The San Francisco call., 1907-01-13
Pardee Shuts Successor Out
Entirely in Matter Of a
Few Very Choice Plums
GREAT PRECISION
USED IN TIMING
Eureka Mans Term Will
Expire Before Those Of the
Alamedan S Lucky Friends
CALL HEADQUARTERS.
IN07 EIGHTH STREET.

SAARA W TN J. W dlL- L..
Through a careful timing Of his
last-ninute appointments. ex-
Governor George c. Pardee has
apparently beaten Governor Gil
lett out Of the distribution OF sew
eral Of the choicest plurns on the
gubernatorial patronage tree. If
the four-year-appointmeHts made
by Psrdee on January 7 and 8
stand. Giliett will be out of Office
before the terms Of the Pardee
appointees expire and his success
sor viii have the places to I'll.
That the latter-day procrastinaaon
Of George C Pardee was not entirely
guileless was made apparent today 10
the new incumbents Of the Governors
once, and TO their sorrow. II the de-
cision in the Harbor Commissioner Mac
kenzie case governs. Pardee has beaten
IN the gubernatorial patronage pie.
One OF the first things Pardee did as
Governor was TO secure the enactment
OF a law determining what should be
considered the terms OF executive ap-
pointees. Under The provisions of this
law the term Of an executive sppointee
shall be considered as beginning when
Ger the original appointment In other
words. in the case Of an appointment
for four years, II the appointee were
permitted to hold over year after
the expiration Of his term, his sue
cessor would be eligible under an orig
inal appointment TO but three years.
That law worked ali right until Pardee
tried TO fire Mackenzie from the Harbor
Commission and appointed in his stead
Senator J. 6. Nattos Mackenzie took
the case into the courts. claiming that
his term Of office began with the date
Of his commission.
Pardee took the hint from the first
body blow landed by Mackenzie and
bided his time. A consultation Of the
calendar showed that GiIlett could not
possibly be declared Governor before
noon on January z. and that his sue
ressOr would. under ordinary circum-
stances, be inauRurated and in posses
sion Of the Office during the afternoon
Of January 5. 191l- Pardee was ready
and did turn loose = batch Of appoint
nents Monday. January !, before ne
discovered that the Senate rush would
not come of. and that he would have
two more days Ina which 10 enjoy the
suspense Of his friends and make dou-
bly, sure the discontinue OF his enc
mics. Among the appointments made
on Monday by Pardee were those Of ].
Arthur Elston to be attorney for the
state Board OF Health and Al Lindley
and Assem- biyman J. ,. Transue 10 be
members Of the Building and Loan
Commission, besides q number. to un-
Ealaried places.
All were named for the term expir-
ing January IL. 1871, or for the term
prescribed by law" The term prescribed
by law in each Of these cases being
four years. the Jobs were put past Gil
lett unless he established a precedent
by succeeding himself.
When the Secretary OF State called
the attention OF the outgoing executive
10 the fact that he had by the terms OF
his commissions deprived his successor
of the option Of filling these places on
his retirement, Pardee referred Curry
to Eiston. who he said, was in charge
bf the execution of the commissions.
tclston winlxed his other eye. suggested
hat the Governor knew what he was
about and casually mentioned the Mac
kenzie case.
About thirty Of these last minute ap-
bointments require the confirmation OF
the Senate. These can. OF course be
Withdrawn and Gillett given power to
dominate. but the three full-term mem
hers OF the Board of Agriculture, the
members of the Building and Loan
Commission and the attorney for the
State Board Of Health are executive ap-
bointments, made without the consent
bf the Senate. Elston can be reached
by legislating his Office out OF exist
tnce, but there appears to be a very
decided hitch in the plans 10 perform
similar once for Lindley and Transue,
and It would appear that the medical
gentleman from Alameda had not only
bassed his successor a lemon. but also
l large dose Of political wormwood.