purpose. The game is not as
easy as it looks, and before Maestretti
is down and out there may be wash
ing of political linen that will set the
town agape.
When men have been as close in their
relationships and association as Ruef
and Maestretti have been their common
interest generally dictates a compro-
mise to any quarrel that may come be-
tween them. But in this instance it is
war, and the SITUATION should recon-
mend itself to the public as highly en-
couraging. Ruef, of course, can throw
Maestretti out of the Board of Public
Works, and he probably viii do So
MAESTRETTI TO BE REMOVED.
At this action the public will have
no serious cause for complaint. Macs
tretti, as far as his duties as an official
are concerned. has enjoyed sinecure.
He has hardly had the courtesy TO at
tend the sessions of the Board of Pub
-
connection with the ballot frauds the
employees in the Works Board We're
forced financially to come to his as
sistance Ruef has more than enough
cause to remove him and he has al
ready indicated to Acting Mayor James
Gallagher that il would please him to
see the dictator of the Thirty-ninth
District walk the plank.
The acting Mayor is an attentive list
the hOSS SneakS.
and it is not unlikely that Maestrettis
life as a member of the administration
will end before Schmitz takes the ship
for the Old World. The Gallagher fam
lily is thriving in the smiles of Ruef
just at present, and the acting Mayor
Will carry out instructions strictly TO
the letter
1t is shrewdly suspected that by pre-
arrangement he is to play the wicked
brother TO Mayor Schmitz in this mat
ter. A deal OF unpleasant work must
be done to regulate the political family
of his Honor the Mayor. and he cannot
very well do 1t himself Labor union
entanglements, reaching in some in
stances the dignity of rebellion, have
arisen, and Schmitz was powerless to
meet them and retain his prestige.
GALLAGER Is OBEDIENT.
While he is gone Gallagher can clean
house, take all the blame of the dust
and muck of the proceeding on his
shoulders and absolve Schmltz from
blame When the Mayor returns he
can storm in righteous indignation and
deplore his childlike innocence in hav-
ing left to a person so indiscreet mat
ters of such moment. But there will be
no remedy for what the fiery tempered
Gallagher will have done.
Schmitz fences win be repaired. Ruef
revenges will have been accomplished.
labor union disturbers will have been
silenced, and the board will have been
cleared for a new deal.
simultaneously with the disciplining
of Maestretti will be the punishment of
Atkinson. He will lose his position
as expert accountant for the city,
job that without work to him has prof
tied him $500 a month Atkinson saw
the storm approaching, and he has
placed himself in a position where he
can say he retired before he was un
tremendously dismissed. Certain CON
tracts which it was expected would net
him several thousand dollars and which
he received through his association
with Ruef will also be taken from him
further to emphasize the fact that it is
-unwise to bucke the boss unless one
comes to the fray extremely well pre-
pared.
KEANE HAS A CONTRACT.
Having clipped the wings of his re-
belliOus lieutenants Ruef intends to
carry the battle into their own camp.
1T is on the cards to send George
Keane, Senator and supervisorial clerk.
into the Thirty-ninth District and take
it away from Maestretti. Nobody IS
jealous Of George because Of his job.
If ever there was a prospect of a par
m NJ n
ninth it is lAis. 1t wouldn't take much
of a prophet to hazard a guess that
George will be minus few feathers
when the fight is over.
The acceptance of Gus Hartman by
the Ruef convention as the Senatorial
nominee from the Twenty-second Dis
trict will in no way deter Atkinson
from giving him battle at the polls.
AS Maestretti and Dick O'Connor share
the Thirty ninth District as a pocket
borough the outlook for Hartman is
not particularly bright.
While Ruef made a spectacle of him
self in his absurd endeavor to capture
the Democratic convention, his follow
ers among the delegates did sneak
through a few of his favorites for the
Assembly. They will be valuable, how
ever, to the Bush street boss only for
purposes of the lobby at Sacramento.
LABOR DENoUNCEs HEARST.
Members of the Labor Council sent
several important kilograms to New
York yesterday in reference to the at
titude- of w. r. Hearst on the political
problem in California The editor was
denounced in unmeasured terms, and
Gompers was given the customary in
junction to make things hum in the
Empire State.
Langdon held an open-air rally yes
terday at the Union Iron Works to
the usual accompaniment of stenogra-
pliers and cameras. BY actual and
easy count there We're just thirty FIVE
in the audience and seven of them were
soliciting signatures to the petition of
the Doodle Dees. Enthusiasm of
course ran riot. The toast of tie day
was James D. Phelan and Langdon did
not let go of him until the worthy ex-